《My Celebrity Crush》 1 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡®Come on, Jeanne; you¡¯re too slow. Does it really have to take you ages to get me a cup of coffee?¡¯ Susan groused as I hurried with a cup of coffee to her. ¡±And where are the headphones I asked for?¡¯ Ivy asked, opening her palms.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡®Sorry, Ivy; but I couldn¡¯t find them in the room¡¯ I replied dazily, , touching my forehead. ¡®What? Have you gone blind? What do you mean you couldn¡¯t find it?¡¯ she groused. ¡®Come on girls. Maybe the fact that she is going to the Alpha High School has suddenly made her blind¡¯, their mom said and theyughed lightly. ¡®I wonder why she insisted on going there. Does she think she will be able to win any of the lover boys?¡¯ Ivy asked and theyughed again. I bent my head and sniffed. No, I couldn¡¯t afford shedding a tear; not on a special day like this. ¡®Enough of the jokes; I¡¯ve warned you to stop doing this¡¯, I heard his voice and I smiled to see the only man I could call family. Although, he wasn¡¯t my biological family, he had insisted I call him dad. Whenever he¡¯s around, his wife and daughters never get to bully me. He climbed down the stairs into the sitting room and touched my hair. ¡®Are you ready?¡¯ he asked and I nodded with a smile and took my bag from the table. I looked at his daughters and their faces were already swollen with rage. I bent my head and walked out of the room with dad ¨C Mr. Raymond. Mr. Raymond is actually my adopted father. He told me he had found me lying close to the river banks four years ago and he had taken me to the hospital. But when I regained consciousness, I lost my memories and couldn¡¯t recall a single thing from my past. So, I had no idea where I came from. Mr. Raymond had even put me up on TV but no one came for me. So, he took me in as his daughter but his wife and kids never epted me for once. They all saw me as a nuisance and didn¡¯t want to associate with me. His kids actually study abroad, but juste over for the long vacation. I¡¯m just a sad, lonely girl who wonders where her family might be and why they never came for her. Well, thank God I fell into the hands of someone as kind as Mr. Raymond. Right now, I¡¯m going to Alpha High School and you wouldn¡¯t believe the millions he spent just to get me admitted. It¡¯s actually one of the best schools in the country, but unfortunately, Mr. Raymond is a very busy person and he travels out of the country a lot. As a matter of fact, he will be leaving the country again by tomorrow, and that¡¯s quite sad for me because, each time he isn¡¯t around, his wife and kids make my life a living hell. I got into the car with dad and sat at the back seat. Then, I let out a sweet wide smile. For once, I had the opportunity to be happy about going to the Alpha High School. It¡¯s a school for only the rich;like, very rich and I only got lucky because Mr. Raymond is one of the rich. I connected my headphones as my dad started the car. Yeah, that¡¯s me; I¡¯m actually a music freak. I love singing with passion. I yed one of my favorite songs as I closed my eyes, enjoying the song. It was ¡°kiss me again¡± by The Loverboys. Okay, who are the love boys? The Love Boys is the most popr band in the US, originally made up of five young, crazily handsome and sparingly wealthy boys ¨C Theo, Alex, Carl, Daniel and Malcolm. Wondering why I said ¡°originally¡±? Well, that¡¯s because Theo is no longer with them. He unexinably left the band four years ago, and since then, nobody has ever heard from him again. He was actually the leader of the band, but since he left, Alex took over as the leader. ording to what, I heard, Alex and Theo were childhood friends and were both lovers of music and as a result, their parents teamed up and signed up with the Alpha Records and opened a band ¨C The Love Boys. Then Carl, Daniel and Malcolm who were also close friends of theirs back then, also joined the band. So, the Love Boys started at a very young age and they were doing pretty well. But, uncannily, things changed about them and it all started four years ago. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but we¡¯re all sure something big must have transpired between them, especially Theo and Alex. Theo uncannily left the band and since he left, Alex also changed. Alex was a happy flirty guy, but since Theo left, that happy personality of his died off, and he became a sad quiet introvert. I even heard he was forced by his parents to take over as the band leader. Another strange thing that happened since Theo left is that, all the girlfriends Alex ever had all ended up dead. Yes, since Theo left, he¡¯s had about two girlfriends and they all ended up dead and as a result, he¡¯s been abstaining from thepany of girls. He¡¯s been trying as much as possible to avoid any contact with girls and I actually heard even in the Love Boy¡¯s mansion, there are no female workers there; even their cook is a boy. I really wonder what could have happened between him and Theo, and what could also be the cause of the death of thedies he loved. Or, could it be just a coincidence? Or could there really be something or someone behind it? And why did it start happening after Theo left? Well, it¡¯s not like what happened stopped Alex from being thedies¡¯ crush. The Love Boys were all charming, but Alex was the cutest, trust me, I y his video every day. But when Theo was around, I heard it was difficult making a choice between him and Alex because they were both charming and breathtaking. Trust me, if I were to choose between Theo and Alex, I wouldn¡¯t know why to choose. Too bad Theo left, but it¡¯s a good thing Alex was still around to fill up the space. But, I¡¯m still wondering why Theo left and where he is. Will he evere back? ¡®We¡¯re here¡¯, my dad¡¯s voice broke into my thoughts and I opened my eyes and discovered that we had already gotten to the Alpha High School. Oh, heavens! Was this a school or a hotel? Jesus! I came out of the car and stood like a statue looking around with amusement. This building was magnificent. it looks prettier than it seems on TV and magazines. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually here. AHS ¨C Alpha High School is owned by Alpha Records, thepany where the Love Boys worked under. People from outside the country travel down here just to attend AHS because they get to see their superstars almost every day. I heard they Love Boys move around very freely over here and are only apanied by the guards on rare asions. But, I also heard that Alex is rarely seen. He always istes himself from everyone, and on most asions, he doesn¡¯t attend sses. He had really turned out to be an introvert. But whenever hees around, they entire ce is always set on ovation, and I also heard some female students even end up copsing. I hope I also get to meet face to face with him one day. Dad held my hand as we headed for the Principal''[s office and I couldn¡¯t stop admiring the entire ce. Securities were everywhere and pretty boys and girls could be seen walking in pairs and taking pictures. Dad and I got to the principal¡¯s office but at that time, he was kind of settling an issue between two parents and their kids. So, we were asked to wait outside. We sat on the three-seater chair outside the office together with one other man and I just couldn¡¯t wait to see the principal so that he¡¯d assign me to my ss. While we were seated there, three prettydies walked by and one of them had Alex¡¯s name written on her hand. Wow! Seriously? Then, two other boys walked by and they were talking about Kimberly. OH Kimberly. My role model! She was my teacher at the Love girls ¨C a female music band created from the Love Boys. It was made up of eight girls and Kimberly Percival was they leader. She¡¯s actually my best song-writer and I love her so much. I hope I also get to meet her here as well. The meeting in the office was taking long and I was kind of getting impatient already. I stood up and walked to the window in the passage, taking a look outside. I was so beautiful. I looked back at dad and he was busy with hisptop. well, like I said, he¡¯s a very busy person. Then, I decided to take a look around. Yes, just around the passage. I started walking and noticed the passages were free of students. They were probably in ss. I came to a staircase and sat by it bringing out a book from my bag, it was my song book. I opened it and started writing new lyrics that came to my mind while I sat. I really love singing a lot, and I wish I would have an opportunity to explore it. I was still writing in my song book when I heard a soft sound that caught my attention. It seemed someone was ying they keyboard. I listened carefully and noticed it wasing from upstairs. Who could it be? It was so enchanting. I stood up and slowly, I started climbing the stairs. As I drew nearer, the sound got clearer and it kept bemusing me. But just as I finished climbing the stairs, I saw a signboard that read: ¡°Restricted area. Stay back¡±. Huh? Oh-oh. But there was someone in. Why does it have to be restricted? I stood still and the sound of the keyboard kept enchanting me. Only an expert can y this good. It was a slow emotional song and I wondered who it could it be. There was a big room ahead and the door was slightly open and it was obvious the sound wasing from there. I looked around and couldn¡¯t find anyone. Then, creepily, I walked pass the signboard and entered the room. Like I said earlier, it was big and at the entrance were just scattered books, shelves , canters, cartoons and papers. It looked more like a storage room. I walked further and finally, I found the expert. Hah! Atst. I smiled and looked at him and¡­ wait! Isn¡¯t that¡­ Oh, my God! It¡¯s Alex. Whaat? I quickly ran and hid behind a canter. Oh, my God! Am I dreaming or what? am I really looking at Alex with my bare eyes? The leader of the Loverboys? It¡¯s a good thing he was backing me, else, I¡¯d have been caught. Oh, my! No wonder it was a restricted area. He wanted to be alone. He always wants to be alone. Then that means I shouldn¡¯t be here. If I get caught, I¡¯m definitely going to get punished. But at that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but admire him. Despite the fact he was backing me, I could still manage to have a side view of his face. Oh, my! He was so charming and cute. He had a tattoo on his neck and a diamond ring on his ear. Now I understand why the sound was so emotional. All the songs he led have always been emotional. All thedies have been dying for him. But too bad they only get to see him from a distance or on TV since he doesn¡¯t like associating with girls anymore. I heard it¡¯s kind of made him cold hearted to some extent. I wonder what really happened to them. Suddenly, he stopped ying and I wondered why. I was kind of enjoying it. ¡°Do you realise this is a restricted area?¡± He asked and I swear, my heart stopped beating. What? Does he know I¡¯m here? I gasped and turned around in fear, leaning my back on the canter. Oh, God! How did this happen? 2 Jeanne¡¯s Pov continues: I heard him touch the keys again and just then, his phone started ringing. ¡°Yes? I¡¯ll be there¡± he said on the phone. His voice was so soft as he spoke and it made me drool more on him.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. But at this moment, I was scared. What is he going to do to me? I heard him stand and started walking to the door which was towards my direction. Oh, God! Surprisingly, he walked pass me and didn¡¯t even turn to take a look at me. Huh? Is he really such an introvert? I watched in surprise as he walked to the door, but just when he was about going out, something like car keys fell from his hands and I exhaled. He¡¯s definitely going to turn around to pick it up. My heartheart skipped as he bent and turned to pick it up and boom! That was it. We made the eye contact Gosh! Is this for real? Jesus; he was so heavenly cute; cuter than he looked on TV and magazines. Oh, my God! I could hardly breathe. He had this long babyshes and a dark curly hair that flopped across his forehead. Even though I only had to look at him for a short time, I could swear he was the most handsome guy I¡¯d ever seen. He stared at me briefly and quickly took his eyes away like he had seen no one important. And finally, he left the room. I ced my hand on my chest and took in a deep breath. Gosh; that was so close. I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t even react to my presence there. But it¡¯s still a miracle to know I was in the same room with loverboy Alex. It¡¯s unbelievable. I left the room and got outside and looked left and right to see if I could still get a glimpse of him. But unfortunately, he was gone. I stood at the passage for a while, still recalling the whole thing. I smiled when I remembered his soft voice that had spoken to me: ¡®Do you realise this is a restricted area?¡¯ I wish I could hear him speak again. I finally took the stairs and returned to the office and there I met my dad in already, talking with the principal. ¡°Jeanne, where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you¡± he said as I took a seat beside me. ¡°Sorry dad. I was just taking a look around¡± I replied and turned to the principal who was a chubby handsome man. ¡°Good morning sir¡± I greeted and checked the header on his desk for a name. It was Mr Mark rkson. ¡°Good morning, dear. Your dad here has already told me everything about you. Just fill this form over here and you¡¯ll be assigned to your new ss¡± he said and slided the form to me on the table and I collected it and filled in my details. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have the school map on your school already. But I¡¯ll be assigning someone to show you aroundter in the day. Wee to Alpha High School¡± he concluded with a warm smile and brought out his hand for a handshake and I smiled and collected it. ¡°Thank you sir¡± I replied and stood up with dad. ¡°Thank you very much Mr rkson. I really appreciate the effort¡± dad told him and exchanged a handshake with him and we left the office afterwards. ¡°Make sure you stay out of trouble, Jeanne. And be attentive in ss, okay?¡±he told me as we held hands and walked out of the passage. Then when we got to the balcony, I stopped and embraced him. ¡°Thank you dad. Thank you so much for this¡± I said happily and he patted my back. ¡°Just make me proud okay?¡± He said softly and I nodded and unlocked from the hug. ¡°Now hurry to ss so you don¡¯t bete for lectures¡± he said and I smiled and waved at him and left. I opened the school map on my phone and followed the direction to my new ssroom. It was very big and pretty and filled with young good looking boys and girls. Well, all the students in Alpha High were undoubtedly rich because Alpha High doesn¡¯t give out schrships. So, there were no rooms formoners. Well, it¡¯s a good thing I had someone like Mr Raymond to back me up. I nervously walked into the ssroom as all the students stared at me. I kept my gaze low and found anan empty seat on the third row. Thank goodness. wow! I can¡¯t believe I was in Alpha High. I wonder what grade the loverboys were in. I wish we could have the same grade. After a short while, a teacher came in and all the students settled down. ¡°Good morning, Mrs Smith¡± few of the students greeted as she walked up to the front of the ss and kept her books on the table. ¡°Good morning, students. How was the weekend?¡± She replied and asked. ¡°Boring¡±. ¡°Nice¡± ¡°Okay¡±. Some of the students chorused a reply while some chuckled. ¡°Okay, okay. However it was¡± Mrs Smith replied. ¡°By the way, we¡¯re having a new student in our midst today. Miss Jeanne, could you step out for a brief introduction, please?¡± She said, staring at me and I took in a deep breath and stood up. I sauntered to the front of the ss and turned, facing the students and now I had the opportunity to take a proper look at them. Wow! They all looked rich and charming and flirty too. ¡°Your name, miss¡± Mrs Smith said and I shook my head. ¡°Uhn¡­ I¡¯m Jeanne Raymond¡± I replied a little shyly. ¡°Okay. Jeanne. Wee to Alpha High. You can have your seat¡± she said to me and I smiled and returned to my seat. Shemenced teaching and after that, we had two more subjects and it was break time. Students started walking out in pairs and I also stood up and thought of going to the canteen. Hm. It seems all the students here are just bumptious as none of them even cared to pay any attention to me. I took my books from the table and was about going out of the ss when a prettydy came in and walked up to me. ¡°Hi. You must be Jeanne, right?¡± She asked and I nodded, Wondering who she was. She was chewing a gum and looked ssic. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m Carissa. And I¡¯ve been assigned by Mr Mark to show you around the school¡± she said and I flinched. Huh? Such a ssic girl showing me around the school? ¡°Uhm¡­ you don¡¯t have to worry about that miss.¡± I tried speaking. ¡°I can just make use of the¡­¡± ¡°Oh, please; don¡¯t in any way feel like I¡¯m being stressed out or something. It¡¯s part of my course and will only add to my G. P when I¡¯m done. So, it¡¯s for my own good¡± she cut in and I sighed and nodded. ¡°Come with me¡± she said lowly and started walking out of the ss and I followed her behind. She looked and sounded strict, but normally, she was a jovial person. She took me to the vital ces in the school ¨C the sports hall, theb, the library, the bookstore and other interesting ces. ¡°This is the sports hall.¡± She told me when we entered the enormous sports hall. It was very big and had so many sporting materials. ¡°Our sport days are Wednesdays¡± she added and I just nodded and looked around. ¡°Uhm¡­ do the loverboys alsoe down for sports on Wednesdays?¡± I asked and she looked at me and smiled. ¡°Everybody always wants them to. But unfortunately, they onlye down once in a blue pretty moon¡± she replied and I smiled and nodded. Too bad. ¡°You¡¯re also crushing on them, right?¡± She asked as we left the sports hall. I blushed in a smile. ¡°Every body loves the loverboys¡± I replied. ¡°Oh; that¡¯s true. Why don¡¯t we grab lunch together?¡± She asked and I hesitated for a while. ¡°Uh¡­ okay. sure¡± I replied and she smiled and led me to the canteen. The canteen was very big and pretty and was filled up with students. But it wasn¡¯t too crowded or noisy. Carissa and I found a suitable seat and she left to order our meal and returned with a big tray. ¡°What grade are the loverboys?¡± I asked as I took my own te of banana split. . ¡°Oh; they¡¯re actually in your grade¡± she replied and my eyes beamed. What? ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Yes they don¡¯t always attend sses¡± she cut in, knowing what I wanted to say. Oh-oh. ¡°Why?¡± I asked despondently. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because they don¡¯t like mixing up with others, at least not all the time. But loverboys like Carl, Daniel and Malcolm do attend sses a little often. But someone like Alex¡­ gosh! It¡¯s only once in a pink moon. And that pink moon¡¯s actually when the ss is being handled by Mr Leonard¡±. I chuckled and looked at her. ¡°Mr Leonard?¡± I asked . ¡°Yes. He¡¯s the further maths teacher. He¡¯s the only one who can actually make Alex attend sses. That¡¯s because he¡¯s very strict and hard and doesn¡¯t tolerate any partial treatment. He believes every student must be treated equally. And as a result, he¡¯s Alex¡¯s worst enemy¡± she replied and I scoffed. Wow! I really can¡¯t wait for the maths ss. ording to the time table, we¡¯d be having further maths by tomorrow. Oh, my! Hopefully, Alex will be there. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, right? Attending the same school with the loverboys¡± she asked and I smiled and nodded. ¡°Uhm¡­ Carissa¡± I called. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Sure. What is it?¡± I cleared my throat a little. ¡°Do you have any idea what happened between Alex and Theo?¡± I asked. 3 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: She paused and took in some juice. ¡°Oh, that?¡± She asked and continued eating, but I wasn¡¯t. I was just staring at her, hopefully waiting for an answer. ¡°Well, I have no idea. Nobody does ¨C maybe except the loverboys¡± she replied and I sighed disappointed ¡°But it all started four years ago¡± she added. ¡°Theo was the leader of the band back then and him and Alex were best of friends. They seemed inseparable. ¡°Normally, Theo was a nice quiet guy, while Alex was the flirty type. Carl, I Daniel and Malcolm were just like Alex ¨C always having fun. ¡°But unexinbly, Theo disappeared; like he just disappeared and nobody has heard from him since then. ¡°So, Alex took over as the band leader, but things were never the same again¡­¡± ¡°Like the deaths of his girlfriend?¡± I interpted and she shrugged.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°well, yeah. The death of his girlfriends. It¡¯s also kind ofplicated. Since Theo left, Alex has fallen in love with two girls and they both ended up dead¡±. ¡°So what do you think?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s just a coincidence?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that. Like I said, it¡¯splicated. Maybe its a coincidence, maybe it¡¯s not. But one things for sure; something really big definitely happened between Theo and Alex ¨C something really big¡±. A brief silence stepped in for a while. ¡°I heard they¡¯re no female workers in the loverboys mansion¡± I broke the silence. ¡°Oh, yes. Alex¡¯s idea¡± she replied. ¡°He¡¯s been trying to avoid contact with girls in every way. ¡°You know his dad iste and his mum and little sis actually live in the mansion because of the kid. She¡¯s a very very busy woman and travels out of the country a lot. So, as a result, she stays in the mansion so whenever she was away, the loverboys could help in looking after Molly. But the loverboys are usually very busy and many times, Molly has gone missing. ¡°Huh? Why doesn¡¯t she just get a nanny or something?¡± I asked, muddled. ¡°Hello? Have you forgotten I said no female workers in the mansion? Alex¡¯s mum has hiredhired about eight nannies ¨C if I¡¯m not mistaken ¨C but they all lost their jobs within 24 hours¡±. I gasped. ¡°You mean Alex sends them away?¡± I asked. ¡°Nope. Not Alex, but Molly. She always cooks up onein or the other or ill treat and scare the nannies away and in the end, they end up running away. But, it¡¯s rumoured Alex¡¯s the one behind it. I heard he¡¯s actually the one making her send the nanny away and that¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t want any girl around him. Even their cook is a boy.¡± ¡°But why¡¯s he suddenly abstaining from girls?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, maybe he¡¯s scared to fall love again. I mean, after what happened to the other two girls he loved. Anyway, I don¡¯t know; I have no idea¡± . I nodded and looked down at my food. ¡°So, who¡¯s your favourite among the loverboys?¡± I asked and she blushed. 4 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°So, who¡¯s your favourite among the loverboys?¡± I asked and she blushed. ¡°Huh? Of course it¡¯s Alex. Who else could it be?¡± She replied happily. ¡°But¡­ If you were to chose between Theo and Alex, whom would you chose?¡± I asked and she looked stuck a bit. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know. Theo¡¯s also very lovely andparable to Alex. But, I think id still chose Alex¡± she replied and I smiled. ¡°What about the lovergirls? Are they also in my grade?¡± I asked and Carissa crinkled up her face. ¡°Who? Those spoilt arrogant brats?¡± She asked and I pulled a surprised face. ¡°Huh? Why are you saying that about them? I love them¡± I said defensively and she scoffed. ¡°Trust me, darling. It¡¯s because you haven¡¯t gotten to meet them. They¡¯re vipers, especially their leader ¨C Kimberly. She¡¯s a she wolf. You really need to be careful with them¡± . I scoffed and shook my head. Is she serious or something? Kimberly is my role model. How can she tell me to be careful around her? Carissa and I went on talking for sometime and I kind of enjoyed herpany. She was a fun person. After lunch, she followed me to ss. But since we were in different grades, we couldn¡¯t stay together and she left afterwards. To be sincere, I didn¡¯t entirely enjoy my first day in Alpha High because I didn¡¯t get to meet any of my superstars ¨C aside Alex who had just acted blinded towards me. After some hours, the school was over and everybody headed home. When I got home, luckily, dad was still around. And so, his wife and kids didn¡¯t have an opportunity to bully me. Too bad he¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow. I had dinner with him and exined briefly about my first day in alpha high. Although I didn¡¯t tell him about the Alex part. We spent a long time together and after a while, I went up to my room for a bath and a rest. Well, like I said, I only get to enjoy these privileges when dad was around . The moment he leaves again by tomorrow, my life¡¯s gonna turn into a living hell. I brought out my diary and wrote about my little experience with Alex. It was very brief, but meant a lot to me . I kept smiling the whole time. I remembered his sweet words to me: ¡°Do you realise this is a restricted area?¡± Hold on; did I just say sweet? Well, at that moment, they were scary. But right now, they¡¯re sweet. Oh, Alex! I could recall how cute he looked when he turned around to pick up the keys ¨C those dazzling eyes of his; the nose; the sweet pink lips and the hair. I wish I could be hold that face again. Even if it was just for a second. ¡®I really like you, Alex¡¯ I wrote in my diary. ¡®And I wish I could take away the sadness you feel. Too bad you now dislikedies¡¯. I closed the diary and led upwards, rethinking the whole thing. I really wish I can get to see Alex again. Well, tomorrow was tuesday, right? And we had further maths. Mr Leonard¡¯s definitely going to force him toe to ss. Oh, God!. I really can¡¯t wait. I wish I get to sit next to him. Next Morning I woke up the next morning, feeling kind of excited. I had breakfast and dressed up and after that, dad dropped me off at school. ¡°See youter, Jeanne¡± he told me as he stopped in front of the school and awaited me to step down. I was sitting down at the front seat with him. ¡°Dad¡± I called sadly. ¡°When will you be travelling?¡± ¡°Oh; in less than two hours¡± he replied and my eyes drooped. ¡°Uhm¡­ how long will it take before you return?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I don¡¯t know; maybe some weeks¡±. My heart ached when he told me about it. I can¡¯t imagine what it¡¯s going to be like living with those family of his. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jeanne. Everything will be fine, okay?¡± He said she kissed my forehead and I smiled and left the car. Hmm. Back again in Alpha High. I hope today won¡¯t be as boring as yesterday.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I started walking into the building, admiring all the students I came across. Too bad none of them paid attention to me. I got to the ssroom and took a seat at the back close to the window. More students kept trooping in and I looked curiously for the loverboys. Oh; maths was thest subject before break. Oh-oh. That means the loverboys might not being now. Too bad. After a short while, the first teacher came in and took us on science. I just jolted perfunctorily as that wasn¡¯t what I was waiting for. Then, after 45 minutes, the next teacher came in and took us on social norms. And finally, it was time for maths! Hah! I can hardly wait! The maths teacher came in andmenced teaching and I was kind of puzzled because the loverboys were yet toe. Huh? I itched my head and couldn¡¯t pay attention to the lesson because my mind was upied. Where are the loverboys? I thought they never fail to miss Mr Leonard¡¯s ss? I became brood and totally lost focus in the ss. I had really ned on seeing them. ¡°Can anyone help with the equation on the board?¡± Mr Leonard¡¯s voice broke into my thoughts and I took a look at the board. It was a familiar equation. ¡°Yes? Anyone? Jeanne? The new student?¡± He called and I felt surprised he had actually called my name. Some of the students turned and looked at me and I became nervous. ¡°Jeanne, can you help us out?¡± He asked again and I stuttered and stood on my feet. ¡°Uhm¡­ okay sir¡± I replied as I walked up to the front of the ss and took the marker from him. Then, I faced the board and started solving the equation. like I said, it was a familiar equation. But since it was further maths, it had to be lengthy. I was still focused on the board, solving the equation when I suddenly heard the students gasping and jiltering. I turned to see what was going on and¡­ Oh, my God! The loverboys!!! They¡¯re here! They came! Oh, my God! They really dide! Am I dreaming? 5 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: My cheeks turned red immediately and my eyes beamed. The Loverboys are here! They fulfilled my wish. Wait, hold on; where¡¯s Alex? Yes, where¡¯s Alex? I mean, he¡¯s not with them. The only Loverboys I can see are Carl, Daniel and Malcolm. Where¡¯s Alex? Oh God! Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s noting. I watched despondently as the three Loverboys took separate seats and oh, my; they¡¯re so cute. They were so charming and dreamy, just that my Alex was still unbeatable. But where¡¯s he? ¡°Uhm¡­ miss Jeanne¡± Mr Leonard called and pointed to the board and I understood he wanted me to continue with the equation. I became sad as the thought of not seeing Alex niggled at me. I was about turning around when I saw a young dazzling masculine figure entering into the ss. I left my mouth open as a gasp escaped it. Oh, my God; it was Alex! Alex! The leader of the Loverboys; my crush! Oh, my God! He really dide! I stood motionless as I watched him walk into the ss, looking all broody. He had so many jewelleries and was heavenly cute. Even a blind man would trip for him. He was so stylish; even with the way he walked. Can someone really be this perfect? I mean, so rich, crazily handsome, stylish, famous and all that. He was just too cute; too cute that I feel there¡¯s no one else like him. Oh, my Alex. I watched him as he ran his fingers into his hair and looked around for a seat. Then, Holy Mary, he took my seat! I mean, yes! He picked up my bag from the locker and kept it on the next seat which was vacant and then, he took my seat. Oh, my God! Alex just touched my bag. Am I day dreaming or what? I¡¯m definitely going to take that bag to the museum. ¡°Haven¡¯t I warned you all to switch off your phones?¡± Mr Leonard asked, referring to the students that were already taking pictures of the Loverboys with their phones. They giggled and switched it off. ¡°Miss Jeanne¡± he called and I shrugged out of my thoughts and turned back to the board. I tried focusing on the equation and prayed I don¡¯t end up writing Alex¡¯s name on the board. In less than two minutes, I saw done and handed the marker to Mr loenard. He went through the equation for a short time and released a light smile. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s correct. Quite impressive¡± he said and I felt my head bing two. Oh, Alex did you see that? I was able to solve the equation. ¡°Thank you sir¡± I said to Mr Leonard and tired going back to my seat. Oh-oh My seat; Alex was already there. Oh, God! What do I do now? But the next seat was vacant. Hold on; doss this mean I¡¯m going to have to sit next to Alex? I noticed some of the students were now staring at me as they also wanted to know what would happen. Oh, God! And Alex wasn¡¯t even staring at me or anyone. He just leaned on the chair and starred outside. He probably had no idea what was going on. I walked slowly to the row and stood in front of him. But he didn¡¯t even turn to look at me. Wait; what if he recognises me as thedy he had seen in that store the previous day? I quietly took my books from the locker and moved on to the next sea where my bag had already been kept. He still didn¡¯t make an attempt to look at me; like I was just invisible or something. I sat on my ¡®new¡¯ locker and sighed nervously. Wow! I really can¡¯t believe I¡¯m sitting next to Alex. The maths teacher continued teaching but I swear, my attention was so not there. All I could think about was the lovervoy sitting next to me. There was a particr fragrance that came from him and it was so sweet. I wonder what body spray be used. I¡¯m sure one of it could buy a house. I noticed the jewelries on him. They looked expensive and glittered like they were made of gold. He had one on his ear, then three on his wrist and a long gold chain. And I also noticed he had a tattoo on his hand. Wow! This boy¡¯s really something else. I looked down at his shoes and noticed they were designers. It was thetest fad in the country. Everything about him was so ssic and expensive. Too bad I couldn¡¯t really look at his face because he¡¯d have caught me staring and might angrily move to another seat. I don¡¯t want that to happen. He didn¡¯t evene with a book or pen. The only things I saw him with were three big phones and car keys. He kept staring through the window but after some time, he opened one of his phones and started operating it. I tried to have a peep at what he was doing and noticed he was just viewing pictures of clothes, shoes, jewelries. Like seriously? He¡¯s not even interested in the ss. And he¡¯s also not interested in me. I wonder what really happened that changed him this way. ¡°Switch off your phones, Alex.¡± Mr Leonard said and all eyes turned to him ¨C Alex. Oh-oh. I also turned and looked at him. I mean, everyone was staring at him. So, this was an opportunity. I looked at him and¡­ wow! Look at his spotless face. This was the first time I was viewing him from such a close range. Where do youe from, Mr? ¡°Mr Leo, I listen with my ears, not my eyes¡± he replied churlishly and few of the students chuckled. Oh, my God; is he this rude? Mr Leonard looked angry, but just when he was about saying something, three people walked into the ss ¨C two men and one woman. The students started mumbling as they all wondered why they were there. They walked up to Mr Leonard and made a silent conversation with him and afterwards, they came up to my locker; no, not my locker; but Alex¡¯s locker. Huh? Who are they? ¡°Sorry for the disturbance, sir Alex; but we have a little question for you:¡± the woman among them said and Alex just nced at her and took his eyes back to his phone. ¡°Uhm¡­ Some very vital items have gone missing from the storage room you had made use of yesterday while practicing on your keyboard. So, we jus wanted to know if you might have any idea about it¡± the woman said and my heart gave a mighty leap.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. what? Some vital items were stolen? But howe she¡¯s questioning Alex? I was in the room with him. Alex scoffed and looked at her. ¡°Hold on; are you trying to use me of something?¡± He asked. ¡°No, no, no sir Alex. Please don¡¯t misunderstand us. Of course you can never do such a thing. It¡¯s unimaginable. We just want to know if there was someone else with you at that moment. Or, if you had seen someone else entering or leaving the room¡± the woman said and my eyes dted. Oh, God! This is not happening. I¡­ I was the only one with Alex in that room. And.. he had seen my face. But I didn¡¯t take anything. I didn¡¯t. My heart was beating so fast. Alex suddenly turned and looked at me and I felt my breath bing still. Jesus, no. This is not happening. Is he really going to call my name? But I didn¡¯t do it. 6 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Our eyes ran into each other and he just nced at me and took his eyes back to his phone. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about it¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone in the room¡±. My heart skipped immediately as I looked at him in disbelieve. Hold on, did Alex just cover up for me? like, did he just lie for my sake? ¡°Okay, sir Alex. Thanks a lot for your time. We apologise for the inconvenience¡± the woman said and left with the two men beside her. I took my eyes away from Alex and starred down at my locker. The whole thing still seemed a dream to me. Why did Alex lie to the woman? Did he really do that to protect me? But he doesn¡¯t even know me. He barely looks at me. Why did he cover up for me? Oh, God! I smiled, even if I tried not to. My Alex defended me today. Although it¡¯s possible he only did that because he was an introvert and didn¡¯t care about other people¡¯s issues, but it still meant a lot to me. Or, could it be possible he doesn¡¯t recognise me? I swear, my cheeks couldn¡¯t stop turning red the rest of the time. The fact that my Alex defended me today still looked like a miracle to me. How can I thank him enough? Immediately the maths ss was over, he stood up and left the ss even before Mr Leonard did. I looked at him as he walked away and when Mr Leonard finally left the ss, the rest of the Loverboys also stood up and left. Immediately, all the students started noistering and viewing all the pictures they had taken the Loverboys with their phones. Oh, my! Check out Carl¡¯s hairstyle. It¡¯s so pretty Yes did you see Alex? He was sitting next to the newbie Oh! How I wish I was the one look at Daniel¡¯s sses Did you notice the ring Alex was putting on? I looked at them and smiled. The lover boys were such a celebrity. They¡¯re so lucky. It was time for lunch and not really being hungry, I just bought some cupcakes and a canned drink from the canteen and looked for a quiet ce to stay. Luckily, I found an isted ce behind the school library and I sat on the floored ground. I took a bite from my cup cake and drank from my canned drink. I ate with relishment as I recalled the wonderful maths ss. How I wish we could take maths thrice a day. I smiled as I recalled the moment when alex had walked into the ss. I remembered when he had touched my bag. Oh, my bag! I smiled and hugged it and kissed it. From now on, this bag means a lot to me. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m even going toto wash it. I recalled the moment he had stared at me when the woman had asked him that question. It was so beautiful. Oh, Alex; when am I ever going to be so close to him again? I opened my bag and brought out my song book and the 1st page I saw was the lyrics of one of my sad songs. It was about my family. Come to think of it; where are my family? Who could they be? Do I even have one? Of course I do. Everyone has a family. But, where could mine be? And why didn¡¯t they show up when Mr Raymond had put me up on TV? And why did I have to lose my memories four years ago? Bute to think of it; four years ago. That was the same year the loverboys had a conflict and Theo left the band. Wow! Quite a coincidence. I turned to the next page and it was still about my family. I looked at it and started singing it out. What if I have a family? Somewhere beyond the sea? Could there be someone there missing me? I need to know these answers I need to find my way¡­ ¡°That¡¯s from Barbie, right?¡± I heard a tiny sweet voice ask and I turned curiously and found a young, pretty kid standing in front of me. Huh? Who¡¯s she? ¡°The song- it¡¯s from barbie right?¡± She asked as she drew close and stood in front of me. She was actually smiling. ¡°Uhm¡­ yes.¡± I replied perfunctorily, taking a good look at her and trying to figure who she was. She was very pretty and had her long hair parked into two. She had a toy with her and looked quite rich and I figured maybe¡­ she was a sister to one of the students. ¡°Oh, my God! You also love barbie? My friends always tell me she¡¯s outdated and it kind of makes angry. But it seems I¡¯ve found someone else who¡¯s like me¡± she said happily and I just kept staring at her. She seemed very bold and confident. ¡°And you have a nice voice¡± she added and I smiled. ¡°Thanks¡± I replied and she nodded happily. ¡°By the way, do you know any more of barbie songs?¡± She asked. ¡°Uhm¡­ yes. A little¡±. ¡°Oh! Could you sing more to me, please? I really love listening to her songs. Too bad I don¡¯t know how to sing. And my brother¡¯s always too busy to help me out.¡± Oh; so she does have a brother? ¡°Could you sing for me, please?¡± She said in an appealing tone. ¡°Uh¡­ maybe. but right now, I¡¯m eating¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait¡± she cut in immediately and I scoffed. Where does this kide from? I took up my cupcake Nd ate from it and she stared at me. ¡°Want some?¡± I asked and she nodded after a little reluctancy. Then I fed some of the cupcakes to her and cleaned off the little particles that fell on her lips. She smiled. ¡°Uhm¡­ by the way, who are you? Are you here with someone?¡± I asked and she pulled a surprised face. ¡°You seriously don¡¯t know me?¡± She asked and I shrugged. Am I supposed to know her? But I must say, she kind looks familiar. ¡°Did you¡­.¡± ¡°Molly!¡± I heard someone call and I looked and saw a woman walking towards my direction with two armed men. ¡°Oh, my God, molly! What re you doing here? You made me worried again.¡± She said as she took the little girl beside me. Wait, Oh, my God! It was Mrs Tristan ¨C Alex¡¯s mum. What? I sprang on my feet immediately and the canned drink I held spilled on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mum. I was just taking a look around¡± the little girl replied and my eyes beamed. What? She¡¯s Alex¡¯s sister! The one I¡¯ve heard about. No wonder she looked so rich and bold. She was just like her brother. ¡°And what re you eating?¡± Mrs Tristan asked after observing her lips and then she looked at me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! My legs were almost shaking. I have standing in front of the loverboys mum. ¡°G¡­ Good day, ma¡¯am¡± I stuttered nervously, keeping my gaze low. ¡°And who are you?¡± She asked inquisitively. ¡°She¡¯s a nice person, mum¡± Molly replied immediately. ¡°She has a nice voice and also loves barbie.¡± Mrs Tristan scoffed and looked surprised and at the same time, bemused. ¡°Did¡­ did you just say she¡¯s a nice person? Like¡­ do you like her, Molly?¡± She asked and molly nodded excitedly. Then she exhaled and looked at me. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡¯ She asked. ¡°Uhm. .. miss Jeanne, ma¡¯am¡± I replied with a little bow. ¡°Jeanne¡± she called softly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my daughter likes you. Believe me, it¡¯s rare. It¡¯s really not been easy on me- managing my business and taking care of her. She¡¯s gone missing several times. Andst time, and had all most fallen into a ditch. ¡°My son is always very busy and doesn¡¯t have time for himself, not to mention taking care of his sister.¡± She paused and looked at Molly. ¡°Baby, would you like her to be your new nanny?¡± She asked and my heart skipped. My eyes dted. Huh? ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know. But I really do like her¡± molly replied and Mrs Tristan looked back at me, her eyes beaming. ¡°Oh, Jeanne, would you consider being my daughter¡¯s nanny, please? Please, I beg of you. I¡¯ll do anything you ask for¡± she said pleadingly, cing her two palms together. okay; this has got to be a dream. Is this really happening? Like, Mrs Tristan¡¯s asking me to be her daughter¡¯s nanny and¡­ and that¡¯d mean for me to start living in the loverboys mansion? Oh, God! Whaaaat? 7 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I stuttered and moved back a little. ¡°Jeanne?¡± She called, her eyes gushing with curiosity for an answer. ¡°Mrs¡­ Mrs Tristan, I¡­¡± I stuttered and shook my head, running out of words. The whole thing was too surprising. Working in the Loverboys mansion? ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t¡± I replied dazily and she touched her forehead. e on Jeanne. Please i promise you won¡¯t be stressed out. All I need is just someone to make sure she¡¯s safe whenever I¡¯m not around¡± she said with a grouch. ¡°But¡­ I¡­ I heard there are no female workers in the Loverboys mansion. I heard¡­¡± ¡°Oh, please; don¡¯t worry about that. As long as Molly likes you, everything will be fine. You¡¯ll be epted. ¡°Please don¡¯t turn me down. I¡¯ve been in need of this for years now. Molly has always detesteddetested all the nannies I got for her and it¡¯s a miracle she likes you. so, please, you¡¯re the only option I have right now. Just help me out. State your prize. I¡¯m ready to pay any amount you ask for¡±. I inhaled deeply and looked for Molly and she was smiling. Oh, God! Is this really going to happen? Am I really going to start working in the mansion and be close to the loverboys? How did this even happen? To be sincere, I¡¯m really scared and nervous. But with the look on Mrs Tristian¡¯s face, she really looked desperate for a nanny. And with someone like Molly, I think she¡¯d be fun talking care of. But I still felt nervous. How can I do this? ¡°Jeanne¡± Mrs Tristan called and took a step forward. ¡°Please dear, what do you think? Will you help me out?; just ask me for anything and I promise to give it to you.¡± But¡­ wait; did she just say she was ready to do anything I ask for? What if¡­ ¡°Mrs Tristan¡± I called and looked at her. ¡°if¡­ If I¡¯m actually to work for you, would you grant me a request?¡± I asked and she sighed. .¡±just say it.¡±. My heart suddenly leapt. Could this be the opportunity I¡¯ve been looking for? ¡°What Is it Jeanne?¡± She asked again and I gulped nervously. ¡°Would¡­ would you have me signed into the Alpha Records?¡± I asked and she looked a little surprised. ¡°You¡­ you want to be part of the lovergirls?¡± She asked and I nodded bashfully. Then she smiled. ¡°Consider it done. You can start training as soon as possible¡± she replied and my eyes widened in disbelieve. Oh, my God! did she just agree to it? Do I really have a possibility of bing part of the lovergirls? Oh, Jesus! I covered my mouth and gasped. I was taken abacked. ¡°Please, Jeanne; I¡¯m ready to do more, just a long as you agree to help me out¡± she said and dipped her hand into her bag. ¡°Here¡¯s my card. I¡¯ll be waiting for your call¡± she told me as she handed a card to me. ¡°I hope you take what I said into consideration, Jeanne. Bye¡± she added and turned to leave. ¡°Bye Jeanne¡± Molly also said with a wave and left with her and the two guards who were there followed them behind. I unconsciously sat on the floor, looking at the card. Everything seemed to happen fast. I can¡¯t believe I really have an opportunity to start working in the loverboys mansion and then get signed in to the Alpha Records if I pass the training. Isn¡¯t this a miracle? I sat quietly for a long time, thinking about the whole thing. Although a part of me was scared and nervous, to be sincere, a part was still excited. If really it works out, then it¡¯s going to be an honour getting to be close to the loverboys. I¡¯ll get to see them everyday and maybe even touch them. Oh, God! I¡¯ll get to be close to Alex! Whaaat? Okay Jeanne. I think my mind is made up. I want to work there. I want to goto the loverboys mansion. But¡­ oh, my! Dad must¡¯ve left the country already. Oh, my God! He¡¯s the only one who would¡¯ve easily consented to it. I can swear his wife would never agree to such a thing. She would never want something this good for me. Oh, God! What do I do? * I returned home, feeling despondent. The thought of pleading with ¡®mum¡¯ to let me go to the loverboys mansion and train in the Alpha Records kept niggling at me as I was sure she¡¯d never agree to it. She¡¯s always been so hard hearted towards me and I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t want me to ept something that good. And dad has left the country already. But, it¡¯d had really been a great thing for me if it had worked out. At least, I¡¯d have been saved from the torments of dad¡¯s wife and kids. I¡¯d have had a better life. I came out of the car and walked absent mindedly towards the entrance of the house. I felt so bittered. My life¡¯s gonna turn into a living hell again since dad¡¯s no longer around. His wife and kids are definitely going to turn me into their ves again. Oh, God! What if I just run away? When I got to the door, I stopped and felt reluctant going in. I suddenly started imagining all that would happen. ¡®Jeanne, fix my nails¡­¡¯ ¡®Make me some tea¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t like this bagel¡­¡¯ ¡®Are you dumb? Wash them immediately¡­¡¯ ¡®Sweep my room again¡­¡¯ I sighed and touched my forehead. It was beginning to feel hot already. I slowly ced my hand on the knob of the door. I was about turning it when I suddenly heard a masculine voice from inside. Huh? Isn¡¯t that dad¡¯s voice? I quickly opened the door and rushed in and my eyes met with dad. Whaat? He¡¯s still here? Oh, my God! ¡®Jeanne you¡¯re back¡± he said as he rounded up the call be was making. His wife and kids were there . well. ¡°Dad, I¡­ I¡­ I thought you were leaving?¡± I asked confoundedly. ¡°Yes, dear. I still am. My flight just got dyed a little. But I¡¯m about leaving now¡± he replied and I gasped. This is unbelievable! I ran to him and embraced him immediately. He probably doesn¡¯t know what his presence means to me. Aith he felt a little surprised, he still hugged me back. ¡°Had no idea we were shooting a movie¡± I heard Susan say but I didn¡¯t try to look at her. ¡°is everything okay?¡± Dad asked as we unlocked from the hug and I smiled and nodded. ¡°i just¡­ I have something important to tell you dad¡± I replied happily. MINUTES LATER ¡°What? That¡¯s nonsense. I don¡¯t like the idea. How do you expect her to work in the loverboys mansion?¡± Mum ¨C Mrs Raymond ¨C said angrily as I rolled my luggage to the sitting room. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, hun; she¡¯ll be fine. Mrs Tristan has promised to sign her into the alpha records and that¡¯d be making her dreame true¡± dad replied, a little depressed. ¡°But dad¡± Ivy groused ¡°How can we be so sure she won¡¯t just go out there and bring shame on us?¡± ¡°Yes. The loverboys are the richest idols in America dad. How can she cope living with them?¡± Susan also said. We were all standing. ¡°By the way, Raymond, who¡¯s gonna help out in the house chores? You know she¡¯s been of use¡± his wife also added ¡°I brought Jeanne here as my daughter and not a maid. We already have a maid in the house and that should be enough for you¡± dad replied and turned to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± he said and I nodded happily and followed him, ignoring the bitter looks his wife and daughters were throwing at me. Well, like I always said, with dad by my side, I have nothing to be scared of. When I had told him about it, he was a little uneasy at first, considering the fact id have to be living with someone else. But after considering the other facts, like being free from his wife and kids, he finally gave it a thought. Then he ced a video call to Mrs Tristan and theymunicated for a short while. She was very happy to know her offer was epted and she had promised to take good care of me. Dad and I got outside and noticed the car Mrs Tristan sent to pick me up was already there. ¡°Be very careful around there, okay? Don¡¯t do anything to offend the idols. And don¡¯t get into trouble. Okay?¡± Dad told me as we stood beside my ride. I smiled and embraced him. ¡°Thank you dad. I owe you a lot¡± I told him and he kissed me on the hair. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving bow. I¡¯m already runningte for my flight. See you when I get back¡± he said and we waved at each other before he left for his car. I stood, watching him as he entered into the car and started driving away. ¡°I love you dad. And I wish you were really my dad¡±. I exhaled and entered into my own car and the driver took off immediately. Wohoo! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to the loverboys mansion. . but on a serious note, I¡¯m actually going to be the only female worker there. What would the loverboys reaction be? Especially Alex. What will he do when he sees me there? He¡¯s always resented females ¨C a reason I¡¯m still trying to figure out. But, what would his reaction be when he gets to know a girl will be living close to him from now on?Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. 8 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: We finally arrived at the lover boys mansion and my lips were open the whole time, finding it hard to believe the ineffable building in front of me. What the hell? Is this a mansion or a paradise? It was so huge and round and was painted in a silver white colora and a water spring was right at the center. The floors were german floored and there were about two garages in thepound with different ssic cars filled in them. Those were just the little parts of the building I could see at the facade. I came out of the car and stood like a statue, looking around. It was said the loverboys mansion was the third most expensive building in the country and it was indeed true. Seriously, it looked like half heaven to me. I can¡¯t believe lll be staying here. I was still standing confoundedly when a boy came upto me from the house. ¡°Hey, are you miss Jeanne?¡± He asked and I nodded, wondering whom he might be. ¡°Okay. Pleasee in. Mrs Tristan already told me about you¡± he said warmly and collected my bag from me and started walking into the house. I followed. He was young and neartly dressed and I figured he was probably a worker there since all the workers were males. I followed him into the breath taking sitting room but couldn¡¯t admire it for long because Molly came in immediately. ¡°Jeanne!¡± She called and ran to me, embracing me. She was putting on a jeans short and a blue top and held a teddy bear. ¡°Hey, good to see you again¡± I told her and she smiled. The boy with my bag had made use of the staircase. I looked around and noticed they actually had two different staircase ¨C one at the right and one at the left. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re here¡± I heard someone say and turned to see Mrs Tristan climbing down the right staircase. She was putting on a short ck gown and set of blue heels and looked really pretty. No wonder Molly and Alex also had such good looks. ¡°Good evening Mrs Tristan¡± I greeted with a little bow. ¡°Good evening dear. And Wee to the mansion. I¡¯m really happy to know you epted my proposal. As for the Alpha Records, I¡¯m already on it and you can start training tomorrow¡±. She paused and checked her time. ¡°I¡¯m off to a meeting now. So maybe we¡¯ll talk better when I get back. Molly, get Evans to show her to her room, okay?¡± She said a and headed for the door and Molly followed her behind. ¡°Get me some choctes on your way back, mum¡± she said as she followed her to the door and I smiled and watched them. ¡°Are you the new nanny?¡± I heard a soft voice spoke firm behind and I turned and saw a young, handsome boy standing in front of me. I looked at him from head to toe and noticed he was putting on an apron. ¡°Uhm¡­ yes¡± I replied, trying to get myself together. ¡°Wow! I never expected to see a female worker here again. I hope yours will be different. Anyway, I¡¯m Evans and I¡¯m the chef¡± he said and brought out his hand for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m Jeanne¡± I replied with a smile and received the handshake. Molly had joined us. ¡°Wee to the mansion, Jeanne. Pleasee with me¡± he said and started walking away and Molly and I followed him. We took the left staircase and came out to a big ce with different rooms. ¡°We do have the servants quarters¡± he said. ¡°But since you¡¯re Molly¡¯s nanny, Mrs Tristan had suggested you stayed here in the main building¡±. I nodded and followed him to a room which he upended and we all walked in. ¡°This will be your room, Jeanne¡± he said as we walked in and my eyes deamed. Wow! Is this really going to be my room? It was fabulous! ¡°Don¡¯t worry Evans. I¡¯ll take it from here. You can go¡± molly said to him and he chuckled and looked at me. ¡°You¡¯re lucky she likes you, Jeanne¡± he said. ¡°At least there¡¯s a 40% possibility of you staying here¡±. I cleared my throat and sighed. It seems Alex is going to be the only problem I¡¯ll be having here. ¡°Okay, Molly; ill be leaving you to your new nanny. Don¡¯t get her into trouble, okay?¡± ¡°Sure Evans¡± molly replied and he left the room. ¡°So, what do you think about your new room, nanny?¡± She asked and I nodded repeatedly. ¡°it¡¯s okay. I love it¡± I replied and paused to look at her. ¡°Uhm¡­ your brother isn¡¯t at home, is he?¡± I asked. ¡°Nope. But he¡¯ll be back soon¡±. ¡°Oh! Is he aware you¡¯re having a new nanny?¡± ¡°Huh? Who would dare tell him? It¡¯s better he sees it for himself¡±. Oh-oh. so they haven¡¯t even told him yet? What would his reaction be when he finds out? ¡°Come with me nanny; let me show you to my room¡± molly said she held my hand and we left my room together. She took me back to thethe sitting room and climbed the right staircase and I followed her. Wow! This looks just like a different house on its own. She took me to a room which we opened and immediately we stepped in, I figured it was her room because there were lots of toys around. There was aptop on the bed and I saw two big phones as well. ¡°This is my room, nanny¡± she said excitedly and spread her hands around. ¡°it¡¯s uhm. . its beautiful¡¯ I said with a nod. She smiled and further took me to her dressing room and I gasped. How can a kid have such clothes and jewelries? Wow! They really spoil her a lot. She went on showing me her favorite clothes, shoes, bags and jewelries and I was bemused. Then she took me out of the room, probably to show me around. But when we got outside her room, she paused. ¡°That¡¯s my brother¡¯s room¡± she said and pointed to the room facing hers. Huh? ¡°T¡­ That¡¯s Alex¡¯s room?¡± I asked and she nodded. OMG! So his room is actually close to hers? On the door was a gold lettered inscription ¨C Loverboy. I smiled as I looked at it. ¡°Come on nanny; let me show you to the rest of the room¡± she said and took my hand and we left the passage. She took me to another part of the staircase and showed me to the room of the remaining three idols ¨C Carl, Daniel and Malcolm. Then she took me outside and showed me round the house. They had two swimming pools, a big beautiful garden, a leisure ce and so much more. The building was just too magnificent. ¡°How old are you, Molly?¡± I suddenly asked. ¡®Five¡± she replied and I sighed. She probably wouldn¡¯t have any idea about Theo. We talked about other things and I got to know more about her. She was in pre school and her school was actually close to mine. We went back to the sitting room and I admired the decorations there. The Loverboys pictures were pinned on the wall and they all looked cute in them. But Alex was outstanding as usual. Just then, I heard a dog barking and I quickly turned and saw a puppying towards me What? There was a dog In the house? it kepting to me with full speed and I became scared. Does it want to attack me or something? Luckily, molly got in the way. ¡°Hey, Ambrose; calm down¡± she said and squatted on the floor and it stopped in front of her. She rubbed his head but it still looked at me and barked. ¡°Come on Ambrose; don¡¯t be mean to the newbie¡± Molly said and immediately, he barked loudly at her and she shrieked and stood up. Then he ran outside. ¡°Gosh! That dogs so stubborn. Just like his owner¡± she said with an irritated look. ¡°Who owns it?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s Alex¡¯s. It¡¯s his pet. He¡¯s so stubborn and the only person has friendly with is Alex. He¡¯s so annoying¡± she replied with a huff and I scoffed.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°By the way, nanny, why don¡¯t you sing me more barbie songs? She asked in an appealing tone. ¡®You promised me remember?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ Molly, I¡­ I know, but. ..¡± ¡°But what?¡± She cut in and I sighed. Just then, we heard the sounds of cars driving in and she rushed to the window to check it out. She gasped and covered her mouth with her palm. ¡°Oh, my God, nanny; the Loverboys are back! Alex¡¯s back!¡± She eximed and my eyes widened and I sprang on my feet. Oh, Jesus! I also rushed to the window and confirmed it. It was really them! Numerous cars had driven in and parked in the garage and the Loverboys came out from four of the cars with securities around them. But the securities stopped at the garage while they started approaching the house. Oh, my gee! The Loverboys are here! They¡¯re going to see me. What¡¯s going to happen now? ¡°I¡­ I think you should hide, nanny¡± Molly said and I looked at her. Does she expect me to keep hiding the whole time? ¡°Oh! What do we do?¡± She said with a grouch. ¡°Alex might be really mad when he sees you. Maybe you should just run away¡±. Gosh; this girl¡¯s only adding to my problems. Does she think this is a barbie game? I stood confused and thought of what to do and just then, the door opened and the loverboys walked in. O¡­ M¡­ G! This has really happened. They were all putting on the Loverboys cardigan and Alex was in their middle. They stopped the moment they saw me. ¡°What the¡­¡± one of them ¨C Carl ¨C tried speaking, but didn¡¯tplete it. ¡°A female in the house?¡± Malcolm asked. I just stood confoundedly; gulping nervously. Then finally, Alex took off his specs and gave me a look id never forget. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± He asked and I felt my breath seizing. Oh, God! Maybe I should¡¯ve taken Molly¡¯s advice. Maybe, I should¡¯ve ran away. 9 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°Is she dumb?¡± Daniel asked and Molly spoke up immediately. ¡°She¡¯s my new nanny¡± she said and the confusion on the lover boys faces increased. ¡°New what?¡± Malcolm asked. ¡°Did mum really hire a new nanny?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ g¡­ good evening sirs¡± I greeted nervously with a bow. Then I heard Alex scoff. ¡°is mum around?¡± Carl asked. ¡°No. But she¡¯ll be back soon¡± Molly replied, fiddling with the toy she held. ¡°this has got to be a joke¡± Alex said and touched his forehead restlessly. He threw his specs on the floor and sighed. Then, he came up to me and that was the moment I developed goose bumps. He was standing in front of me! I took my eyes from the floor to look at him and my eyes ran into his sparkling eyes which were staring vacuously at me. ¡°Get out of here¡± he said icily and left, talking the right staircase. Oh, God! Daniel brought out his phone and started operating it and walked away. Carl and Malcolm just shook their heads and also left. I turned and looked at Molly immediately, my heart beating heavily. ¡°I told you he¡¯d be upset¡± she said and shrugged and my dilemma increased. ¡°I¡­ am I really supposed to leave?¡± I asked, worried. ¡°Well, that¡¯s what he said, right? But I¡¯d suggest you just hang around and wait for mum. I¡¯m sure she can talk to him¡± she replied.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I ced my palma together and sighed. I was so scared. I hope Mrs Tristan gets back in time. ¡°Come on, nanny, let¡¯s wait in your room. You wouldn¡¯t want him to see you again¡± she said and I nodded and followed her to the room. I was so anxious. Alex had really seemed angry when he saw me. Will I be able to stay here? I kept looking through the window, hoping Mrs Tristan gets back in time before Alex throws me out of the house. After a while, Mrs Tristan returned. Oh, thank goodness! Molly suggested I stayed in the room while she went out and exined things to her. So, she left while I remained in the room with my fingers crossed. I spent a long time in the room, waiting for a reply from Molly but I didn¡¯t see her So many horrible thoughts kept shing through my mind. Could it be possible Mrs Tristan has finally agreed to let me go? Are they really going to send me away? I waited a little more time in the room until I felt I could wait no longer. I needed to see the condition of things for myself. I left the room and slowly went downstairs. The only person I saw in the sitting room was just a house servant, dusting some items. He just nced at me and took his eyes back to what he was doing. I took in a deep breath and looked at the right staircase and slowly approached it. I got on it and started walking carefully, trying not to be noisy. The staircase was a bit long and pretty too and when I finished climbing on it, I quietly went to where Alex¡¯s room was. I started approaching it and as I did, I could clearly hear his voice and that of his mum. I stopped and tired to listen it them. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this, Alex¡± I heard Mrs Tristan say. ¡°You know how stressful looking after Molly is. And now I¡¯ve finally gotten some one she likes, you want me to just send her away?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want anydy around me¡­¡± ¡°And why?¡± She cut him off. ¡°Talk to me Alex; why don¡¯t you want anydy around you?¡± I didn¡¯t hear anything immediately. ¡°Please mum; just take her away from me¡± I heard Alex say and his voice had sounded tearful. Oh, God! What could be wrong with him? ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alex, but since you won¡¯t open up to anyone, I don¡¯t know how I can be of help¡± Mrs Tristan say and I quickly left the passage, guessing she mighte out of the room. I went to another passage and leaned on the wall. Alex¡¯s words reyed in my head: ¡°Please mum, just take her away from me¡±. He had sounded bittered and scared. What could the problem be? whys he so scared ofdies now? Or, could it be possible it was a result of the deaths of the girls he loved? But, what could be the cause of their deaths? What really happened to the loverboys? 10 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Mrs. Tristian had told me not to give a thought to what Alex said. But, she had warned me to avoid getting into trouble with him. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m being asked to stay away from my crush. Mrs. Tristian had told me Molly was to take a ss of milk every night before going to bed. So, I went into the kitchen to make her a ss of milk. The kitchen was fabulous and almost looked like a supermarket. Everything was in tins, rows, cartons, packets and bags. They were all in bulk. There were about four gas cookers in the kitchen, two ovens, microwave, and the whole ce was sparkling neat. I opened one of the refrigerators and my eyes beamed at what I saw. It was stocked to the brim with different kinds of fruits. Wow! I took out an apple and ate from it. It was so cold and delicious while munching it. Just then, the door opened and one of the love boys walked in. Oh, my gee! It was Carl. My hands shook and the apple fell to the floor. It came as a shock to me. ¡°Hey¡± He called as he walked in, and I quickly picked the apple from the floor but didn¡¯t eat it. ¡®Good¡­ good evening sir¡¯ I stuttered with a bow, and he chuckled. He went to one of the refrigerators and brought out a bottle of red wine. Then he opened another refrigerator and brought some ice cubes and an empty ss cup. He kept them on the kitchen table and stood facing me. He was young, very handsome and stylish too. His hair was dark and curly and he had pink lips. ¡®What are you doing here?¡¯ he asked while pouring out wine from the bottle into the ss. I gulped nervously. ¡®I ¡­I ¡­¡¯ I paused and looked around. It seemed I¡¯ve forgotten what I came here to do. ¡®I came to get a ss of milk for Uhm¡­ Molly¡¯ I replied and quickly went for an empty ss. I took a spoon as well and brought down the tin of milk, but I was too nervous and it fell from my hand, but luckily it didn¡¯t spill on the floor. Surprisingly, Carl bent down and picked it up. Whaaat? ¡®Hey, you don¡¯t have to be twitchy around me, ok? I don¡¯t eat people¡¯ he said with a smiled as he returned the tin to me. I just stared at him, gob smacked. ¡®I¡¯m not Alex¡¯ he further said. ¡®I¡¯ve got no issues withdies, I mean, just as long as you aren¡¯t amoner¡¯ he added and winked at me, and I managed a nervous smile. He looked back at his drink and put some ice cubes into the ss. After that, he returned the big bottle into the refrigerator. ¡®Nighty ¨C night¡¯ he whispered and winked at me again as he finally left the kitchen with the ss of wine. I heaved a sigh. Wow! That was so close. I can¡¯t believe he spoke so nicely to me. I smiled and prepared the ss of milk, after that, I went with it to Molly¡¯s room. she was watching a movie when I went in. I handed it over to her; she collected it and drank from it. I turned off the TV and got ready to tuck her to bed when she was done with her milk. ¡®Alex is mad at me¡¯, she said as shey on the bed. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t talk to me anymore¡¯. I winced and looked at her. ¡®Why?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Well, I broke our deal. He¡¯d made me promise him I¡¯ll never have a nanny¡¯, she replied, and I scoffed. ¡®Are you serious? So, the rumors are true then? You were really the one sending the nannies away? But, howe you developed interest in me?¡¯, I asked and she shrugged. ¡®I don¡¯t know, I guess I just liked you. Please, nanny, can you sing me a song?¡¯ she said and I rolled my eyes and nodded. ¡®Okay then.¡¯ I paused and cleared my throat, and then I began singing a Barbie song. Now that I¡¯ve seen the world around me ¡®Now that the answers are all close Old concerns behind me Now adventures ma ¡­¡­¡­ She smiled and closed her eyes as I sang along, and by the time I was done, she was already fast asleep. Wow! What a quick sleep. I smiled and covered her well with a duvet and turned off the bright light afterwards, leaving only the sleeping light on, then I left the room. When I got outside, I stood staring at Alex¡¯s room which was adjacent to me. A soft song was ying from there. Could it be him?Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I drew closer and ced my ear on the door, trying to see if I could hear him doing anything. I smiled as I listened, but the only thing I could hear was the sound of the music ying. Oh, Alex! I wonder what he was doing. Could he be sleeping, reading, showering or what? I giggled and leaned closer to the door. ¡®And what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡¯ I heard a familiar voice and quickly turned around to see Alex standing behind me. What? I quickly left the door and stuttered for words. I thought he was in the room. He was putting on a ck trouser and a blue shirt; he didn¡¯t have any jewelry on him aside a gold earring on his left ear. His lips were still pink and I got to know they were natural and a cool fragrance came from him. ¡®I ¡­I¡¯m sorry sir, I was just¡­¡¯ I stuttered and just then, his phone rang, he sighed and picked the call. ¡®Yes? ¡­ I know. I¡¯ll send it right away.¡¯ He spoke dazily on the phone and walked into his room. I looked at him as he closed the door and immediately I heaved a big sigh of relief. Gosh! I thought he was in already. I looked at the door and thought of drawing near again but I quickly snapped out of the thought and left for my own room. I smiled happily as Iy on my bed. Seeing Alex gave me so much joy, even though he was mean and cold to me. I remembered all the time he stared at me. It was so beautiful. I wish he could get to like me. *** I woke up early the next morning and prepared for school, so I¡¯d also have time to dress molly up. I went to her room afterwards and helped her bath and dress up. Their uniform was a purple shirt, tucked in a short ir skirt and a pair of purple stockings with ck sneakers. I brushed and packed her hair in a ponytail and she looked so sweet. ¡®Do the love boyse down for breakfast?¡¯ I asked while packing her hair in front of the mirror. ¡®Uh¡­ sometimes; but notnot all the time- especially Alex¡± she replied and I smiled and nodded. I wish Alex woulde down today. ¡°Nanny, will you sing me more songs today?¡± She asked after a brief silence and I smiled at her. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll do that on our way to school¡± I replied and she nodded happily. When we were done, I took her bag and left the room with her so we could go to the dining for breakfast. But when we got outside her room, I met Alex standing outside his. I developed goose bumps immediately. He was on a call but rounded it up when he saw us. He was putting on a white long sleeve with the two upper buttons open, exposing his chest a bit. And his dark curly hair flopped across his eye. ¡°Good morning, Alex¡± molly greeted immediately he dropped the call. ¡°Yeah¡± he replied simply and touch his forehead with two fingers. ¡°Uhm¡­ g¡­ good morning, sir¡± I greeted nervously with a bow but didn¡¯t hear a reply. ¡°Can I have a word with you, Jeanne?¡± He said and I lifted my head to see him walking into his room. Oh, God! This is a dream. I looked at Molly and she was looking back at me. Did Alex just ask to have a word with me in his room? What could he possibly have in mind? 11 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°Oh, my Molly; what do you think?¡± I as ked in a low key and Molly just shrugged. I covered my mouth with my palm and sighed. I was so nervous. I can¡¯t believe Alex wants me to meet him in his room. ¡°Well, one thing¡¯s for sure, nanny; he isn¡¯t gonna eat you up. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the dining¡± molly said and walked away and I became stranded. I rubbed my palms together and breathed out heavily before going to the door. I dallied a little and knocked and his soft masculine voice spoke from inside:Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Come in¡± I slowly opened the door and went in and my eyes beamed at the sight I had beheld. Oh, my gee! Was this really a room? It had a king sized bed and the room entirely had a brownish color. The floors were HD wallpaper and it was a picture of the sky. Incredible! There was a big wardrobe beside the bed and a big table of cosmetics and deodorants and wow! A lot of glittering jewelries. How can a guy have so much jewelries? The room was very cold and had a Swiss flower fragrance. On the king sized bed were threeptops and two phones. And on the table were twoptops and three big phones. What? Seriously? There was a big keyboard by the right and I saw Alex sitting on the edge of the bed, backing the door. He held his pet ¨C Ambrose -and yed with his head. He acted like he wasn¡¯t aware of my presence as he continued petting the dog whichid quietly in his hands. Then after a short while, he spoke up. ¡°I want you out of here, Jeanne¡± he spoke calmly, still backing me and concentrating on his dog. My eyes dted and my hands shook. Did I hear him correctly? ¡°Just tell me what you want¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you triple of the money my mum has agreed to pay you. You¡¯re still gonna go for the training and I¡¯ll make sure you be one of the lovergirls. I can give you cars, estates, houses, anything you want. Just ask for it. All I want is for you to get out of here. Quit the nanny job and leave¡±. I stood gobsmacked, staring at him from behind. my head was rotating. Oh my God! Is this the reason he wanted to see me? To tell me to get out of here? To stay away from him? But why¡¯s he chasing me away? Why does he hatedies so much? And how can he ask me to do such a difficult thing? I don¡¯t think I want to leave. Although he¡¯s promised to do everything Mrs Tristan has agreed to do for me. But leaving in his favor might look like a betrayal to Mrs Tristan. She needs my help and I¡¯ve also gotten to like Molly who likes me as well. How can I leave them now? I bebent my head in agony and knew he was waiting for an answer. But what do I say? ¡°S¡­ Sir Alex¡± I called and paused, sniffling a little. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure I can do what you asked for. ¡°You see, it¡¯s not like I wanna disobey you or something, but¡­ your mum¡­ she really needs my help. And I don¡¯t want to betray her.¡± I said ruefully, my heart beating heavily. Then, I noticed he stopped ying with the dog. oh God! He slowlyid the dog on the floor and stood up, going to face the window. He crossed his hands at his back and stared outside through the window and I could now have a side view of his face. A little part of the morning sun rested on his face. He took in a deep breath. ¡°If you really wanna stay here¡± he said calmly. ¡°Then, so be it. But, from today onwards, I want you to stay far from me. Avoid anything that concerns me. Don¡¯t touch me or anything I¡¯m likely to touch. Don¡¯t ever talk to me. And just have this in mind, I dislike you¡± he said spitefully and I felt hot tears forming in my eyes. ¡°Is that understood?¡± He asked, but I kept mute, trying not to shed a tear. Then, for the first time since I stepped into the room, he turned to look at me. ¡°Is that understood?¡± He asked again and this time around, his voice came out a little cold. I sniffed and didn¡¯t realise a tear was already rolling down my cheek. ¡°Y.. yes sir¡± I replied in a breaking voice and tried not to stare at him. He took his eyes back to the window and didn¡¯t say any other thing and I figured we were done. I turned around and left the room, releasing more tears. 12 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Alex¡¯s words pierced through my heart and left an indelible mark. I can¡¯t believe my crush¡¯s being so hard and mean to me. He had even made it clear he disliked me. Why does it have to be this way? I wiped my face and slowly headed for the dinning and there I met Mrs. Tristian, Molly and three lover boys all eating. ¡®Janne! Come and have breakfast with us¡¯, Mrs. Tristian said as I approached the dinning. ¡®She gets to eat with us now?¡¯ Daniel asked with a repugnant look. ¡®Come on Dan, there¡¯s nothing wrong with it, you know. She¡¯s my daughter¡¯s nanny¡¯, Mrs. Tristian replied and I just managed a frail smile. I was trying not to make my mood obvious. ¡®Good morning, Mrs. Tristian. Good morning sirs¡¯, I greeted with a bow. Good morning to you too¡¯, Malcolm replied. ¡®Morning cutie¡¯, Carl also said with a smile and I wondered. Am I cute? I¡¯ve never thought of that. And this Carl, he seems to be really friendly. But, Daniel didn¡¯t reply. ¡®Come on nanny, sit beside me¡¯, Molly said and I smiled and took the vacant seat next to her. There were lots of food on the table,bined with my sad look; I didn¡¯t know which to eat. I ran my eyes around and finally took a slice of bread and applied jam on it. ¡®By the way, Janne¡¯, Mrs. Tristian said along the line. ¡®You¡¯ll be starting your training today. You¡¯ve already been registered. And once you get there, you¡¯ll meet three other trainees. If you¡¯re lucky to be the best among them, you¡¯ll get signed into the Alpha Records as one of the Lover Girls. So, what do you think?¡¯ Normally, I¡¯d have jumped on my feet and danced, but at that moment I couldn¡¯t. All I could do was smile. ¡®Thank you ma¡¯am¡¯, I replied with a bow and she nodded. ¡®Wow! So, Jeanne has a possibility of bing one of the Lover Girls?¡¯ Carl asked. ¡®Well, she has to through the training aspect and it¡¯s not certain she¡¯ll win¡¯, Daniel replied. Hold on, am I the only one who¡¯s noticed this guy doesn¡¯t like me? ¡®My nanny has a nice voice. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll win¡¯, Molly said and looked at me and I smiled. ¡®Really, Molly? Have you heard her sing?¡¯, Malcolm asked while taking some potato chips into his mouth. ¡®Ofcourse! That¡¯s part of the reason she¡¯s here¡¯, she replied. ¡®Oh! So there is another part?¡¯, Carl asked, and she just rolled her eyes. ¡®By the way, mom¡¯, she said, ¡®the function at my school will being up on Friday and I told you we¡¯re expected toe with our parents. I¡¯m just reminding you so there wouldn¡¯t be any excuses on that day. You know I¡¯ll be presenting a speech there.¡¯ ¡®I know, Molly. I just pray I¡¯ll be chanced¡¯, she replied.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Not long after, Alex came in, all dressed up ¨C looking as dashy as ever. He didn¡¯t say a word to anyone; he just walked past the dinning. ¡®Won¡¯t you be joining us for breakfast, Alex?¡¯ Mrs. Tristian asked, and he stopped, sighed and touched his forehead with two fingers. ¡®I¡¯m in a hurry¡­ will just eatter¡¯, he replied and walked out the door. I stared at him as he left and his hurtful words reyed in my head: ¡°I dislike you¡±. I took in a deep breath and focused on my meal. After a while, we were done with breakfast and I quickly left with molly. I was to drop her off at school before going to mine. ¡®Nanny, are you alright? What did my brother discuss with you in the room?¡¯ she asked as we sat next to each other at the back seat. I sniffed and managed a perfunctory smile. ¡®I¡¯m fine dear, I¡¯m okay¡¯ I replied and she looked at me suspiciously. ¡®By the way, you promised to sing me more songs in the car, remember?¡¯ she said with ecstasy and I sighed. ¡®Sorry baby, I¡¯m having a slight headache. Can we make itter, please?¡¯ I said and she nodded after a little reluctance and took her eyes away. She brought out her ipad and started ying games with it. It kinda made me relieved because I didn¡¯t have to say any other thing. I needed a quiet time. I closed my eyes as I leaned back and tried enjoying the ride. But, not long after, the car screeched to a halt and I quickly opened my eyes to discover we had almost knocked down ady. I opened the door of the car and rushed out immediately, I met thedy trying to stand up from the ground and I helped her up. ¡®I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, are you hurt?¡¯ I asked as I helped her up and she stared into my face. She was young, pretty and looked rich; she was putting on a short ck gown. Surprisingly, she kept staring keenly at me and didn¡¯t say a word ¨C at least not immediately. ¡®Miss¡­ are you alright?¡¯ I asked, a bit muddled and she finally said something, but it came as a whisper, and I couldn¡¯t quite get what she said. But, I think I heard something like; ¡®You¡¯ve really be this pretty, huh?¡¯ I flinched and looked at her as she kept staring at me with an unexinable expression. ¡®Miss¡­ what did you say?¡¯ I asked. 13 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: She didn¡¯t say a woword immediately as she just shrugged and shook her head. She looked down at her dress and dusted it. ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now. You don¡¯t have to worry about me¡± she cut me off and before I could say any other thing, she ran over to the other side of the road and entered a red car that was parked over there and took off. I stood for a short time, trying to recollect everything that had happened. Her words kept niggling at me: ¡°You¡¯ve really be this pretty, huh?¡± Or, could it be possible I had misheard her? But I don¡¯t think so. I think I heard her correctly. And for some reason¡­ she kind of looked familiar to me. ¡°Nanny,e on, we¡¯re runningte¡± Molly called from inside the car and I looked back at her and sighed. Then, I returned to the car and we continued on our way. I dropped Molly at the elementary school and went ahead to mine. We received the morning lectures and when if was 12 noon, I went off immediately to the Alpha Records musical for the orientation. I was so excited about it and that was the only thing that could make me forget Alex¡¯s hurtful words to me. The Alpha Records Musical was so big and looked just like another high school. I looked around in amusement as the driver parked in front of the massive building and I came out afterwards. I left my mouth open and was bedazzled at the beauty of the ce. The building was very big and round and looked like it was made of ss all through. I took slow and nervous steps in and got into the first part of the building that looked like the reception. I saw a lot of people there, all exquisitely dressed up. And a song by the loverboys was ying in the background. Then, an average woman holding a file walked up to me not long after. ¡°You¡¯re Jeanne Raymond, right?¡± She asked in a serious tone and I nodded affirmatively. ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am¡± I added. ¡°Good day Jeanne and wee to the Alpha Records Musical. Mrs Tristan already told us about you and the only thing left for you to do is to sign the agreement form¡± she said as she started walking away and I followed behind. She took me to an office and gave me a form. ¡°Do fill in your details here¡± she said as she gave me the form and I took a pen and filled the form, signing it afterwards ¡°Good. Nowe with me¡± the woman said and led me out of the office. She sounded and looked very strict and serious and didn¡¯t seem to be entirely friendly. ¡°Normally,¡± she said as we walked along together ¡°There are meant to be just three trainees in the section. But since Mrs Tristan herself Brought you in, we had topromise¡±. ¡°Oh,¡± I thought. We camecame across a lot of rooms with people singing and dancing in them. Then, finally, we got to be a very big fashionable room and I figured that was where I¡¯d be training. I met three other girls and a man anddy in it and they all turned to look at me as I walked in with the other woman. ¡°Hey, Beatrice, this is thedy Mrs Tristian brought in¡± the woman I came with said to the otherdy in the room. ¡°Oh, okay. Got it¡± the Beatrice ¨Cdy replied and the other woman left. ¡°Wee Jeanne. Please doe in¡± she said and I smiled and walked in. ¡°Good day ma¡¯am. ¡°Good day, sir¡± I greeted both of them with a little bow. ¡°Good day miss¡± the man replied with a straight face though. ¡°Wee to Alpha Records Musical, Jeanne. And these are your fellow trainees¡± the prettydy said and I turned to have a look at the girls who were all sitting. One was very pretty, had a crazy hair do and kept her busy with her phone. The other was also very pretty and looked ssic and she rolled her eyes at me when I looked at her. She was actually chewing a gum. The other also looked pretty and charming and she smiled at me when I looked at her. ¡°Take a seat Jeanne¡± thedy said and I took a seat close to the second girl. ¡°Now, I want to formally wee you all to the training section¡± thedy continued. ¡°I¡¯m Beatrice Donald and I¡¯ll be one of your trainers. As you all know, one of you here will be the next lucky lovergirl. So, I¡¯d advise you put in your best. ¡°You¡¯re all going to train for now and after two weeks, you¡¯ll finally do your presentations in front of the lovergirls and/or the loverboys. And whoever gets the highest vote among them wins thepetition and gets signed in as one of the lovergirls¡±. ¡°Sorry, did you just say and/or the loverboys?¡± One of the girls asked ¨C the one who had smiled at me. ¡°Yes, Megan. And that¡¯s because the loverboys might not show up. They don¡¯t always show up, except on rare asions¡± Miss Beatrice replied and paused. ¡°So¡± she continued. ¡°Whoever gets the highest vote bes one of the lovergirls. But I must warn you, if none of the lovergirls find any of you worthy enough, they won¡¯t make a pick. And that means you¡¯re alk going home¡±. ¡°What? Is that even possible?¡± One of thedies asked with a cringe. ¡°Yes, Roxanne. It is possible. As a matter of fact, thest two sections we had didn¡¯t make it. None of them were selected and that is why you need to put in more effort so you can impress the lovergirls. ¡°And anyone that wins the contest, like I said, will do a performance with one of the loverboys. And if you get a good rmendation after that, you automatically be one of the lovergirls¡±. ¡°Wow! You mean I¡¯ll get to sing with one of the loverboys on stage?¡± One of the girls ¨C the one that smiled at me ¨C asked. ¡°Yes, dear. But that is if you get to pass the training¡± replied Mrs Beatrice with a warm smile as usual. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know why I have to go through this stupid training section. It¡¯s just a waste of time to me. I¡¯m perfect enough¡± thedy sitting next to me mumbled and I flinched. She was actually the one chewing a gum and had rolled her eyes at me when I first came in. Immediately, four girls walked in. Whaaat? Oh, my God! The lovergirls! They¡¯re here! My eyes beamed immediately and my heart leapt for joy. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing the lovergirls with my eyes, although they were just four of them. But their leader, Kimberly was among. My role model! ¡°Weedies. I feared you wouldn¡¯t be able to make it¡± miss Beatrice said to them as they walked in and took a seat, facing us. They were all looking hot, but Kim was the prettiest; looking so stylish. She was putting on a very short jeans skirt which exposed her hips and a white crop top with a pair of blue sneakers. Her hair was parked to the left and she wore a gold colored specs with an LG curve and chewed a gum. She was damn so hot and I felt it was an honor getting to meet face to face with her. I heard she was the only child of her wealthy parents and they showered her with unlimited love and money. ¡°Are these the trainees?¡± She asked as she took off her specs. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am Kimberly.¡± Miss Beatrice replied and turned to us. ¡°Cloud you introduce yourselves, please?¡± She said and we all stood on our feet. ¡°I¡¯m Megan Williams¡± the firstdy said. ¡°I¡¯m Roxanne Myers¡±. ¡°Tessa Patrick¡±. It got to my turn and I cleared my throat before speaking up. ¡°I¡¯m Jeanne Raymond¡± I said, but she didn¡¯t even look at me. She just made a bubble with her gum and looked down at her phone. ¡°Okay, girls.¡± Miss Beatrice continued. ¡°Now, you¡¯re each going to do a little performance so we can know your experiences so far. ¡°Roxanne, can you take the stage please?¡± She said she Roxanne stood up and took the mic. Oh, my God! so we¡¯re all going to sing in front of the lovergirls? I kept starring at Kimberly. She was so pretty and I wish she gets to like me. She¡¯s my best female musician and my role model and I wish to be like her someday. Roxanne began singing and I must admit she had a nice voice. Hut she wasn¡¯t much of a dancer ¨C just like me. When she was done, Tessa went up and wow! She had a killer voice and was a crazy dancer. No wonder she ims to be perfect. I admired her. After her was Megan and she was also an amazing singer and a good dancer, but I¡¯d say Tessa still beat her to it. Next, it was my turn and I felt my entire system turning. I took up the mic and went to the stage. I¡¯ve never done this before. I started singing one of my favorites ¨C enchanted ¨C but I wasn¡¯t a good dancer and couldn¡¯t dance perfectly.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! But, I noticed one of the lovergirls were smiling. ¡°So, what do you think Kim?¡± Mrs Beatrice asked when we were done and she made a bubble with her gum and stood up. ¡°They all look boring to me¡± she replied with a huff and surprisingly, took her phones from the table and walked out. The rest of the lovergirls followed afterwards. What? Did she really walk out on us? And why did she say we were boring? Does that mean she doesn¡¯t like us? Oh, Kimberly. 14 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Miss Beatrice sighed and turned back to us with an ¡®I told you¡¯ look. ¡°You see¡± she said. ¡°This is why you need to put in a lot of effort. The lovergirls are difficult to please. So you need to make sure you reach up to their taste before the end of the training. ¡°Megan, I love your dance steps, but you need to work on the eye contact. You need to create a form ofmunication or feeling between yourself and the audience. ¡°Tessa, you¡¯re an amazing dancer. But you need to work on the multiple-Purpose step¡­¡± She went ahead to lecture and point outout some of our errors and I got to learn a few things from her that day. When we were done, we started dispatching from the room and on our way out, I overheard Tessa making a call. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it bae. That proud peacock actually said I, Tessa, was boring¡± she said with a huff while walking out and I sighed. Why does she have to speak so ill of Kim? When I got outside and was about calling the driver, I saw them walking towards my direction. Yes! The lovergirls! My heart beamed with joy and ecstasy as I watched them walk majestically with Kim in their middle. They were so adorable. They were chatting lightly and a thought suddenly niggled at me. They wereing towards my direction and this was the first day I was meeting face to face with my role model. I wanted to talk to her. They stopped talking as theythey drew close to where I was and I stood in front of them, making them stop. Wow! Face to face with my role models. I really love these girls. ¡°Uhm¡­ good day, ma¡¯am Kim¡± I said to Kimberly with a bow. My cheeks were blushing. They kept staring at me. ¡°Uhm¡­ sorry to interrupt you, but¡­ I¡¯m Jeanne and¡­ I want you to know I¡¯m one of your top fans. You¡¯re actually my role model and I admire you a lot. I love you and your songs, ma¡¯am¡± I said with a smile and she scoffed. ¡°Really?¡± She asked and released a light smile and my heart leapt at that moment. She rose her specs to her hair and I could stare into her big pretty eyes. ¡°So, what do you want me to do then?¡± She suddenly asked and I cringed. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to jump up and catch the sky? You don¡¯t even know how to dance. So, howe I¡¯m your role model? Haven¡¯t you learnt anything from me?¡± And with that, she rolled her eyes and walked away and the lovergirls followed behind, giggling and chuckling. I turned and looked at them as they walked away and felt a sharp pain across my chest. Why was she being so mean to me? Why does she have toto ridicule me? She¡¯s been my role model for years and I can¡¯t believe she doesn¡¯t like me. Carissa was right when she had told me she was proud and all that. But, I really liked her. Why does she have to hurt me this way? ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that, you know?¡± I heard someone say from behind and I turned to see one of the traineesing towards me. I think her name is Megan. And she was the one who hadhad smiled at me when I arrived.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I sniffled and looked at her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have tried talking to her. someone like Kim doesn¡¯t know what friendship is all about. She only sees herself and her close friends¡± she said as she stood in front of me and I sighed. ¡°I¡­ had no idea. She¡¯s my role model¡± I replied a little ruefully and she smiled. ¡°I understand. Too bad you have a rude role model. But, don¡¯t worry; someday, you might get to be greater than her.¡± She told me and I furrowed my brows. ¡°Really?¡± I suddenly asked, picking interest in what she said. ¡°Yes. I saw you in there. You were brilliant. You have an enchanting voice¡±. I scoffed and bent my head. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t even know how to dance¡± I mumbled. ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter. You can still learn. Don¡¯t worry, I can assist you with some dance steps¡± she said and I looked up at her, surprised. ¡°You¡­ You can?¡± I asked and she nodded. And just as if she knew what I had in mind, sheughed. e on, Jen. Beingpetitors doesn¡¯t mean we have to be enemies. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Megan¡± she said and brought out her hand for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m Uhm. .. Jeanne¡± I replied and took the handshake and she smiled. immediately, a red car pulled over in front of us. ¡°Okay, Jeanne. It was nice meeting you. See you tomorrow¡± she said warmly and I waved at her as she entered into the red car and took off. Hmm. Quite friendly. Then, I called my driver and after a short while, he arrived and we left the building. 15 Kimberly¡¯s Pov: My name is Kimberly Percival and in the only precious child of my loving parents. Just so you know, I¡¯m a queen. I¡¯m the prettiest, the most popr, the hottest, the richest and the leader of the lovergirls. I¡¯m the best. I always have things done my way and whoever opposes me can go to hell. Everyone adores me ¨C even the lovergirls. Although, I have just one best friend. And that¡¯s Eva. I walked into my mum¡¯s room, putting on a shower gown. But when I got into the room, she didn¡¯t seem to be in. ¡°Mum?¡± I called but didn¡¯t get any response. Then I moved closer to the table and there I found some scattered papers on it. I took one of the papers and had a look at it and expectedly, it was a profile of a woman ¨C Anna Darius. Mum has been secretly looking for this woman for years and I have no idea whom she is. she¡¯s been hiring secret agents to search for her and she hasn¡¯t even told dad and I about it. She doesn¡¯t want us to know. But who could this woman be? And why is mum secretly looking for her? I heard a knob turning and I quickly returned the paper to the table and turned away. Immediately, the door opened and mum came out of the bathroom. ¡°Kim¡± she called as she moved her hair backwards. Then, she looked at the papers on the table. Immediately, she came over and took the papers, fixing them in her bag. ¡°Do you need something?¡± She asked while zipping her bag and I stuttered a little.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡­ I just wanted to know if you¡¯ve pulled the call through to Diego.¡± I replied and she sat on her make up table ¡°Yes, dear. And he wants you to send the files by weekend so he can work it out¡­¡± She applied a red lip gloss to her lips and then a dark mascara and I watched her. She was a pretty young woman and people always say I took after her. We have the same bushy brows, big pretty eyes and moderate lips. ¡°Do you need something else?¡± She asked when she was done talking and I shook my head. I felt like asking her about the woman she was looking for but felt she might not want to talk about it since she¡¯s kept it a secret from us. ¡°I¡¯ll be outside¡± I said and pecked her cheeks and left afterwards. I went outside to the pool and there I met four of the lovergirls sitting under the shade. ¡°Hey, Kim¡± they called and waved at me but I didn¡¯t even look at them as I just took off the gown I was putting on and dived into the pool. I swam deep into the water and came out, taking a deep breath. I stayed with my legs in the water for a short time and after that, I came out of the pool and joined my friends in the shade. I was just putting on a red pant and bra. ¡°Wats up Kim?¡± Eva asked with a cigarette in her mouth as I took a seat. ¡°You look pale, Kim. Is everything okay?¡± Joyce asked but I didn¡¯t say a word as I just collected a cigarette and lighter from Eva and lit it. Then I started smoking. ¡°By the way, Kim; Stanley told me he has a crush on you¡± Alina said and the rest of them chuckled. ¡°Wow! Seriously? You mean Stanley from Beatz?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not surprising. Every guy has a crush on Kim¡± Eva said. ¡°Not every guy, Eva. My Tony doesn¡¯t have a crush on her¡± Joyce said and theyughed. ¡°Oh! So now he¡¯s your Tony? I thought you were nning to ditch him?¡± Alina asked. ¡°Well¡­ maybe. still working on it¡± ¡°But why do you want to dump him, Joyce? I mean, he¡¯s handsome, rich¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s too boring in bed¡± she cut in and they roared withughter. ¡°Oh, my God, Joyce. You¡¯re making me get goosebumps. What do you mean he¡¯s boring in bed?¡± Eva asked withughter. ¡°Well, if he¡¯s boring, why don¡¯t you tutor him?¡± Alina asked. ¡°What? I¡¯ve got no time for that, please. Although he¡¯s charming and sweet, just that he¡¯s weak when ites to s*x.¡± Joyce replied and theyughed again. ¡°Hard luck, Joyce. Well, my Derrick¡¯s such a darling¡± Caroline said. ¡°Whenever we¡¯re in bed, he rides me to heaven. He¡¯s perfect¡­¡± They went on chatting andughing, but it didn¡¯t really interest me because my mind was upied. I kept thinking about the woman mum¡¯s been looking for for years and why she kept it a secret. ¡°Kim, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Eva broke into my thoughts after a while and I sighed and smoked from my cigarette. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡± I replied casualty, bringing out smoke from my nostrils. ¡°Hetty still hasn¡¯t called in¡± Joyce said. ¡°It seems she really wants a division. ¡°What? She hasn¡¯t called?¡± Caroline asked surprised. ¡°Yes. And Mia and Lea are with her.¡± Hetty, Mia and Lea were the three remaining lovergirls and they were trying to make a rebellion against because they think I¡¯m being unfair to the band by always taking the lead role in our duets. Well, to me, I think they¡¯re just being jealous. ¡°Wow! It seems she really wants to create a division and I can¡¯t believe she was able to get Mia and Lea¡¯s support¡± Alina said. ¡°Well, she can go to hell for all I care. And if she isn¡¯t careful, I¡¯m gonna have her signed out sooner than she expects¡± I replied and rolled my eyes and they chuckled. ¡°By the way, Kim, what do you think about the new trainees?¡± Eva asked and I clicked my tongue. ¡°Well¡­ They all seem boring to me. But let¡¯s see how the training goes¡± I replied and smoked from my cigarette. ¡°But I think that Jeanne has a nice voice¡± Caroline said and I made an irritated face. ¡°What stupid voice? She sounds ugly¡± I said churlishly. ¡°Come on, Kim. Just spill out the reason you don¡¯t like her. Isn¡¯t because she¡¯s the only female worker in the Loverboys mansion?¡± Caroline asked and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Wait; you mean she¡¯s one of the trainees?¡± Alina asked. She wasn¡¯t there with us. ¡°Yes, Alina. And you needed to had seen the way Kim treated her when she came to her as a loyal fan¡± Joyce replied with a smile. ¡°Oh, my gee! I really missed out. So she¡¯s one of the trainees?¡± ¡°Yes. But I really felt bad for her . She had juste to tell her she loved her and her songs. But Kim had treated her like a piece of garbage.¡± ¡°Awwn, Kim; that was harsh¡± Alina said and sniggered. ¡°Kim is scared she might take her Alex away from her¡± Eva said and looked at me and I scoffed. ¡°Is Kim still dreaming on Alex? He hardly even talks to her¡± Caroline said and I snapped. ¡°Shut up, Caro! Very soon, he¡¯s going to be mine. I¡¯m still working on it¡± I replied and rolled my eyes and she chuckled. ¡°But¡­ If you and Alex ever get to be together, aren¡¯t you scared of the fact that the two girlfriends he¡¯s had in the past four years ended up dead?¡± Joyce asked. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t give a damn. My case will be different. Besides, it¡¯s possible what happened to those girls was just a coincidence. And it¡¯s possible they probably died because I¡¯m the right one for him.¡± I replied and theyughed lightly. ¡°By the way,¡± I continued. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of making arrangements for dinner and a sleepover at the Loverboys mansion. What do you think?¡± I smiled and winked at them as their eyes dted in disbelieve. 16 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I returned home with Molly and after showering and eating, we stayed together in the sitting room and watched a movie. But I wasn¡¯t really interested in the movie as I just focused on the book. Mrs Tristan was out and the loverboys were yet to return. But not long after, I heard the sounds of cars driving in and went to check it out and expectedly, it was the loverboys. I turned away from the window and sighed. I felt so scared seeing Alex. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to face them. I quickly left the sitting room and went into the kitchen and there I found Alex busy as a bee. ¡°Hey¡± be called as he shot me a stare and quickly took his eyes back to what he was doing. ¡°Hi. Good evening¡± I replied and took a look around. About three different burners were in and pots and frying pans were on them with contents inside. ¡°The loverboys are back, aren¡¯t they?¡± He asked as he poured some carrots into the frying pan. ¡°I totally lost track of time. Now I don¡¯t know what to do. Who¡¯s meal will I make first? Sir Malcolm¡¯s hash browns? Sir Daniel¡¯s poached eggs? Sir Alex¡¯s coffee? Sir Carl¡¯s¡­ gosh! I¡¯m foxed¡± he said with a flurried look and I smiled and drew closer. A mug and tin of cocoa was on the table and he went to them. ¡°Let me help you out with the coffee¡± I told him as I took the spoon from him. ¡°Oh, dear. Thanks a lot¡± he said happily and returned to the pots and frying pans. I opened the cocoa and poured some quantity into the mug and adding other ingredients, I started making the coffee my own way. ¡°Don¡¯t you have an assistance?¡± I asked as we both acted busy. ¡°I actually had two. But they lost jobs three days before he got here¡± he replied and I flinched. ¡°Really? What happened?¡± I asked curiously. ¡®Well, one of them had mistakenly spilled a drink on sir Alex¡¯s expensive white dress just when he was about leaving for a show. So, he fired him. ¡°And the other had made sir Daniel¡¯s meal a little too salty and as a result, sir Daniel had to throw up. So he got fired as well¡±. ¡°Wow!¡± I said, surprised. ¡°So you¡¯re just the only one left right? Aren¡¯t you scared you might be next?¡± ¡°What? Hell no. I¡¯ve been with them for a long time now and I¡¯m already aware of their likes and dislikes. So I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t be an error¡± he replied. ¡°Wow! You sound so sure. Uhm¡­ how long have you been working here? Were you during the time of Theo?¡± I asked and he clicked his tongue. ¡°Nah. I only got hired about three years ago. I didn¡¯t get to meet Theo¡± he replied and I nodded. Too bad. Soon, I was done with the coffee and I left it and helped him out in dicing some onions. ¡°Could you help me deliver the coffee to Sir Alex please?¡± He asked and I widened my eyes. ¡°What? Are you kidding me? Do you want me dead?¡± I asked and heughed. ¡°What makes you think so? Sir Alex isn¡¯t all that grumpy¡± he said and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s because you¡¯re probably a guy: I said. ¡°So what do you think of the loverboys?¡± He asked after a little pause. ¡°Well, they¡¯re okay- especially Carl. He seems very friendly. And Malcolm- we haven¡¯t really spoken much though. But that Daniel, it seems he doesn¡¯t like me¡± I said and he chuckled. ¡°Trust me, Jen. That was what I also thought the first time I arrived. He¡¯s just a bad tempered guy and yes, he¡¯s pompous. But in time, when he gets to know you, he¡¯ll change and be friendly. He just doesn¡¯t like to associate with strangers at first sight¡± he said and I shrugged. ¡°I hope so¡±. ¡°I¡¯d better deliver this coffee to Sir Alex before it gets cold. Just help me keep the gas on a low heat and keep stiring¡± he told me as took the cup of coffee in a tray and left. I continued stiring the contents in the pots and after a short while, he returned. Then he turned all the contents from the different pots into separate tes and arranged them in trays. ¡°Could you help me with one of the trays, Jeanne? Please?¡± He said in an appealing tone and I scoffed. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Come on Jeanne. I really need your help. It¡¯ll be faster please?¡± He said and I scoffed and shook my head. How can he ask me to do such a thing? I¡¯ve been running away from the loverboys and now, he¡¯s trying to get me back to them. Hell no. ¡°Fine. Since you said Carl¡¯s friendly, you can take his tray. At least, you can be sure he won¡¯t bite¡± he said and took two of the trays and left the kitchen, leaving me stuck there. I sighed and looked at the tray. Do I really have to go there? But I didn¡¯t want to face them. I dallied a little and finally took the tray, going out of the kitchen. I walked slowly and nervously and when I got to the sitting room, I met them all there ¨C the four loverboys. Alex was operating his phone with the coffee beside him. Daniel was smoking. Carl and Malcolm weren¡¯t doing anything in particr. They were probably interested in the movie ying on the TV screen. Evans was there as well, arranging their meals. I gulped nervously and walked in, standing in front of the loverboys. ¡°G¡­ Good evening, sirs¡± I greeted with a bow. . ¡°Good evening, Jen.¡±; Malcolm was the first to reply. ¡°Good evening dear. I guess that¡¯s for me?¡± Carl replied and asked and I nodded and ced the tray in front of him. ¡°Good evening¡± Daniel said simply and my eyes beamed. Wow! He did reply me. I looked at Alex and his eyes were still fixed on his phone. He didn¡¯t even bother to look at me, not to mention replying to my greeting. I kept the tray properly on a stool in front of Carl and just then, Molly came in. ¡°Nanny, could you help me out with my assignment, please?¡± She asked and I nodded and we went to the dining to Sit. The dining was behind the sitting room and sitting on it, I could have a side view of the loverboys. ¡°I¡¯ll be needing some more cream cheese, Evans¡± Malcolm said and Evans left the sitting room. I opened Molly¡¯s textbooks and started directing her on the assignment. ¡°Have you seen Mira¡¯s new dance video?¡± Carl asked and I looked at them. ¡°Yeah. Thatdy¡¯s such a stripper. I can¡¯t believe she was almost dancing nak*d. And her video¡¯s actually pulling the highest likes online¡± Malcolm replied with a scoff and Carlughed. ¡°Be careful how you talk about her, Malcolm. You know she¡¯s Alex¡¯s ex¡± Carl said and Daniel pouted his lips. ¡°You¡¯re insane, Carl. She was never my girlfriend in the first ce¡± he said. ¡°Come on, Daniel. She often spends most weekends with you and you¡¯ve slept with her uncountable times¡±. ¡°Well, having sex with her doesn¡¯t make her my girlfriend. I never asked her out. She just cheaply and stupidly kept giving her body to me¡±.? ¡°But, you shouldn¡¯t had broken her heart by kissing her best friend in front of her¡±. ¡°Well, I just wanted her to know she wasn¡¯t my girlfriend. I¡¯ve got no time for love andmitment, guys. So, any girl who gives her heart to me is only ying a dangerous game. I¡¯d just fu*k and go¡± ¡°Woah, Daniel. That¡¯s harsh. But, trust me, when you find true love, it¡¯s definitely going to change you¡±. ¡°True love. Does that even exist?¡± ¡°He¡¯s talking as if he has one¡± Malcolm said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Malcolm. I n on taking a girlfriend this week and when I do, I¡¯m gonna make sure we have an agreement that she wouldn¡¯t be the only ass I¡¯ll be fu*cking¡± Carl replied and they roared withughter. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Carl. Then what¡¯s there to signify she¡¯s your girlfriend?¡± Daniel said and he shrugged. I smiled and looked at Alex and his eyes were still buried in his phone. He hadn¡¯t said a word and didn¡¯t even react to a thing the boys were saying. He was so cold and I wondered if he¡¯s ever smiled orughed in his life before. ¡°by the way, guys.¡± Daniel said. ¡°Kim called me earlier on and told me they¡¯d being over for dinner tomorrow¡±. ¡°You mean the lovergirls?¡± Malcolm asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Whaaaat? The lovergirls will being here for dinner tomorrow? So, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m gonna see Kim again? Oh, my role model! But she had been rude to me today at the studio. How am I going to face her? ¡°Kim is such a prettydy¡± Carl said. ¡°And I¡¯m surprised she still doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend¡±. ¡°Take your eyes off her, Carl. She¡¯s Alex¡¯s crush¡± Daniel said and my eyes dimmed. Alex¡¯s crush? ¡°Hmmm. I¡¯m still waiting for that special day when Alex¡¯s gonna have a girlfriend again.¡± Malcolm said. ¡°Alex has always been a master in the game. He¡¯s just on a break for now¡± Carl said and theyughed. But Alex didn¡¯t even blink. Hmmm. so Alex was really a flirt? But now he doesn¡¯t even want to touch ady. I wonder what happened. Not long after, Ambrose ¨C his dog ¨C came walking down the stairs. He wasn¡¯t running; he just sauntered and looked kind of weak.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He got to where Alex was and Alex carried him up in his arms. ¡°Is Ambrose sick?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Yes.. maybe I¡¯ll get a veteranian to check him out tomorrow¡± Alex replied and tried giving him some of his coffee, but he wouldn¡¯t take it. Then he drank from it. Just then, Evans came in with more foods in trays and served them to the loverboys. ¡°By the way, Evans¡± Alex suddenly said. ¡°I love the new taste of my coffee. But, it tastes different from yours. Was it really prepared by you?¡± My eyes dted immediately. ¡°Actually, sir Alex¡± Evans called happily with a smile and nced at me and I felt my breath seizing. My mouth opened in shock. Oh, God! Is he going to tell him I made the coffe? No, no, no. This is not happening. Alex has warned me never to touch what¡¯s his and if he finds out I made the coffee he just drank, he¡¯s definitely going to kill me. Oh, Jesus! ¡°Actually, sir Alex¡± he continued. ¡°The coffee was made by¡­¡± Oh, God! I¡¯m dead 17 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Just then, Alex¡¯s phone started ringing and Evans had to halt as he received the call. ¡°Hello? ¡°I know, Franco. I¡¯m still working on it¡­¡± Oh! This is the hand of God at work. I quickly tried getting Evans¡¯ attention. I waved my hands and since he was facing my direction, it was easy for him to see me. Then, I signalled him not to call my name and he muttered why? And I impatiently signalled him to just do as I say and he looked confused. I had no idea Carl was staring at us the whole time and when I got a know, he just scoffed and looked away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Franco. I¡¯ll try my best to be through with it by next week. ¡°Yes. Bye¡± he said and dropped the call. ¡°Franco¡¯s still on your neck for the duet, right?¡± Daniel asked almost immediately. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been so busy and don¡¯t even have time to work on it. I¡¯m so choked up.¡± He replied and touched his forehead with two fingers. ¡°By the way, Evans¡± he continued, now staring at Evans. ¡°What were you saying about the coffee?¡± Evans shot me a stare and I shook my head. ¡°Uhm¡­ actually, sir Alex, I was trying to say it was made by me. I Uhm. .. I just learnt a new way of making it¡± he replied and I heaved a big sigh of relief. Thank goodness! ¡°Well,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think I like the new taste. So, from now on, I want my coffee prepared this way.¡± My eyes beamed immediately. Did he seriously like my coffee that much? Oh my! Then he stood up with Ambrose still lying quietly in his hands ¡°I¡¯ll be in my room¡± he said and took the stairs. Evans stared at me again and also headed for the kitchen and after a short while, I excused myself from molly and also went for the kitchen. ¡°Why did you make me lie to him?¡± Evans asked immediately I got in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Evans. But if Alex had gotten to know I made that coffee, I¡¯d have been a corpse by now¡± I replied and he flinched. ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡± He asked. ¡°Well, Alex has warned me never to touch what¡¯s his¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yes. You know he dislikes females and he asked me to leave. And when I refused, he warned me to stay far from him.¡± ¡°Woah. Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± I replied and rose my brows. ¡°So what do we do now? He said he wants his coffee prepared this way and he takes coffee every evening¡± he said with a grouch. ¡°Well¡­ maybe I can teach you how to prepare it¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Jen. You see, the thing is, Alex knows my cooking skills and if it tastes different from the actual one, he¡¯s definitely going to spot it and get suspicious. ¡°Uhm¡­ how about you keep making the coffee while I present it to him like I did?¡± He asked and I gasped. ¡°What? What if we get caught?¡± ¡°Of course we won¡¯t. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going toe into the kitchen to see how I prepare his coffee¡± he said and I rolled my eyes and sighed. ¡°Fine. Just make sure I don¡¯t get caught, okay?¡± I said and he nodded and I went ahead to make Molly a ss of milk. I returned to the dining with the ss of milk and couldn¡¯t find anyone there. Even the loverboys were not there. I took the staircase and went for Molly¡¯s room and there I found her lying on her bigfy bed. And with the look in her eyes, it was obvious she was dizzy. ¡°Hey, baby. Are you through with your homework? ¡± I asked as I sat next to her on the bed and she just nodded. ¡°Okay then. Get up so you can take your milk¡± I told her as I helped her sit up and she collected the milk from me and gulped it down. ¡°do you want me to sing you a song?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes¡± she replied lightly as sheid back on the bed and I smiled and started singing a barbie song. she smiled as I sang along and even before I was done, she slept off. I smiled and covered her with the duvet and turned off the lights. Then, I left the room. I stared at Alex¡¯s room for a short time by the time I got outside and thought of knocking and running away. I giggled and left the passage before I¡¯d get myself into trouble. I went into my room andid happily on the bed, facing the ceiling. I felt happy, remembering Alex liked my coffee. If only he liked me as well. I took my diary and wrote all about my experience for the day. I wrote about my first day in Alpha high studio. I really wish I¡¯d get to pass the training and be one of the lovergirls. But the other trainees had also seemed hot and talented. Will I be able to beat them? I wrote about my encounter with My role model ¨C Kim ¨C and how she had snubbed me. I felt so hurt remembering it and I wished she¡¯d get to change. Then, finally, I wrote about Alex. First, I remembered his hurtful words to me in the morning, but I tried to cover it up with the fact he liked my coffee ¨C even if he has no idea it was made by me. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, sir Alex, Even if you¡¯re mean to me, I¡¯ll still continue to crush on you¡¯. I wrote happily in my diary and closed it. Then, I fell back on the bed and closed my eyes and as I did, a smile stayed on my lips. ¡î¡î¡î I opened my eyes and found myself in a strange ce. The entire ce was white and snowballs filled the whole floors.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Where am I? And how the hell did I get here? The surroundings were deserted and just dried up trees stood at some point. Then, I saw two figures ahead and I strained my eyes to have a look at them, but couldn¡¯t recognise them. I decided to take a step forward and as I did, the two figures became clear. It was Alex and Theo! What? Am I dreaming? They were facing each other and didn¡¯t seem to be aware my presence there. What is happening? Why am I seeing Alex and Theo? ¡°You betrayed me, Alex! We were meant to be brothers¡± Theo said angrily and pushed Alex by the chest, but he didn¡¯t fall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Theo. But they wanted her. I had no other option¡± Alex replied in a pained voice. He sounded bittered and remorseful. Theo weakly fell on his knees and buried his face in his palms, bursting into tears. I was stunned. ¡°I can¡¯t do without her¡± he cried. ¡°Please, get her back to me. I can¡¯t bear staying away from her. I won¡¯t survive it¡±. Tears were running down his cheeks as he cried like a baby. There was so much acrimony in his voice; so much pains. I looked at Alex and noticed he was also weeping. Oh, God! What¡¯s going on? Why¡¯re they so hurt? What happened to them? ¡î¡î¡î I opened my eyes and discovered it was all a dream. I coughed a little and sat up, puzzling over it. What kind of a dream was that? I¡­ I can¡¯tprehend it. I sat quietly, trying to recall everything that had happened. I really did see Theo and Alex in my dream and they were both crying. *you betrayed me, Alex!* *they wanted her. I had no other option* Their words reyed in my head and it left me gobsmacked. Why did I have such a dream? Why does it have to do with Theo and Alex? Could it be possible it was because I was thinking too much about the conflict between them? Could that be the reason? But, somehow, I still felt restless. It could really be possible it¡¯s just a mere dream. But, what if it¡¯s not? What if it really has a meaning? 18 Jeanne¡¯s pov: I woke up early the next morning and took my bath and after that, went ahead to prepare Molly for school. I wore her uniforms and brushed her hair and took her school bag. ¡°Come on, Molly; let¡¯s go down for breakfast¡± I told her as I lest the room and stood outside, awaiting her toe out. I took a look at Alex¡¯s room which was in front of me and noticed his door was slightly open. I strained my neck to take a peep and I was able to see him sitting on the bed with Ambrose in his hands. But luckily, he wasn¡¯t facing the door. I noticed he was kind of looking sad as he pet Ambrose whoid quietly. He really looked sick. ¡°Stay strong for me, okay?¡± Alex said softly and nuzzled it. At that point, I kind of felt pity for both of them. ¡°I¡¯m through nanny¡± Molly said as she finally came out of the room and I turned to look at her. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go¡± I told her and we left for the dining. Mrs Tristan and the rest of the Loverboys were already seated there and Molly and I joined them. ¡°How was your yesterday¡¯s training, Jeanne?¡± Mrs Tristan asked as I dished out Molly¡¯s meal. ¡°it was fine ma¡¯am. We were told everything we were expected to do¡± I replied and she smiled back at me. ¡°So how do you see the other trainees? Do you think you can defeat them?¡± Carl asked and I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t really know sir. They all seem pretty good to me . and unfortunately, I don¡¯t even know how to dance.¡± I replied. ¡°Seriously? You can¡¯t dance?¡± Malcolm asked and I nodded shyly. ¡°well, maybe the training might be if help¡± Daniel said and my eyes widened in surprise. Did Daniel just said something nice to me? Wow! After a short while, Alex walked in, brightly garbed and extremely handsome. Even the pale look on his face couldn¡¯t hide it. ¡°Good morning mum¡± he greeted casually as he walked over to her and pecked her on the cheek. Hm. How sweet. ¡°Good morning Alex. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re leaving without breakfast¡± Mrs Tristan asked and he sighed and touched his forehead. Hm. It seems he¡¯s fond of doing that ¨C touching his forehead with two fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mum. I just don¡¯t have an appetite for now. Besides, I have a meeting to catch up with. ¡°By the way, Daniel, could you help me call one of the vetenerian doctors to check our on Ambrose, please?¡± He turned to Daniel and asked.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Okay Alex. Sure¡± Daniel replies and he nodded and left. I hurried up my breakfast with Molly and when we were done, we also left for school. I dropped her off at the preschool and went for mine afterwards. We received the normal morning lectures and when it was 12 PM, I left for my training at the Alpha Studio. I guess it¡¯s really not going to be easy on me ¨C managing my studies and going for the training as well. I came out of my ride and was about going into the building when a ck SUV that wasing my way drove by and sshed water from the floor on me. What? I shrieked and turned to the car which stopped and the driver came out immediately. It was a young pretty woman. Wait; I know this woman. Yes! She¡¯s Kimberly¡¯s mum! ¡°Oh, dear; I¡¯m so sorry. I never meant to do it¡± she said apologetically as she scuttled to where I was and stood in front of me. Then she dipped her hand into her bag and brought out a napkin and surprisingly, she started cleaning my body with it. OMG! ¡°Were you hurt?¡± She asked as she cleaned my hands and I just stared dumbfounded. I can¡¯t believe someone this rich can actually be this kind. Then whys her daughter so rude? She was very young and pretty and looked very ssic. No wonder Kim is so pretty as well. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked staring into my eyes and I shrugged out of my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine, ma¡¯am. Please don¡¯t bother¡± I said and tired stopping her from cleaning my body. ¡°No, no. Please, let me¡± she insisted and went on with it. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She asked with a warm smile. ¡®Uhm¡­ Jeanne, ma¡¯am¡± I replied, staring into her big blue eyes. ¡°Okay Jeanne. Once again, I¡¯m sorry for sshing water on you. I didn¡¯t mean to. I hope you¡¯re fine now?¡± She said and I nodded. ¡®Yes ma¡¯am. I¡¯m fine. Thanks a lot¡± I replied and she smiled and held my hands, cleaning off a little stain on it. I couldn¡¯t exin it, but I kind of enjoyed her touch on me. Then she was done cleaning my hand but surprisingly, she still held on to it and stared into my face. ¡°Uhm¡­ Jeanne¡± she called. ¡°is. .. is it possible we¡¯ve met before?¡± I felt a wide feeling in me as I stared at her. Although I¡¯ve seen her on TV and other media, but I¡¯m not so sure she¡¯s seen me. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think so, ma¡¯am¡± I replies and she stared at me for a little more while before letting go of my hand. ¡°okay then. I¡¯ll be on my way. It was nice meeting you by the way.¡± She said and I smiled and she turned and headed due her car. I kept looking at her as she got to the door . And just when she was about opening it, she tuned around and looked at me and for an unknown reason, we smiled at each other. Then she waved at me and finally walked into the car. 19 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I entered into the building and went for the training hall. The other three trainees were there as well and we received some lectures from miss Beatrice and one other woman who identified herself as Mrs ra. After that, we went into rehearsals and that was when I got to know miss Beatrice was a crazy dancer. Her dance steps were incredible. We first of all did some exercises to enable our body to be flexible. Then we went into the dance practice after that. With the look of things, I think I¡¯ll be able to catch up and have a little dancing skills. When we were done, Megan came up to me and suggested we ate together. She seemed really friendly and I think I like her personality. We dashed into the cafe and ordered some snacks and drinks and found a suitable ce to sit. ¡°When did you start dreaming of bing a musician?¡± She asked as we both sat, facing each other. She was eating a hot dog sausage and a bottle of Chapman, while I just ordered a te of french fries. ¡°Uhm¡­ I don¡¯t really know. I¡¯ve just always had this passion of bing known in the musical world¡± I replied and she smiled. ¡°Well, as for me, it started when I was a kid. Whenever I was free, I¡¯d just take up something that looks like a mic and start singing round the house. It¡¯s always been my passion. But, do your parents support your dreams?¡± She replied and asked. ¡°Uhm¡­ well, yeah. My dad supports me¡± I replied. ¡°Mmm. I guess you¡¯re lucky, then. Actually my mum also supports me. I mean, she likes the idea of me bing a famed musician. But when I had told her I wanted to enrol as one of the lovergirls, she refused and I was surprised. She didn¡¯t give me any reason in particr and just told me she didn¡¯t want me to have anything to do with the alpha records. ¡°But trust me, I¡¯m a stubborn little brat and I didn¡¯t let her stop me. Although we had to go through a lot of augments and loggerheads, but sheter agreed. So I¡¯m here¡± she said with a satisfactory smile. ¡°But¡­ what about your dad? does he also support you?¡± I asked and noticed she cringed a little. ¡°Uhm¡­ I don¡¯t have a dad. I mean, I don¡¯t know my dad. Mum never mentioned him to me and¡­ I guess I¡¯m not surprised because I have a feeling she was a big flirt in the past¡± she replied and I chuckled. Then, I noticed she was through with her sausage and she left and ordered for another. ¡°it seems you like sausages a lot¡± I told her when she returned. ¡°Oh, yes! It¡¯s my favourite. Too bad I don¡¯t know how to prepare it¡±. ¡°Well.. I do know how to make it¡± I told her and her eyes beamed. ¡°Oh, my God! Are you serious?¡± She asked in disbelief and I nodded. ¡°Oh, Jeanne! Can you teach me please? I beg of you. I promise to teach you some dance steps after that¡± she said with pleading eyes, cing her palms together. And I scoffed. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Of course, you can. Let¡¯s fix a date. We can make it at my house and then, we¡¯d rehearse after that, please?¡± She said desperately and it took me sometime before telling her I¡¯d think about it. ¡°Thank you sweetie. Let¡¯s make it tomorrow¡± she said happily. ¡°I still have to think about it¡­¡± ¡°I know. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure you¡¯lle around¡± she said calmly and I smiled and we continued eating. ¡î¡î¡î I returned home with Molly and helped her shower and eat. And then sheid to rest. Then I walked over to the backside to get something and I came across Ambrose¡¯s cage. I stopped to look at him and saw he was lying very quiet in there. I drew closer and with the look of things, no one has attended to him yet. But I thought Alex asked Daniel to call in a veterinarian? I bent and looked at him in the cage and felt pity for him. He couldn¡¯t even bark or make a sound. He seemed so weak. I wonder why they can¡¯t pay attention to him. I went over to the garage and asked one of the drivers to drive me to the nearest veterinary hospital. We got there after a while and I rushed in and exined things to the doctor and he gave me some prescriptions and medicines. I thanked him and left after paying him and I returned to the house and went straight to Ambrose¡¯s cage. I know I shouldn¡¯t be doing this; but feel bad for the dog and fear he might die if immediate attention is not given to him. I opened the cage and brought him out and he tried resisting it but couldn¡¯t since he was too weak. He tried barking at me, but his voice only sounded like that of a cockroach.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Calm down, Ambrose. I¡¯m here to help okay?¡± I said and just as if he understood what I said, he became calm and felt rxed in my hands. I sat on the pavement and ced him on my legs. Then, I drew my bag close and brought out the things I bought I had gotten some biscuits and I pouted them in a te and had it mixed up with the medicines. ¡°Here, Ambrose, have a bite¡± I said as I brought the te closer to his mouth and he started eating the biscuits, slowly though. I smiled and rubbed his head. ¡°I feel sorry for you, doggy¡± I said. ¡°Even your owner who ims to love you a lot can¡¯t even find time to take care of you. ¡°Well, I¡¯d say youyou shouldn¡¯t me him. He¡¯s a very busy guy. And don¡¯t worry; you¡¯ll be fine now, okay? But promise me you won¡¯t tell him I took care of you¡±. I paused andughed and he made a whimpering tone. Then he stopped eating from the te. ¡°Come on, Ambrose. You need to ear all of it¡± I said and took the te to his mouth again but he looked away. Then I kept the te and took a biscuit from it and tried feeding him myself and surprisingly, he ate from me. Wow! I smiled and fed him another piece and he still collected it and that was how I ended up feeding the entire biscuits to him. ¡°Good boy¡± I said happily and nuzzled him. ¡°Now, just stay in and rx and you¡¯ll be fine within the twinkle of an eye okay?¡± I said as I carried him back to his cage andid him there. ¡°Remember to keep our secret safe, okay?¡± I said in a whisper and he justid quietly and looked at me. Then, I closed the cage and left. I decided to check on Evans in the kitchen and there I met him really busy. ¡°Hey¡± I called as I walked in and he turned to look at me. ¡°Hey, Jeanne. It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here. Please, I can really make use of a helping hand¡± he said hastily as he blended some tomatoes and I sighed ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯re gonna start splitting your sry from now on¡± I said and heughed. ¡°Okay. So what am I doing?¡± I asked and he passed a tray of green peas to me. ¡°Just help me work on that please¡± he said and I nodded and collected the tray from him. ¡°So what¡¯s the asion? Why are there lots of food?¡± I asked after a pause ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware the lovergirls areing over for dinner?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± I gasped. I almost forgot. ¡°Yeah. So the loverboys already gave me a list if meal to prepare which the lovergirls are likely to request.¡± He said. ¡°Wow! But isn¡¯t this job too stressful for you?¡± I asked and he shrugged. ¡°Well, considering the payment I¡¯m getting, I think it¡¯s worth the while¡± he replied. Hmm. I winder how much they¡¯re paying him. Must be really huge. ¡°So¡­ did you go to a catering school? Or you¡¯ve alway known how to cook?¡± I asked after a pause. ¡°Well¡­ Both. I¡¯ve always loved and known how to cook. So I went ahead to a catering school to make it perfect¡± he replied and I smiled. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s rare you know? Seeing a guy that knows how to cook. Does it make you feel odd?¡± I asked and just then, a call came into his phone. ¡°Hello? ¡°Yes sir¡± It seems he was talking to one of the loverboys. Soon, he dropped the call. ¡°Oh, God, Jeanne, please; I really need you to deliver this to Sir Carl. Please¡± he said as hurried to the fridge and took out a bottle of wine He ced it on a tray and kept a ss cup beside it. ¡°Please Jeanne, he¡¯s in the garden. I really can¡¯t abandon my meal right now¡± . ¡°Hold on; the loverboys are home?¡± I asked, puzzled. ¡°No. Just Carl. But the rest will be back soon. Please Jeanne; get the drink to him¡± he said in an endearing tone and I sighed. ¡°Evans, I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be such a hard nut¡± he said and I rolled my eyes at him and left the kitchen with the tray. The problem is, I¡¯m always too nervous around the loverboys. I went into the garden and met Carl sitting there, operating his phone. I coughed a little and went to stand in front of him. ¡°Uhm¡­ good evening sir¡± I greeted with a bow and he looked up at me. ¡°Oh, Jeanne; it¡¯s you¡±. I dropped the tray on the table in front of him and tried leaving, but he stopped me. ¡°Have a seat Jeanne¡± he said and I furrowed my brows. ¡°B¡­ But, sir¡­¡± ¡°Come on, just spend sometime with me¡± he said and I itched my head and nodded. There was another seat at the other side of the table. And I sat on it, now facing him. ¡°Join me for a drink¡± he said as he opened the wine in front of me. ¡°Uh¡­ sorry sir. But I don¡¯t drink¡± I told him. ¡°Come on Jeanne. A ss of wine won¡¯t make you drunk. Stop being childish¡± he said and I flinched. What? How can he say I¡¯m being childish? He opened the wine and poured it into the ss cup and handed it to me. ¡°But sir, what about¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just drink from the bottle. I do enjoy it this way sometimes¡± he cut me off with a smile and took the bottle. ¡°Thanks¡± I said with a shy smile and drank from the ss. Hmm. It waw so cold and sweet. This Carl is really a nice guy. And he was handsome too. He had an ear ring fixed on his brows and I seriously have no idea how they do it. ¡°so how was school today?¡± He asked after a pause. ¡°It was fine sir. ¡°Uhm¡­ you guys done always show up in ss¡± I said and he scoffed. ¡°Well, yeah. We¡¯re too busy dear. So when it¡¯s time for exams, we just pay off the lecturers¡± he replies and I nodded. Hmm. I guess Mr Leonard¡¯s the only one they can¡¯t bribe. ¡°You were the one who made Alex¡¯s coffee, right?¡± He asked and I almost spilled out drink from my mouth. ¡°What?¡± I tried to possume and he chuckled. ¡°Come on Jen. I¡¯m good at observing things. I noticed when you were trying to tell Evans not to tell him about it¡± he said and I itched my head, knowing I was busted. I had a feeling he knew, anyway. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want him to know about it?¡± He interrupted me and I sighed ¡°Well¡­ he¡¯s warned me never to touch what¡¯s his. And that night, I had only helped Evans out because he was busy. So, if sir Alex had gotten to know I made his coffee, he¡¯d have skinned me alive¡± I replied bashfully and heughed. ¡°So, you¡¯re scared of him?¡±he asked. ¡°Well, yes. He Uhm¡­ He asked me to quit the nanny job and leave but I refused. So, he¡¯s pretty mad at me and doesn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me¡± I replied and he rose his brows. ¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t me him.¡± He said. ¡± He wasn¡¯t like this before. Yes, he was proud from the onset; but he wasn¡¯t such an introvert. Everything that¡¯s happened changed him¡±. I cleared my throat a little and looked up at him. ¡°Uhm¡­ Sir, I¡¯ve also been wondering. Do you have any idea regarding what happened between Theo and Alex?¡± I asked and he paused and drank from his bottle before looking at me. My eyes were gushing with curiosity. ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°I do have a little idea¡­¡± 20 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: My heart beamed immediately. ¡°Y¡­ You do?¡± I asked and he nodded and drank from his bottle again. ¡°Yeah. And it all started four years ago. ¡°Normally, Alex was a normal flirty guy who always wanted to have fun. And Theo was just a gentle quiet guy and a best friend to Alex. ¡°Alex was a flirt, but Theo never really believed in love. He didn¡¯t even want to associate with anydy. He just concentrated on his music life and skills of art. He was a great artist. ¡°But one special day, he fell in love. Yes, he finally found ady that won his heart. But¡­ she was poor and ugly too¡±. ¡°Ugly?¡± I cut in. ¡°Yeah. Although, I only met her once. She was poor and ugly and probably, the only thing Theo liked about her was her voice. She had an enchanting voice that can grip a man¡¯s attention. So I guess that was what I might have attracted Theo to her. ¡°Now, that¡¯s the little I¡¯m sure of because the rear of the story is kind of blur and confusing. I really don¡¯t know what happened, but I¡¯m 100% certain that something dangerous had transpired between Theo, Alex and the girl. ¡°Despite the fact she was poor, Alex still liked her and epted her for his friend. But I don¡¯t know what happened. It seems something happened to the girl and¡­ Alex was kind of behind it. ¡°Due to the conversation I overhead him and Theo having, I have a feeling he was forced to do something and it broke Theo¡¯s heart. It hurt him so bad that he lost control of himself and almost ran mad. He became a monster.¡± ¡°A¡­ a monster?¡± I asked bewildered. ¡°Yes. That calm, gentle personality of Theo, turned into that of a cold hearted beast. ¡°Belive me, when I had looked into his eyes thest day before he left the band, I had seen anger in them ¨C a vengeful look. ¡°So he left and we¡¯ve never heard from him since then. But I and the rest of the loverboys are making investigations to know what happened between them.¡± He concluded and drank from his bottle. I remained stunned silent as the little story seemed to send shivers down my spine. It got me startled. What could¡¯ve happened between Theo and Alex that made him be cold hearted? And what about the girl he loved? I recalled the dream I had the previous night about them. Their words reyed in my head *You betrayed me, Alex! We were meant to be brothers* *I¡¯m sorry, Theo. But they wanted her. I had no other option* What could¡¯ve happened? Now I think my anxiety is just getting increased. ¡°But, sir¡± I called and Carl looked up at me. ¡°Do you think Theo might be responsible for the deaths of uhm¡­ Sir Alex¡¯s girlfriends?¡± I asked and he shrugged. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know. Perhaps. Like I said, Theo became a cold hearted guy and he¡¯s capable of doing anything. ¡°And Alex¡­ He falls in love tootoo quickly. He¡¯s easily attracted by ady¡¯s beauty and that¡¯s his weakness. That is why he didn¡¯t want any female worker in the mansion. Don¡¯t be surprised if I say he¡¯s already fallen in love with you¡±. I coughed immediately and spilled out drink from my mouth and heughed. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a drama queen, Jeanne¡± he said andughed again. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m serious. It¡¯s possible he¡¯s fallen in love with you already. He tried paying you off to leave the mansion, right? It¡¯s possible he¡¯s already having feelings for you but is scared to fall in love again.¡± I flinched and itched my nape. There¡¯s no way this guy¡¯s serious. He¡¯s just assuming. How can someone like Alex fall in love with me when he¡¯s still snowing me that kind of attitude? ¡°So, uhm¡­ any girl he falls in love with is likely to end up dead again?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah; maybe. Like I said, we¡¯re making investigations to know what happened¡± he replied and I nodded and bent my head. Now I understand why Alex is really scared ofdies. He¡¯s scared of falling in love again because he doesn¡¯t want her dead. But what could be the cause of their deaths? Could Theo really be behind it? And why? ¡°Uhm¡­ Sir, thanks a lot for the drink. But if you wouldn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to return to the kitchen. Evans had requested my help in there¡± I told him after a while. ¡°Sure, Jen. Thanks for keeping mepany by the way¡± he replied with a smile and I stood up, bowed and left. Wow! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m being close to a loverboy. I decided to go to Molly¡¯s room and check up on her first. But when I got to the passage, I noticed Alex¡¯s door was slightly open and I heard the sound of a dog barking. I drew near and peeped in and I found Alex sitting on the bed with Ambrose jumping all around him. Oh! He¡¯s back. He was so happy as he yed with the dog who barked and ran around lively. Wow! It seems the medicines did work. ¡°Come on, Ambrose; don¡¯t hurt yourself¡± Alex said as he carried him up in his arms and nuzzled him. He barked and licked Alex¡¯s nose and heughed. Oh, my God!Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Heughed! I saw Alexugh! Oh, Jesus! The grumpy loverboyughed today. My eyes dted as I watched keenly. Alex didugh today. And Oh, God! It was so cute! He even had dimples. Oh, heavens! Why does he have to keep hiding his smiles? It can move mountains. I watched tedly as he yed happily with the dog. I¡¯m d I was able to make him happy. ¡°Daniel finally got the doctor to treat you, huh?¡± He asked as heid upwards with the dog on his chest. ¡°You almost made me scared. Don¡¯t ever fall sick again, okay?¡± He paused and dipped his hand into his trouser pocket, bringing out a sparkling gold chain. ¡°Here; more gold for you¡± he said as he wore it around his neck. ¡°Do you like it?¡± He asked as heid back on the bed and the dog barked and climbed his face. ¡°Hey, Ambrose; he¡¯s teaching you this? Get off my face¡± he said and pulled him off his face and ended upughing again and I alsoughed ¨C silently. It was so beautiful watching him smile. I wish I could make this happiness permanent in his life. I starred for a little more while and finally walked into Molly¡¯s room. She was still sleeping. Then, I left and returned to the kitchen to help Evans out. 21 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: After a while, Mrs Tristan returned home. Gosh! This woman¡¯s so busy. No wonder she desperately needed a nanny for her daughter. I had assisted Evans in making all the foods he needed to prepare and he had began arranging them on the dining. I went to Molly¡¯s room to check up on her and noticed she was awake and was ying games with her ipad. I sat on the bed and waited for her to round up the game and when she was done, we left the room and went into the sitting room. OMG! The lovergirls were here! They¡¯d arrived. I didn¡¯t even notice. Oh, my God! They were looking so hot and ssic and beautiful. There were just five of them and Kim was looking outstanding. She was putting on a crazy jeans trouser and a blue turtle neck shirt. They were allughing with the Loverboys ¨C minus Alex- who were weing them into the house. ¡°Molly!¡± Kim called immediately she saw us. She came forward and pulled Molly in a hug. ¡°Good evening, aunt Kim¡± molly said in her sweet tiny voice. ¡°Good evening sweetheart. Long time no see. And how¡¯re you?¡± She asked genialy with a smile. Hm. She sounded so sweet. Too bad she has a two sided personality. ¡°I¡¯m fine, aunt Kim¡± Molly replied and she touched her cheeks. Then she looked up at me and our eyes interlocked at the moment. She rolled her eyes and stared away. ¡°Is dinner ready? I¡¯m starving¡± she turned back to the Loverboys and asked. Immediately, Mrs Tristan came in. ¡°Aunt!¡± She called excitedly and hurried to embrace her. ¡°Kim! oh my God! I had no idea you¡¯d being¡± Mrs Tristan said as she responded to the hug and Kim chuckled. ¡°How¡¯re you doing, Kim?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine, aunt¡±. ¡°Good evening, Mrs Tristan¡± the rest of the lovergirls greeted in unison. ¡°good evening lovelies. And how¡¯re you?¡± She asked warmly. ¡°We¡¯re fine Mrs Tristan¡±. ¡°Please, can we move over to the dining? I think there¡¯s been enough drama already¡± Carl said and theyughed and proceeded to the dining. Molly and I went along with them. Mrs Tristan sat on the head of the table. Carl, Malcolm and Daniel sat on the same row at the left hand side. While the lovergirls sat on the same row as well, facing the lover boys. Evans and two other boys came up and started serving the foods. ¡°Nanny,e and have a seat. I want you to feed me¡± Molly said just when I was about leaving. I turned in surprise and noticed a disgruntled look on Kim¡¯s face. ¡°Molly¡± she called andughed dryly. ¡°Come on molly. You don¡¯t need your nanny to feed you. You¡¯re not a baby anymore¡± ¡°But I want her to do it. I want her to have dinner with us¡± Molly insisted. ¡°But, Molly¡­¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Come on, Kim¡± Mrs Tristan cut in. ¡°It¡¯s okay for Jeanne to have dinner with us. She¡¯s my daughter¡¯s nanny and that makes her part of the family.¡± Kim huffed immediately and looked furious, but tried to cover it up with a smile. I gulped nervously and sat next to Molly. If thoughts could kill, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d have been dead by now because of how angry Kim was. But what¡¯s her problem, anyway? Evans and the two boys were done serving the foods and we started eating. I nced at the lovergirls and noticed how stylish they were eating. They were so beautiful and ssic. Can I really be one of them? ¡°Hold on; where¡¯s Alex?¡± Kim suddenly asked. ¡°Oh! He¡¯s in his room. He made it clear he wouldn¡¯t be joining us¡± Malcolm replied and she flinched. ¡°What? Hell no. I didn¡¯te all the way here to have dinner without him¡± she groused and stood on her feet. ¡°And where¡¯s that room of his again?¡± She asked as she took the right staircase. I watched in amusement. Was she really going to bring him out? ¡°How¡¯s your training, Jeanne?¡± Mrs Tristan asked after a short while. ¡°It¡¯s fine ma¡¯am. Thanks a lot¡± I said with a smile and noticed one of the lovergirls scoffed. ¡°By the way, Daniel¡± one of the lovergirls said. ¡°My sister sends her regards¡±. ¡°Well, you can tell her im sleeping¡± he replied and they chuckled. Not long after, Kim returned to the dining with a frown. ¡°Hey, Kim. Where¡¯s Alex?¡± Daniel asked as she took her seat but she didn¡¯t reply. It was obvious she didn¡¯t have a good time with him. Maybe he had risen his voice on her. We continued eating and after a short while, we heard someone climbing down the stairs. We turned and noticed it was Alex. Oh! He dide! ¡°Alez¡± ¡°Hi¡± ¡°Hey¡± The love girls all greeted and waved excitedly as he approached the dining with Ambrose in his hands. I looked at Kim and discovered she was now smiling. Alex didn¡¯t say a word as he walked into the dining and took a seat next to Daniel. ¡°Good evening mum¡± he said to Mrs Tristan. ¡°Good evening son¡± she replied with a smile. Ambrose was still on his legs. Then he looked up at the lovergirls. ¡°Wee¡± he said simply, but it was obvious it meant a lot to them as they all started blushing. Evans came up and served him his meal. Then he put some meat in a te and kept it on the floor for Ambrose. ¡°Wow! We didn¡¯t expect you¡¯ll being down Alex¡± Malcolm said but he didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing Kim was able to bring him out¡± one of the lovergirls said and Kim blushed in a smile. Seriously? ¡°Daniel¡± Alex suddenly called. ¡°Was it doctor Myers who attended to Ambrose?¡± The sauce I was taking in suddenly choked me and I started coughing. Every body turned and looked at me. ¡°Nanny, are you alright?¡± Molly asked and I nodded and took in some water. My head was sweating. Why¡¯s he asking about that now? ¡°Uh¡­ I didn¡¯t call anyone Alex¡¯ Daniel replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it escaped my mind. I got pretty hooked up¡±. Alex pulled a fuddled face immediately. ¡°You mean, you didn¡¯t call anyone?¡± He asked. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡±. Then, he turned to Carl and Malcolm. ¡°Did you do it?¡± He asked and Carl chuckled. ¡°Why would I do something I wasn¡¯t assigned to?¡± Carl replied and Malcolm also shook his head. Then, Alex scoffed. ¡°So¡­ who treated Ambrose, then?¡± He asked. ¡°I mean, if none of you called a doctor, then who the hell treated him?¡± Everybody kept silent, also puzzled over it. My heart was beating rapidly. Why¡¯s he concerned about it? I thought he wouldn¡¯t ask. Oh, God; help me. ¡°Who the hell treated my dog?¡± He asked in a demanding tone and dropped his cutleries. The whole ce was still silent. Hold on; is it that I¡¯m not seeing properly? Or, am I just assuming Alex is staring directly at me? 22 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°Come on Alex¡± Kim suddenly said. ¡°Are you seriously worried about a dog? Besides, it¡¯s possible no one treated him and he just got better on his own¡±. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Alex said. ¡°Ambrose was half dead when I left this morning and now you¡¯re trying to tell me he miraculously got healed? That¡¯s impossible¡±. ¡°Well, it definitely wasn¡¯t a ghost and if someone really did attend to him, then it¡¯s for your own benefit, right? So there¡¯s no need to be pineckity over it¡± Malcolm said. ¡°Yes, Alex. Don¡¯t ruin this special dinner with a dog¡¯s issue, please¡± Kim added and he sighed and looked down at his food. But it was obvious he wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°By the way, Kim, why are Hetty, Mia and Lea not with you guys?¡± Mrs Tristan asked and Kim rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, aunt, they didn¡¯t want to tag along. So I couldn¡¯t force them¡± she replied repugnantly. ¡°Oh! Are you guys having issues?¡± Mrs Tristan asked. ¡°No no no. Not at all. Well, unless they¡¯re the ones having issues¡± Kim replied. But with the look on her face, if was obvious she was lying. Then, they started talking about the band and other artistes. They even made mention of the loverboys performing in a senator¡¯s daughter¡¯s birthday party. ¡°By the way, Jeanne¡± Kim suddenly said after a while. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us a little about yourself? Like, your family and all that¡±. My eyes dimmed as it got me startled. Why¡¯s she asking me such a question? ¡°Jeanne?¡± She called again and I coughed a little. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± I started nervously. ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to say. Just that, my father loves me a lot. But he¡¯s presently out of the country.¡± ¡°Are you referring to Mr Raymond?¡± She asked and I flinched. How did she get to know his name? ¡°Y¡­ yes¡± I replied. ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t he your adopted father? Because I made some research and I discovered he had found you lying by the roadside and he took you in. But you and lost your memories and couldn¡¯t remember a thing from your past¡± she said. ¡°Oh , dear. You lost your memories?¡± Mrs Tristan asked and I nodded slowly. Why are they bringing this up now? I don¡¯t want to talk about it. ¡°So you have no idea who your real family are?¡± She asked but I just lowered my gaze to my food. ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned?¡± ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t her fault, Kim. She lost her memories¡± one of the lovergirls said. ¡°Yeah. But if I were her, I¡¯d definitely be worried. And I heard Mr Raymond had put you up on TV. Howe nobody came for you?¡± I took in a deep breath and didn¡¯t say anything. I don¡¯t think I can stay here any longer. ¡°Are you sure you even have a family?¡± ¡°Kim,e on; let¡¯s not talk about that now¡± Mrs Tristan cut in. ¡°I¡¯m just being curious aunt. I mean, you need to be sure you¡¯re not leaving with a ghost in the house. Or, could it be her family doesn¡¯t care about her? And they¡¯re probably the ones behind her loss of memory? Then they dumped her like trash after that? Or, does she even have a family at all?¡± ¡°Did you really call for this dinner to talk about Jeanne?¡± Alex suddenly asked and everywhere went cold silent for a second. ¡°Of course, not Alex. But I¡¯m just¡­¡± ¡°Then, quit talking about it¡± he cut her off and she made a fumed expression and red at me. I felt hot tears forming in my eyes and it was taking me a lot to prevent it from dropping. But I really need to get out of here. I can¡¯t hold it anymore. ¡°Nanny, I need to use the toilet¡± Molly suddenly said and that was a big relief to me. I couldn¡¯t even talk. I just nodded and we stood up together. ¡°Uhm¡­ Jeanne¡± Kim called calmly. ¡°Could you add some more sauce to my beans, please?¡± She said with a feigned smile and I slowly took the sauce from the table and went to her. I added it to her te. But when I was about leaving, I tripped on something and fell on my knees on the floor. I heard her giggle and looked up at her and discovered she had actually set her leg on the way so I could trip. Why¡¯s thisdy doing all these to me? ¡°Nanny?¡± Molly called and held me and I quickly got back on my feet. The pains were increasing. Immediately, Ambrose barked and came to where I was and my heart skipped. He stepped on my toes and licked my feet and I heard Molly gasp. ¡°Nanny! It seems Ambrose likes you now¡± she said in astonishment as he sat on my toes. Oh, God! Why¡¯s this dog trying to create a double mess for me? I looked at Alex and noticed he was staring keenly at me. Well, of course, such act is enough to get him suspicious. I sniffed and took Molly¡¯s hand and we started walking away. Ambrose barked and tried going with me, but stopped at the stairs. I entered into the room with Molly and immediately she went into the toilet, I sat on the bed and busted into tears. My heart ached a lot. Everything Kim had said kept piercing in and made me feel so much pains. Is it possible I don¡¯t have a family? Or does my family care less about me and abandoned me? Could it be the reason they didn¡¯te for me even when Mr Raymond had put me up on TV? Am I not important to them? I bent my head and wept bitterly. I felt so dejected. Why does my life have to be different? Why can¡¯t I have a normal life like everyone else who can boast of a family? Why does my life have to end up this way? I cried ruefully for a while and when I noticed Molly wasing out of the room, I quickly wiped my face si she wouldn¡¯t notice I was crying. ¡°Nanny, are you alright?¡± She asked as she sat on the bed and I faked a smile and nodded. ¡°Mmm. Did you wash your hands?¡± I asked in a cracking voice. ¡°Yes nanny¡± she replied and took the TV remote, turning on the TV. ¡°Uhm¡­ aren¡¯t you going back to the dining? ¡± I asked. ¡°No. It¡¯s too boring over there. Besides, I¡¯m filled up¡± she replied as she selected a cartoon channel and rxed to watch. I sighed and leaned on the wall and closed my eyes. So many thoughts kept niggling at me and I didn¡¯t even notice a tear was strolling down my cheek. I sniffed and went into deep thoughts and for a moment, it seems I slept off. ¡î¡î¡î I opened my eyes and found Molly already asleep with the cartoon still disying on the TV. I took the remote and turned off the cartoon and then, I tucked her into bed and left the room. My head was feeling so hot. I got to the sitting room and standing on the staircase, I saw the loverboys and lovergirls having fun over there; although Alex wasn¡¯t with them.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! A music was ying from the speakers and two of the lovergirls stood in the middle of the room and danced so perfectly. I watched their dance steps and found it incredible. Then, Kimberly came up and the two lovergirls stepped back. She was now the only one standing. She started dancing to the song and the lovergirls began pping and cheering immediately. It was just as if i was watching one of her dance videos online. She danced and twisted her body like the diva she was and it got me amused. She was such an extra ordinary dancer. No wonder I had fallen for her. She danced alone for a while and after some time, three lovergirls joined her and the dance became so uniform and unique. ¡°Yeaaah!¡± They cheered in the room andughed. Thest girl joined in the dance and after a while, the loverboys also joined and it became like a club. The loverboys held the girls by their waists and before I knew what was happening, Daniel started kissing the girl he was holding and the rest of themughed. I sighed despondently and walked away, going into my own room. Iid upwards on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling. So many sad thoughts kept shing through my mind. I just want to live a happy life ¨C be a famous singer and make name. But everything seems to be falling apart. I have no idea where Ie from. And my role model doesn¡¯t like me. Suddenly, I recalled something miss Beatrice had said during training: *You don¡¯t necessarily need to have a role model to be one* *Turn your weaknesses into your strengths* I turned on the bed as her words reyed in my head: *The art of music is done with passion* *Singinges from the heart. And so does dancing* *you don¡¯t have to imitate someone¡¯s dance steps to be perfect. Create yours* Then, just as if someone tapped me on the bed, I stood up and grabbed my headphones and left the room. I went outside to an open space and since the whole ce was dark and quiet, I decided to make use of it. I connected by headphones and yed one of my favorites ¨C dancing in the rain. I sure didn¡¯t know how to dance, but I¡¯m ready to learn. *Dance is a free movement of the body. Do it for fun and you¡¯ll be surprised* Miss Beatrice had said. I started dancing the way I could and felt a heavy burden going off my shoulders. From now on, I promise to work hard and achieve my dreams. Kimberly Percival, it was a terrible mistake taking someone like you for a role model because I wish to be nothing like you. From now on, I am my own role model. It¡¯s true I don¡¯t have a family for now; but someday, I promise to be at the top where I can never be made aughing stock again. And I also know that someday, I¡¯ll get to find my family, even if they care about me or not. From now on, I don¡¯t wish to be someone like you, but someone greater than you. I danced for a long time and when I finally stopped, I felt so happy. Indeed, a heavy burden had been lifted off my shoulders. I sank my fingers into my hair, breathing heavily. I know I can do this. Yes! I¡¯ll do this. I¡¯ll get to the peak someday. I turned around and noticed a masculine figure standing at the balcony. I flinched and strained my eyes through the darkness to see whom it was and¡­ what? It was Alex! Huh? He was facing my direction and held a ss of wine in his hand. Wait; has he been watching me the whole time? Oh, God! I stood dumbfounded as we kept staring at each other for a long time. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s been watching me all along. Then, after a while, he turned around and walked into the house. Kimberly¡¯s Pov: I stood at the high balcony and watched in bewilderment as Alex stood by, watching Jeanne dance. I can¡¯t believe he watched her the whole time and it was possible he admired her. And that Jeanne¡­ her dance steps seemed to have improved. I mean, thest time I checked, she wasn¡¯t such a dancer ¨C not at all. But now, I¡¯m seeing something different. Even when she had tuned around and seen Alex, they kept staring at each other for a long time. What is going on? No. I can¡¯t let this happen. This is why I never liked thatdy in the first ce. I can¡¯t let her reap where she did not sow. I need to think of a way to get rid of her. 23 Kimberly¡¯s Pov: I sat quietly on the bed as I awaited the girls to dress up so we could leave the mansion. ¡°I wish we could have a sleep over every weekend, girls. Oh, my gee! Malcolm was so sweet¡± Alina said dreamily. She had slept with him in his room. Joyce had slept with Carl while Eva slept with Daniel. ¡°Carl¡¯s such a flirt. I can¡¯t believe he almost broke my pu*sy¡± Joyce said with a little chuckle. ¡°So you prefer him to Tony, huh?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Of course. If Tony had any of Carl¡¯s abilities, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem between us¡± she replied and bit her lips. ¡°Seriously, girls. I wish Daniel was my boyfriend¡± Eva said. ¡°It was so long and sweet. I wishst night could be repeated¡±. They went on talking but it didn¡¯t really interest me as I had something else in mind. ¡°Are you alright, Kim?¡± Eva asked after a while. ¡°Oh-oh. Maybe she¡¯s feeling bad because she didn¡¯t have anyone to warm her up during the night¡± Joyce said and they giggled. ¡°Too bad Alex is an introvert. And Theo your second crush isn¡¯t around¡± Caroline said and I shut her a re. ¡°But hold on, Kim, between Theo and Alex, who do you love more?¡± Eva asked and I rolled my eyes. ¡°You guys are just wasting my time. We need to leave¡± I said churlishly and left the room, knowing they¡¯d follow behind immediately. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: We all had breakfast with the lovergirls. But they didn¡¯t even stay long in the dining as they all left, saying they had an appointment. Kimberly had shut me an angry stare before leaving, but I tried not to pay attention to her. ¡°By the way, mum¡± Molly said after a while. ¡°The function in my school ising up today. Hope you¡¯ll be ready? It¡¯s starting by 3pm¡± she said and Mrs Tristan gasped and hit the table. ¡°Oh, my God, Molly! I¡­ I don¡¯t think I can make it. I¡¯ll be leaving the country in two hours¡± she said with a perturbed look. ¡°What re you talking about mum?¡± Molly shrieked. ¡°I told you about this like decades ago and it simply can¡¯t be missed out¡± ¡°I know sweetheart, but¡­¡± ¡°No buts mum. I told you I¡¯ll be presenting a speech and also told you of the game we¡¯ll be ying with our mums. Now, if you don¡¯te with me, who¡¯s gonna act as my mum in the game? You really wanna make me aughing stock?¡± ¡°Molly, I¡­ Fine! Jeanne can go with you¡± Huh? ¡°Nanny?¡± Molly asked and touched her head. ¡°Fine! She cane with me, but I still need someone else toe along. I already told my friends you¡¯d being with Alex.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Well, I wanna make a difference. I want a celebrity to go with me and it¡¯s impossible for it not to happen because the entire school¡¯s gonnaugh at me and Sophie¡¯s gonna gain more grounds than me¡±. Who¡¯s Sophie? Mrs Tristan sighed and covered her eyes. I looked at Alex and he didn¡¯t even make any reaction. ¡°Alex, could you go with her, Please?¡± Mrs Tristan asked and that was the moment he reacted. He scoffed and dropped his cutleries. ¡°You mean with Jeanne?¡± He asked in a scoff. ¡°Yes. Jeanne and Molly¡± Mrs Tristan replied in an appealing tone. ¡°You¡¯re joking, mum. You know that¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m not going¡± he said repugnantly. ¡°Why Alex?¡± Molly asked ruefully. ¡°Nanny¡¯s going there to represent mum in the game. And you¡­ you¡¯reing as my brother. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a date or something¡± She was clearly getting upset. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Molly, but I can¡¯t go. Daniel or Carl or Malcolm can go with you¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey, Alex. How can you involve me? You know I¡¯m hooked up¡± Daniel said. ¡°Same here, buddy. You¡¯re aware of the appointment I¡¯m having, right?¡± Carl said and Malcolm also shrugged. ¡°Well, I seriously can¡¯t be the scapegoat. I¡¯m busy as well and won¡¯t be able to make it¡± Alex said devastated. Then, surprisingly, Molly stood on her feet. ¡°Scapegoat?¡± She asked in a huff. ¡°Did you seriously refer to your presence in my school function as being a scapegoat? I guess I have a brother who¡¯s one of a kind.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You guys don¡¯t even care about me. You only focus on your life and what concerns you and don¡¯t care if I¡¯ve needed your attention or not. ¡°All my friends will be there with their families and I can¡¯t believe I have to plead and plead for my mum or brother to go with me.¡± And with that, she ran away in tears. ¡°Baby?¡± I called and stood up. ¡°Molly!¡¯ Mrs Tristan also called but she didn¡¯t turn to look at any of us. Oh-oh. Dear Molly. She¡¯s really hurt. ¡î¡î¡î ¡°Baby,e on; giving me the cold treatment won¡¯t do any good. You need to cheer up¡± I said to Molly whoid quietly on the bed, backing me. She¡¯s been moody since in the morning and wouldn¡¯t talk to anyone. Even Mrs Tristan had tried petting her before taking her flight, but it all went down the drain as she just ignored her. She was so upset. ¡°Baby¡­¡± ¡°I want to be alone, nanny¡± she said icily and I sighed. I really feel bad for her. She has such a popr and wealthy family, but can¡¯t even get 3 hours of their time. They can¡¯t even attend an ordinary function in her school . And Alex¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure the reason he doesn¡¯t want to go is because I¡¯ll be going along. He doesn¡¯t want to be close to me. Too bad it¡¯s affecting Molly because now, she¡¯s made up her mind not to go anymore. ¡°But, baby¡± I said calmly. ¡°I think you should try and understated your family. It isn¡¯t like they don¡¯t love you. Of course, they do. And that¡¯s why they¡¯re working pretty hard to make sure you have the best life. If they can¡¯t make it to today¡¯s function, it doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t make it to the next. Just be patient with rhem¡±. Everything is said probably fell on deaf ears as she didn¡¯t even turn to look at me. Gosh! This kid¡¯s really like her brother ¨C so arrogant. ¡°Uhm¡­ how about¡­ We y a game?¡± I asked excitedly. ¡°I know of pretty nice games that will interest you¡±. I looked at her, hoping she¡¯d respond, but she didn¡¯t. She just remained quiet. Immediately, the door opened and I turned to see whom it was. Oh, my! It was Alex! I quickly sprang on my feet as his entrance was unexpected. ¡°Uh¡­ S¡­ Sir¡± I stuttered and looked at him. Wow! He was looking heavenly gorgeous. He was putting on a white trouser and a white shirt with a jacket. It seems white was his favourite color. He had so many sparkling jewelries on ¨C a gold ear ring on both ears, a long and short gold chain ne, about five wrist bands on both hands and a diamond ring on his engagement finger. Then, his dark curly hair flopped over his left eye. His lips were so pink and soft looking and I felt like biting them. Oh, God! Are you sure this guy¡¯s from this? I looked at Molly, but she didn¡¯t even turn to look at him as she just remained still on the bed. ¡°Uh¡­ b¡­ baby, your brother¡¯s here¡± I said lowly to her, but she didn¡¯t even move. Alex was still standing at the door, behind her. ¡°Do you n on goingte to the functio?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I¡¯m not going¡± she replied, still not turning to look at him. ¡°Really? So, I shouldn¡¯t bothering along?¡± He asked and she scoffed. ¡°What are you talking about? You said you were not going¡± she replied angrily. ¡°Well, what does it look like to you? I¡¯m dressed up already¡± he said and immediately, Molly jumped on the bed and quickly turned to look at him. Her eyes and mouth opened in shock. ¡°You¡­ you mean you¡¯reing along?¡± She asked in excitement and Alex sighed and touched his forehead. ¡°You have thirty minutes to dress up¡± he said and left the room and Molly screamed and jumped on me immediately. ¡°Oh, my God, nanny! Alex¡¯sing with us! He¡¯s gonna show up in my school. My friends are going to see him. Can you believe it? ¡°Oh, my! What am I going to wear? I¡¯ve been finding it difficult making a choice, nanny. Pleasee with me. Do you think I should go on suit? Or a ball gown? Or a meeting dress?¡± She kept talking nonstop as she held my hand and dragged me into the dressing room. I couldn¡¯t stopughing. But,e to think of it; Alex¡¯s reallying with us. That means, we¡¯re going to be close. Oh, my gee! Is this really happening? 24 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Molly and I dressed up and got ready for the function. I took a lot of extra clothes, shoes, water, snacks and other important things for Molly; in case she¡¯d want to make use of any of them. Alex had made use of a different car while molly and I made use of the same car. I guess he didn¡¯t want to stay close to me by staying in the same car. Well, let¡¯s see how he¡¯s going to act at the function. Molly was such a talkative and she went ahead talking nonstop about the function. She gave me a hint on the game we were expected to y. It was a needle and thread game. The children were to stand a far off with their parents facing them at a distance. The children would be the ones with the needle, while their parents, the thread. Then when the whistle goes off, it bes like a race. The children would run to their parents and both of them would try fixing the thread into the needle. And the fastest child to fix hers and run back to the stating point, bes the winner. Hmm. This sounds really tasky. And Molly¡¯s putting all her hopes on me. I hope I can do this. She also gave me some highlights on the speech she was going to present, but didn¡¯t read it out to me. After a while, we finally got to her school and¡­ oops! The whole ce was filled with lots of people. Molly and I came out of the car and went to Alex who also came out of his. But I stood behind Molly so there could be some gap between Alex and I. I wouldn¡¯t want to do anything that¡¯d upset him. All eyes darted to our direction as we walked in with Alex¡¯s guards behind us. Oh, my God! It¡¯s loverboy Alex! What? They were all screaming and gasping and the press men around turned their cameras to us. I suddenly felt so proud. So this is what it feels like being around a celebrity? Molly made Alex hold her hand and she could¡¯ve stop smiling as the other kids kept staring at her like she was a goddess. I guess she¡¯s really proud having someone like him for a brother. Alex didn¡¯t even react to the people dying for him. He just kept a straight face as he walked along. The school building was very big and wide and lots of canopies were nted everywhere. ¡°Hi Molly¡± the kids around waved at her and she smiled and waved back at them. I could overhear people talking about us: Oh, my! Alex¡¯s so cute. Look at his all-white appearance¡­ I wish I was in Molly¡¯s shoes. It¡¯d have been nice having a brother like him¡­ Who¡¯s thatdy with him? Could she be Alex¡¯s girlfriend? She¡¯s so pretty¡­ I felt my head bing two at once. Are thesedies kidding me? Alex¡¯s girlfriend? If only they knew I¡¯m not even allowed to touch his cup. And I wonder if Alex can hear them as well. Shortly, two women came up to us, smiling. ¡°Good day, sir Alex. And wee to our annual function. I¡¯m Nina Myers¡± one of the women said and brought out her hand for a handshake. But Alex just sighed and touched his forehead. ¡°Can you get us a ce to sit?¡± He asked, ignoring the handshake. Ouch! That was so embarrassing. ¡°Uh¡­ of¡­ of course, sir. Please,e with me¡± the woman said and it was obvious she felt embarrassed. We followed her to a canopy and there we were given special seats to make use of. Molly was sitting between Alex and I and I think it was better that way else, I might just get nervous and hug him. ¡°Do you need some water?¡± I asked Molly and she shook her head. Not long after, four girls, all brightly garbed, came to us. ¡°Hi Molly¡± they greeted happily and she smiled at them. ¡°What re you doing here, Sophie?¡± She asked one of them with a frown. ¡°Have you forgotten you called me a snub?¡± ¡°Molly, I¡¯m so sorry. I was just in a bad mood. Please, forgive me¡± the Sophie said and Molly rolled her eyes. Hm. It seems this girl¡¯s going to be grumpier than her brother. It runs in their blood. ¡°Fine. How¡¯re you girls anyway?¡± She said with a beaming smile. ¡°We¡¯re fine, Molly. ¡°Good day, sir Alex. ¡°Good day, miss¡± They greeted Molly and I and just then, a young prettydy came up to us, dressed in suit. ¡°Good day, sir Alex¡± she said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure having you in our function today. I¡¯m Susan Tyler and I¡¯m Molly¡¯s form mistress¡± ¡°Okay¡± Alex said simply and touched his hair, then took his eyes back to his phone. I looked at thedy and noticed she was embarrassed since Alex didn¡¯t pay attentionattention to her. ¡°Uhm¡­ Molly,e on; let¡¯s get ready for your presentations¡± she said to Molly and Molly got on her feet. ¡°Bye, nanny¡±nanny¡±she told me and I waved at her and she left with the woman and the other girls. I took in a deep breath. Now, it was just an empty seat separating Alex and I. The people around kept stealing nces at us and couldn¡¯t stop talking. I suddenly felt like a celebrity. Feeling bored, I brought out my phone and started ying games with it. But after some time, the main event started. First, there was an opening speech. Then the entertainments began and they were so interesting. But Alex didn¡¯t pay attention to them as he just kept himself busy with his phone. After a while, it was time for the game and the pupils participating all lined out. There were ten of them and Molly was among. Then, the participating parents were asked toe out and since I was representing Mrs Tristan, I went out as well. The pupils stood on a straight line with needles, while we the parents stood at a far end facing them, with threads. The rules of the game was read out to us and I was so nervous. Molly waved at me and gave me a thumbs up and I waved back at her. Oh, God! I hope I get to win this game and make her happy. The whistle went off and the pupils ran to us with their needles. Molly ran to me and I tried fixing the thread into the needle in the fastest way I could. ¡°Hurry up, nanny¡± she said impatiently as she looked at the otherpetitors. Trying to be careful and fast at the same time, I slipped the thread into the needle and gave it back to her and she started running to the line. Oh, no! Someone else was ahead of her. Oh, my! Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s gonna lose. I ced my hand on my chest and watched curiously. The other kids started running behind as well, but Molly was still ahead of them and the only person in her way was the girl in front of her. People were pping and cheering. Close to the line, the girl fell on the floor and everyone gasped. Oh, my! That makes Molly the one ahead. ¡°Go, baby! Go!¡± I said to myself and she finally got to the line. Yes! She did it! Oh, my baby won! Yes! The teachers at the line embraced her and everyone began pping and cheering. I also went to her and carried her up and she pecked my cheek. ¡°We did it nanny¡± she said happily and Iughed and dropped her back on the floor. Then, the medal was given to her as the first runner up and we took a picture together. ¡°Congrattions, baby¡± I told her and she smiled. Then, I returned to my seat, close to Alex. I rubbed my palms together and sighed. Gosh! I had been so nervous. Other entertainments came in and they were so beautiful ¨C especially the ballet dancers. I had really enjoyed it. Other performances like dance, drama, arterypetition, and the rest also took ce. Then it was time for Molly¡¯s speeches nd she came out, putting on a ck pretty gown. She looked so beautiful. She began speaking on ¡°attitude¡±. She was so smart and brilliant and I admired her. even Alex was staring at her and I think he was the one who had asked one of his guards to video her with his phone. The press men were all over her and when she was done, the whole crowd stood up and apuded her. I also stood up and pped. But Alex didn¡¯t. All he just did was smile. Hmm. That heavenly smile. She left the stage after that and other programmes came up. Gosh! I¡¯m really having a nice time over here. After a while, Molly came to us with some of her friends. ¡°How was my performance, Alex?¡¯ She asked and Alex touched her hair. ¡°You were great¡± he told her and she smiled and came to me. ¡°Nanny?¡± She called, also waiting for mypliment. ¡°It was incredible, baby. You were great¡± I told her and she chuckled and hugged me. She was so happy. ¡°You¡¯re done with your presentations, right? Can we start going?¡± Alex asked and she sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll be right back¡± she said and tuned to leave. ¡°And where are you going?¡± He asked. ¡°Uhm¡­ I just wanna take some pictures with my friends. But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll only take a second¡± she replied quickly and ran off with the girls she came with. I looked at her as she went and smiled. She was so adorable.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. A call came into my phone and I checked to see it was dad. Oh! ¡°Dad?¡± I called on the phone, but the whole ce was too noisy and I couldn¡¯t hear him clearly. ¡°Jeanne. How¡¯re you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine dad¡±. ¡®Where are you? Why¡¯s it so noisy over there?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯m at Molly¡¯s school. Can I call you back, dad?¡± ¡°Okay sure. Do take care of yourself¡±. And the call ended. Immediately, gunshots filled the air and the entire ce became double noisy. What? What the hell is going on? The whole ce became on fire as people started running hectar sectar. Conniption gripped me immediately and I looked at Alex as we both sprang on our feet. ¡°Sir, we need to head to the car now. It seems a riot is taking ce¡± one of the guards said and still confused, we all started running to the car. Screams of people filled the air as the gunshots continued. Oh, God! Why¡¯s this happening now? What if someone gets hurt? Hold on; where¡¯s Molly? We got to the car and stopped as the same thought suddenly shed into our minds. Where¡¯s Molly? . Oh, my! What if she get hurt? ¡°My sister¡± Alex said to the guards. ¡°We need to find her¡±. ¡°Just wait in the car, sir. We¡¯ll search for her¡± the guards said and left immediately. I was expecting Alex to go into the car, but he didn¡¯t and still looked restless. Well, I was also scared and concerned. Where could Molly be? People were already running away and the whole ce had be super crowded. Surprisingly, Alex started running away, going in search of Molly. What? ¡°Sir¡­¡± I tried calling, but stopped myself since he¡¯s warned me not to talk to him. But how can he go out alone in this dangerous ce? What if he gets hurt? My whole body was shaking. I was so scared. Why do I have a bad feeling about all these? And why does this fight to have ensue now? I was about going into the car to seek refuge when Molly suddenly showed up. ¡°Nanny!¡± she called in a frightened voice as she ran to me. I gasped and held her. ¡°Baby! Oh, my God. Thank God you¡¯re okay. Where have you been? Y¡­ Your brother¡¯s gone to look for you¡± I said she looked at the direction Alex had taken. I could still spot him among the crowd. ¡°Uhm¡­ baby, get in here and don¡¯te out. I¡¯ll be right back¡± I told her and helped her into the car. ¡°Just lie low, okay? I¡¯ll be back in a second¡± I told her and she nodded. Then, I left, running after Alex. I needed to tell him Molly was back so he could stop looking for her before something dangerous happens to him. I ran as fast as I could, jostling my way through the crowd. Bullets were flying in the air and the screams persisted. Finally, I got to Alex. ¡°Sir!¡± I called, but he couldn¡¯t hear me and I drew closer and tapped him on the back. Oh, God! I touched him! He turned and looked at me, shooting me a surprised stare. ¡°Sir, Uhm¡­ Molly¡¯s back. She waiting In the car¡± I said, almost shouting so he could hear me. Immediately, someone threw a bottle to my direction and I tried missing it, but ended up falling in a hole. Ouchhh! Oh my God! My leg! It hurts so bad. I had fallen on my knees and a piece of broken ss was stuck into it. Blood was gushing out and it almost made me scream. ¡°Aarggh!¡± I shirked in pains and looked up at Alex. He was panting and also looked worried. The people fighting were now making use of dangerous weapons. I was stuck in the hole and couldn¡¯t move. My leg was hurting like hell. How do I get out of here? ¡°Sir, Please help me¡± I said ruefully to Alex and he huffed and sank his fingers into his hair. Oh, God! Will he ever agree to help? He¡¯s avoided touching me. How can I be sure he¡¯d want to help this time around? The pains were bing much and my fear was increasing. ¡°Sir Alex, help me, please¡± I cried. 25 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: He touched his forehead and finally bent over the hole. I stretched out my hand and he held it and started bringing me out. I groaned because of the pains and when I got to the surface, he supported me by the waist and finally brought me out. Oh, Jesus! Atst. I breathed heavily and looked at my knee. The ss was still stuck in it and blood was oozing from it. We were about running away when we noticed the direction we were supposed to take had be dangerous and people were running away from it. I even saw a man who¡¯s hand had been shut. There was no way we could go further. I looked at Alex and anxiety was clearly written on his face. Then he looked at me and stated running the opposite direction and I followed. We ran to an unknown ce and surprisingly, we found a tiny creaky door and Alex opened it and we went in and he closed the door. The room was very small and there was no window in it except for the square like opening which was covered with ss. Hopefully, it¡¯d be difficult for anyone to spot us in here. The room was kind of dirty and untidy with scattered books and cartoons all over. It looked like a storage room. Alex remained standing and just looked at the window. He was clearly devastated. Oh, God! I hope Molly will be fine. Probably, the guards will return to the car and take her away. I hope the riot ends soon so we can all go home. But right now, I have something more serious to be worried about. My leg! It was losing a lot of blood and the pains were driving me crazy. I looked at Alex who was backing me and didn¡¯t even seem to care. Yet, he¡¯s the reason I ended up in this state. I shouldve stayed in the car with Molly. I watched him deep his hands into his pocket, looking for something. ¡°Damn it!¡± He groaned, not being able to find it. Oh! It was his phone. It seems he misced it. Oh-oh And I left mine in the car. He ruffled his hair and looked at me, then breathed out and looked back at the window. I¡¯m sure he wanted to talk to me, but his pride wouldn¡¯t let him. He ced one of his hands at akimbo and looked at me again. ¡°Do you have your phone with you?¡± He asked, sounding like it took him heaven and earth to say it. ¡°N¡­ No sir¡± I replied and stared at the floor. He groused and hit the wall. Gosh! I have a feeling we¡¯re really stuck in here. and its getting dark already. how do I treat my leg? He turned and looked at me, probably attracted by the unpleasant sounds I was making as a result of my leg. It was hurting so bad and I didn¡¯t have the nerves to pull out the ss. Alex sighed and faced the window again. I guess he must be suffocating right now. I kept whimpering in pains. Then, surprisingly, like, really surprisingly, he started walking to my direction. Hold on; is he reallying to me or what? Oh, my God! He came to where I was and squatted in front of me. Whaaat? What is he doing? I batted my eyeshes as I stared in amusement. He touched my leg and I swear to God, I felt my whole systems vibrating. Wait; is he going to pull out the ss? No, no, no, no. Don¡¯t tell me. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for it. Oh, God! He didn¡¯t even look into my face. He just focused on the leg.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Oh, my gee! I can¡¯t believe Alex is really touching my leg. Is this a dream or what? His skin was so soft but the pains I was going through wouldn¡¯t let me enjoy its touch. He held the leg with one hand and used the other to hold the ss. Oh, God! This is really going to be so painful. He turned the ss a little and the pains niggled at me. ¡°Sir!¡± I called fearfully and gripped his hand. He looked at the hands joined together and looked back at the leg. ¡°Stay still¡± he said icily and I gulped nervously and let go of his hand. His voice was so cold, yet sweet. He held the ss again and shut my eyes as he started pulling it out. I felt my leg going on fire as the ss pulled our of my skin. ¡°Aargh!¡± I screamed as it finally came out. Oh, heavens! I hopebour pains won¡¯t be as painful as this. I looked at the ss which was covered with my blood. I looked at my knee and the cut was pretty deep and still hurt so bad. Gosh! Alex threw the ss away and stood up and I thought he was going back to the window. But he went to a ce where a little piece of cottonid. He took it up and returned to where I was and tied it round my leg. Wow! I can¡¯t believe Alex is really taking care of me. He¡¯s so sweet- even if he puts on a grumpy look while doing it. Then he stood up and returned to facing the window. ¡°T¡­ Thank you sir¡± I said nervously, but he didn¡¯t even turn to look at me or say anything. But it¡¯s still a miracle he touched me. Isn¡¯t this the same guy who told me he dislikes me and didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me? I can¡¯t believe he actually paid attention to me. Oh, Alex. I wish I can take away your sadness and fears. Although the ss was out, the leg still hurt a lot because no treatment had been applied to it yet. But the cotton Alex had tied around it was able to stop the excess bleeding. But I still needed some serious treatment because I felt my leg being cut into two. The riot still seemed to be on and I badly wished it¡¯de to an end. After standing for a long while, he finally found a ce to sit ¨C on the floor! Oh, my God! The loverboy sat on the floor ¨C the dirty dusty floor! Are you kidding me? The bench I was sitting on was the only seat in the room. But his pride wouldn¡¯t let him seat next to me. Oh, Alex! He closed his eyes and rested his head on the wall and I had an opportunity to stare into his pretty face all day. Gosh! I really love this guy. Ouch! My leg! This leg¡¯s really ruining a lot of things. Suddenly, it started raining and my anxiety increased. Why does it have to rain now? How do we leave this ce? I looked at Alex and he didn¡¯t seem to be bothered as he didn¡¯t even open his eyes. Could he be sleeping or what? I looked into his face as heid quietly. He was so handsome. I wonder why his love life has to be this pathetic. What could be responsible for the deaths of his girlfriends? Could it be Theo? But why? And where¡¯s Theo? After a long time, he opened his eyes and stood up and. He stared through the window and went to open the door. He looked really tired. He opened the door and looked outside and with how rxed he looked, it seemed the riot had stopped. But it was still raining. Then, he turned to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± he said perfunctorily and faced the door. What? In the rain? Oh, God! I struggled to stand on my feet as my legs still hurt a lot. Oh, God! Are you sure I can walk in this state? I walked slowly to the door, dragging my feet along and Alex and I got outside. Thank goodness! It seems the riot has stopped as the whole ce had be calm and quiet. But it was dark already. How do we get home? And for someone like Alex being a celebrity, it isn¡¯t safe for him to be exposed in the open. But it seems he really wanted to get out of here. He was probably worried about Molly. We got outside and started walking in the rain, but I couldn¡¯t walk fast ¨C not at all. My legs were still hurting and I had to walk with great difficulty. I think a snail would be faster than me at this moment. We were getting wet by the rain and Alex was already ahead and I was obviously the one slowing him down. He¡¯d walk and stop to look at me and seeing I was still struggling behind, he¡¯d grumble and await me to get closer a bit. Well, I wouldn¡¯t me myself. I was passing through unbearable pains here and being under the rain was already making me shiver. I felt like falling on the floor and passing out. The whole ce was tranquil and really dirty as lots of things littered all over ¨C broken sses, bags, chairs and all that. It was a result of the riot and its a good thing it was all over. I just hope it didn¡¯t take any ones life. Soon, I stopped walking as I couldn¡¯t move the leg anymore. Hot tears formed up in my eyes. Alex stopped and looked at me and a frown crept into his face. I tired moving again but couldn¡¯t and feared I might fall at any moment. He brushed his fingers into his hair and huffed. ¡°This is so annoying¡± he muttered, but I was still able to hear him. Then he came up and stood in front of me. Okay, is he going to hit me or what? He ced his both hands at akimbo and bent his head, as if contemting on something. Then, what-the-fu*ck! He carried me up in his arms! Whaaaaat? Holy Mary! What the hell? Have I passed out already and probably dreaming? Holy Christ! Alex is carrying me in his arms! Loverboy Alex! The grumpy introvert leader of the Loverboys! . Whaaaaat? I left my mouth open in shock as my eyes also dted. I stared into his face with disbelieve, but he didn¡¯t even look at me. He just started walking and tried avoiding my gaze. I was shocked beyond doubt. His hands were touching the back of my thighs as he carried me in a bridal style. My hands were wrapped around his neck for bnce and it was so unbelievable. How did this even happen? I kept staring into his face as he carried me in the rain and walked quickly. At that moment, I felt my breath bing still as I stared into his sparkling eyes which were trying not to look at me. I saw something different in those eyes, but couldn¡¯t really figure it out. His touch around me sent shivers down my spine. We got to the facade of the building and there we met a few people, hanging around, talking about the incidence that had taken ce. Alex took me to a shade and kept me down on a ce to sit. He finally looked into my eyes as helped me sit, but I was out of words and didn¡¯t even know what to say at that moment. The whole thing wasing as a shock to me. We were both drenched in the rain and summed up with everything that¡¯s happened, I started shivering. Alex left and walked over to two women who were not far from us. The women eximed immediately they saw him. ¡°Oh, my God! It¡¯s loverboy!¡± ¡°hah! Alex!¡±. They all started dreaming and I just managed to watch blearily. ¡°Can I lend your phone, miss?¡± He asked one of them. He didn¡¯t even say ¡®please¡¯. But she smiled happily and gave the phone to him. Well, I¡¯m sure having the leader of the loverboys touch what¡¯s hers was something she could die for. And that same loverboy just carried me in his arms! He made a call and with what he said, I think he was talking to one of his drivers. Thank goodness! I really can¡¯t wait to get out of here. When he was done with the call, he returned the phone to the woman. ¡°Uhm¡­ Sir¡­¡± she called enthusiastically just when he was about turning around. ¡°I¡¯m Priscillia, sir. But my friends call me Cillia¡± she said in a funny smile that revealed all her teeth. Gosh! If not that I¡¯m in so much pains, I¡¯d haveughed out my lungs. ¡°And so?¡± Alex said derogatorily and left her, returning to where I was. I looked at the woman and noticed she was now looking like someone who had maggots all over her face. The other woman with her held her by the shoulders and consoled her. Crazy. I folded my hands and huddled my legs together as II shivered from the cold. Alex was still standing beside me and before I knew it, he took off his jacket and shockingly, he wrapped it around me, making it cover my back to my chest. Grrr! Another bombshell. If a soothsayer had alerted me that something like this would ever happen between Alex and I, I never would¡¯ve believed it. Are you sure I¡¯m not dreaming? Then, he stood backing me and looked out to the road, hopefully waiting for his car to arrive. I really wanted to talk to him, thank him so much for all he¡¯s doing, but the whole shock wouldn¡¯t let me. I stared at him from behind for a short while and bent my head. my strength was leaving me. The jacket he had given me could only do little to my condition. My eye lids were heavy and forcefully trying to close. And it took me a lot to keep them open. After a while, I saw shlights and I slowly lifted my head and discovered Alex¡¯s cars had arrived. But two police cars were behind them. The cars pulled over and policemen and armed guards came out from them immediately. Two men dressed in suits also followed. ¡°Alexander¡± one of the men in suits called him in his full name as they hurried to where he was ¨C with me. ¡°Thank goodness! You scared the hell out of us. We¡¯ve been looking all over for you¡±. ¡°Were you hurt? What really happened?¡± The other man in suit also said, running his eyes round his body. ¡°We¡¯re sorry for leaving, sir Alex. We had no idea you were still in the building. We searched for you and thought you found your way out¡± one of the guards said. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡± Alex asked after a pause. ¡®She¡¯s safe now, sir. She¡¯s at home¡± replied the guard. The police were already going round the ce. ¡°Come on Alex. We need to go home. I¡¯ll call one of your doctors immediately to have a check up on you¡± one of the men in suit said. I have a feeling he¡¯s Alex¡¯s manager. ¡°No. I need to take her to a hospital first¡± Alex said and looked at me and that was when they could spare a second to look at me as well. ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± One of the men asked but Alex didn¡¯t say anything immediately as he just came up to me and helped me stand. ¡°She¡¯s my sister¡¯s nanny¡± he told them as he supported me to walk to one of the cars. He wrapped his hands around my back and helped me leap. ¡°Alex?¡± One of the men called as we were about going into the car. They looked surprised and it seems Alex knew what was on their minds. ¡°You¡­ You can drive with me¡± one of them said and Alex turned slightly to look at him. ¡°Like I said, I need to get her to a hospital¡± he replied and entered into the car with me. I shivered in the car, but this time around, I¡¯m not so sure it was from the cold weather. I think it¡¯s a result of everything that¡¯s happened. Could this be an illusion? The driver and a guard sat at the front seat and took off and two other cars followed us behind. Alex and I were sitting next to each other and I still couldn¡¯t believe it. But, this was the same guy that had taken a different car on our way here because he didn¡¯t want to be close to me. How did this even happen? I can¡¯t believe it. I turned and stared into his face, trying toprehend the whole thing. He was staring through the window, but knowing I had been staring at him for a long time, he turned and also looked at me and my heart skipped. ¡°is there something wrong?¡± He asked and I shook my head and stared away, gulping nervously. 26 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I sat on the hospital bed with Alex and the doctor standing in front of me. The doctor was writing down some prescriptions in his notebook, while Alex stood facing him. The doctor had attended to my leg and it had been bandaged and I felt better now. ¡°Just get her these medicines and she¡¯ll be up and doing within the twinkle of an eye. The injury wasn¡¯t too serious¡± the doctor said assuringly as he gave the list to Alex. ¡°Okay¡± Alex replied simply and looked at me. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± he said and started towards the door. I climbed down from the bed and hoped I¡¯d be able to walk. I took a step and felt a little pain. But it was just a little and wasn¡¯t as severe as it was before. With this, I¡¯ll think I¡¯ll be perfectly fine pretty soon. ¡°Thank you doctor¡± I said to the doctor and he smiled and supported me to the door. Alex had already left the room. ¡°Take care of yourself, okay?¡± The doctor said and I nodded and left the room. I walked slowly and met Alex at the car. ¡°Uhm¡­ Sir¡± I called as we sat together in the car. He didn¡¯t look at me and just focused on his phone. ¡°Thanks a lot¡± I said, but he still didn¡¯t show any reaction. He connected his headphones and plugging them into his ears, he rested his head on the seat head and closed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re wee¡± he finally said with his eyes still closed and that sounded divine to me at that moment. I smiled lightly and leaned my head on the window as the driver took off. ¡î¡î¡î We entered into the sitting room and met everyone there ¨C the loverboys, Molly and the house servants. But Mrs Tristan was yet to return. ¡°Alex!¡± ¡°Nanny!¡± They called with relief as we walked in. Molly ran to me immediately. ¡°Nanny what happened to you? Were you hurt?¡± She asked as she looked at my bandaged knee. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me baby. I¡¯m fine¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°We¡¯ve been worried sick about you, Alex¡± Daniel said. ¡°We thought something bad mightve happened. It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re safe¡±. ¡°And you Jeanne. What happened to your leg? Is it a result of the riot?¡± Carl asked. ¡°Yes sir. But it¡¯s getting healed up now. Sir Alex took me to a doctor already¡± I replied as he stared at the leg. ¡°Sorry about that, Jeanne¡± Malcolm said and I nodded with a light smile. ¡°And you, Alex; were you hurt?¡± Carl asked and Alex touched his forehead. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m fine¡± he replied in a cheerless tone. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay, nanny¡± Molly said. ¡°I was so worried about you. Here; I kept your phone safe for you¡±. she brought out the phone from her pocket and gave it to me and I brushed her hair with my palm. Just then, Ambrose came running down the stairs. Surprisingly to everyone, he ran pass Alex and came to me. Oh-Oh. He barked at my feet and licked my legs. Oh, Ambrose! You promised to keep our secret safe. but you¡¯re putting me in trouble. Everyone was stunned as he yed around me. ¡°What¡¯s the secret nanny?¡± Molly asked. ¡°How did you get Ambrose to like you?¡± I gulped nervously and looked at Alex and he was staring back at me. I¡¯m pretty sure he was suspicious already. Then he came up to where I was and took Ambrose from the floor. A call came into his phone immediately. ¡°Hello?¡± he said on the phone as he started climbing the stairs with Ambrose in his hands. ¡°We¡¯re fine now, mum. There¡¯s nothing to worry about¡± I watched him as he climbed the stairs and finally got out of sight. . I took in a deep breath and stared at the floor. ¡°I think you should take some rest, Jeanne. Come on; I¡¯ll apany you to your room¡± Carl said and trieding close to me, but Molly got in the way. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Carl. I¡¯ll do it¡± she said and wrapped her tiny hands around my waist. I and the loverboysughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go nanny¡± she said and we climbed the stairs together and went into my room. ¡°Do you need me to get something for you?¡± She asked as Iid on the bed and I smiled and touched her cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby. I¡¯m fine¡± I replied and she nodded and took my phone. ¡°Can I y games with your phone, please?¡± She asked in an endearing tone. ¡°Sure¡± I replied and unlocked it for her and she started ying a fashion game. Iid on the bed and tired getting some sleep. I was so exhausted. Not long after, I heard someone knocking on the door and Molly went to check it out. ¡°It¡¯s the chef, nanny.¡± She turned back to me and said and I opened my eyes. ¡°Evans?¡± I muttered and she nodded.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Then, I sat up. ¡°Uhm¡­ let him in¡± I said and she opened the door wide and he walked in. He had an apron on. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called as he drew near and stood in front of me. ¡°Hi Evans¡± I said. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling now?¡± He asked and I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I was still curious to know why he was in my room. ¡°Uhm¡­ Jeanne; there¡¯s a little problem¡± he said and I flinched. ¡°A problem?¡± I asked and he nodded. ¡°You see, I know you need some rest, but¡­¡± He paused and looked at Molly who was standing at the door, staring at us. Then, he sat on the bed and leaned forward. ¡°Sir Alex¡¯s asked me to make his coffee¡± he said in a whisper and I was startled. Gosh! I thought it was something extra ordinarily serious. ¡°Oh!¡± I remarked. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± I hesitated for a while. ¡°Okay then. Let¡¯s go to the kitchen¡± I told him and he helped me stand from the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, baby. I need to get something from the kitchen¡± I told her as we walked out of the room. I followed him to the kitchen and helped him make the coffee. I really hope we don¡¯t get found out soon. ¡°Thanks sweetie¡± he said excitedly as I rounded up the coffee. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Evans. Now don¡¯t forget you have someone to share your sry with¡± I told him as I headed for the door and heughed. On my way to my room, I ran into one of the loverboys ¨C Daniel. ¡°Hey¡± he called with a surprised stare, holding a ss of wine. ¡°What the hell are you doing all here alone? You should be in your room, resting. You don¡¯t need to stress your leg¡± he said and I cleared my throat and itched my head. Is loverboy Daniel really being concerned? ¡°I Uhm. .. I just went to get something from the kitchen, sir. I¡¯ll be on my way now¡± I replied. ¡°Sure. Be careful¡± he said and walked away and I turned to look at him as he did. Incredible! Maybe Evans was right after all. Maybe he was right when he said Daniel would change when he gets to know me. I smiled and continued to my room and when I got in, I found Molly already sleeping on the bed. Oops! I won¡¯t be able to carry her to her room now. Maybe she¡¯d have to sleep in my room for today. I adjusted her to lie properly on the bed and Iid close to her and covered our bodies with the duvet. I smiled as I recalled everything that had happened between Alex and I today. Oh, God! I wish I can make it happen again. It¡¯s a night I¡¯ll never forget. 27 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I woke up the next morning feeling a whole lot better. Gosh! But I was starving. Molly was already awake and was just ying games with my phone. ¡°Nanny¡± she called when she noticed I was awake and I yawned and sat up. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling, nanny?¡± She asked. ¡°Im fine baby¡± I replied and brushed by hand down her hair. Thank God today¡¯s Saturday. I can get enough time to rest. And I hope I getpletely better so I can resume my training on Monday. Bute to think of it, I have just one week before my training ends and the votes by the lover girls would take ce. Oh, geez! ¡°Come on baby. Let¡¯s go to your room together so you can freshen up¡± I told her after a while and she dropped the phone and we stood up from the bed together. I took a step and confirmed the pains in my leg had reduced drastically. Hopefully by tomorrow, I won¡¯t feel a thing anymore. Molly and I left my room and getting to the sitting room, we met two of the Loverboys ¨C Carl and Malcolm. ¡°Jeanne¡± Carl called immediately he spotted us. ¡°Good morning, sir. ¡°Good morning sir¡± I greeted both of them as I drew near with Molly. ¡°Morning, Jeanne. How¡¯s your leg?¡± Malcolm replied and asked. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Carl also asked. ¡°No sir. I¡¯m getting better now. Thanks¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°Okay, Jen. Just stay in doors and take care of yourself okay?¡± Carl said and I bowed my head and left with Molly. ¡°I¡¯ll be your nanny for today, nanny¡± Molly said and Iughed. When we got to her room, I noticed Alex was in his and the door was slightly open. He actually seemed to be ying his keyboard. I went into the room with molly and prepared her brush and bath water and when she had gone into the bathroom, I rushed out and went to Alex¡¯s room. I stood outside by his door and had a peep into his room through the small space provided by the door. I saw him sitting and ying the keyboard, facing the window. As usual, it was a slow sad tone and he closed his eyes while ying. I watched and admired him and after a while, he started singing the lyrics. Oh, my gee! It was so beautiful, but touching: Just hear what I¡¯ve got to say. I know I¡¯ve wronged you bad. A second chance is all I need from you. You said you¡¯d understand. No matter circumstance. A second chance is all I need from you. I almost felt like crying because of how touching it was and his voice was so divine and angelic. But that was where he stopped in the song. It seemed he was still working on it and hadn¡¯t gotten a chorus yet. Oh! But I think with such song, a high pitched chorus would be suitable. Something like: Don¡¯t you walk away. Remember all you promised. A second chance is all I need. A second chance I ask. I promise to be true. And love you till I die. A second chance is all I need. Just give me one more try. Although, I only sang it in my heart along with the key he was ying, I¡¯d have loved to suggest it to him. Hmm. If only it was possible. Although he talked a littlest night, I wasn¡¯t sure if his attitude would still remain the same. I didn¡¯t want to get into trouble. I watched him for a long time and after a while, he stopped ying and I quickly left and went into Molly¡¯s room. Mrs Percival¡¯s Pov: (Kim¡¯s mum) I drove on a high speed as curiosity was eating me up. My hands were snaking on the sterling. Oh, God! I really hope this is it. I hope I get to see Anna. I¡¯ve been waiting for this for far too long already. I need to find her. I increased the speed of my car and finally, I got to the location. I pulled over in front of the apartment and first looked around beforeing out of the car. There were other houses around, but the area was still kind of deserted. I walked over to the house I was directed to and felt so nervous. My hands were sweating. Oh, God! Please help me. I hope I¡¯m in the right ce. I rubbed my palms together and finally knocked on the door. There was no response. I took in a deep breath and knocked again and this time around, I heard a woman¡¯s voice from inside. ¡°Coming¡± she said and I exhaled and joined my palms together. I was so nervous. Then, the door finally opened and a woman came out. Huh? But it wasn¡¯t whom i was expecting. ¡°Good day ma¡¯am¡± the woman greeted as she came out fully from the room. I looked et her in surprise as the whole thing niggled at me. Could it be possible I was at wrong location?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°is some the thing wrong?¡± She asked, taken abacked my stunned expression. I cleared my throat and tried getting myself together. ¡°Uhm¡­. sorry ma¡¯am. Im¡­ looking for the owner of this house. The person that stays here¡± I said, pointing to the house. ¡°Well, I am the owner of this house. Is there a problem?¡± She asked and it was obvious she was getting paranoid. I huffed and itched my head. ¡°Uhm¡­ its just that I was told someone else lives here ¨C Anna Darius¡± I said and her eyes beamed. ¡°Oh! Anna?¡± She asked and I nodded immediately. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Do you know her?¡± ¡®Kind of. She is really the one staying here. But she parked out and I moved in¡±. ¡°Huh? Y¡­ You mean she relocated?¡± I asked worried. ¡°Yes¡±. ¡°Uhm¡­ do you know where she moved to?¡± I asked. ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I don¡¯t have any idea.¡± Oh, God! How do I find her now? Why does she have to move out before my arrival? I touched my head and sighed bitterly. Then I turned back to the woman. ¡°Uhm¡­ ma¡¯am, when she was leaving, did you see a girl with her? Like, a young girl?¡± I asked curiously. ¡®I don¡¯t think so¡± she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think I saw anyone with her.¡± My heart ached as I became hopeless again. Why does this keep happening? ¡°Thank you¡± I muttered weakly to the woman and turned around, walking away. I felt a tear rolling down my cheek as I walked weakly to the car. I felt so devastated and bereft. How long will I keep searching for her? When will I see her? It is all my fault. I never should¡¯ve left her in the first ce. I should¡¯ve kept her with me no matter what. Now I can¡¯t find her again. Oh, God! Help me. I wept as I got to my car. But just when I was about going in, I saw Kimberly standing behind with her own car. What? What¡¯s she doing here? I quickly wiped my face and stood to face her. ¡°Kim?¡± I called in surprise and she drew near, holding some papers. ¡°What re you doing here, mum?¡¯ She asked and I was startled. She sounded strict. ¡°Kim¡­¡± ¡°Are you looking for her?¡± She asked and held out paper to me. It was a picture of Anna Darius. Whaat? Is she aware I¡¯ve been looking for her? Oh, God! ¡°Tell me, mum. Are you looking for her? Who¡¯s she to you? Why have you been searching for her for years now? And why haven¡¯t you told any of us? Talk to me, mum!¡± She spoke angrily and I busted into tears. I knew this was bound to happen. I knew a day woulde when I¡¯d have to tell them the truth. ¡°Mum!¡± She called and I bent my head and wept more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kim¡± I whimpered. Then she scoffed. ¡°Sorry?¡± She asked, confused. ¡°Sorry for what exactly? What¡¯s going on?¡± I tried controlling my tears so I could speak more clearly. ¡°Kim dear¡± I said ruefully, still whimpering. ¡°T.. The woman I¡¯ve been looking for ¨C Anna ¨C she¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s with my daughter¡± I replied and she winced and scoffed. Oh, God! Am I ready for this? I knew this moment was definitely going toe. I just didn¡¯t prepare for it now. ¡°Wh¡­ what¡¯re you talking about? What daughter?¡± She asked nonplussed and I forced myself to look into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve been looking for your sister, Kim.¡± I said and the papers she held fell from her hands. She stuttered as her mouth opened in shock. ¡°Mum?¡± She called in ultimate dismay. ¡°I¡­ I have a sister?¡± 28 Kimberly¡¯s Pov: Okay; this woman¡¯s really got to be kidding me. What the hell is she talking about? I was spying on her and had gotten to knowknow she had gotten the location of Anna¡¯s department. So, I secretly followed her and now she¡¯s giving me this bullshit, telling me I have a sister. What the heck? ¡°Kim¡± she called softly and took a step closer but I drew back. ¡°Please baby. Try and understand¡± ¡°Understand whet mum?¡± I cut her off sharply. ¡°Understand what exactly? That I have a sister? What sister? Wh¡­ Where¡¯s she? Howe you¡¯re looking for her? What happened to her¡± I asked impatiently and she sniffed and wiped her face. ¡°Its along story, Kim¡± she said tearfully. ¡°But it isn¡¯t my fault. ¡°The life you see me living today ¨C this wealthy popr life ¨C wasn¡¯t the life I was living years ago. ¡°i grew up as a poor orphan; staying with my cruel aunt. I went through the worst part of life, darling. Believe me. I¡­¡± she paused and wept. ¡°I even got raped in the process¡± She paused and wept again and I couldn¡¯t help but watch in amusement. My heart was melting. My mother was raped? ¡°I was raped, Kim. And that was how I got pregnant. Although, my aunt didn¡¯t send me parking, she made life unbearable for me that sometimes, I think of suicide. ¡°One day, someone killed my uncle ¨C my aunty¡¯s husband. I was in the kitchen when I heard him scream and I ran into the sitting room and found him lying dead on the floor with a knife stuck into his chest. ¡°Before I could even scream, my aunty came in immediately and after crying and wailing, she used me of killing him. ¡°She wanted to get me arrested, but I ran away before the corps arrived. Then I was left alone in the streets. ¡°I had to eat from the trash, beg from others, sleep on the cold floor, gutters or anywhere I was lucky to find. And at that time, the police were searching for me. ¡°Then, one fateful night, I gave birth ¨C alone ¨C to my baby girl.¡± She paused to cry a little. ¡°She was so beautiful and adorable and hering into my life was like a blessing which I didn¡¯t wanna lose. ¡°I so wanted to keep her, watch her grow and take care of her with love . but at that moment, I couldn¡¯t because I had nothing. I couldn¡¯t even feed or clothe myself. And the police were after me. I had no other option. ¡°Anna was a close friend of mine and she lived alone. I took my baby to her and pleaded with her to take her in and keep her safe till I returned. I wanted to go out, clear my name and make a living, and when I was done, I had promised to return for my baby. ¡°Anna agreed and took her in and immediately I left, the police caught up with me. I was arrested. ¡°I stayed two years in jail for a crime I didn¡¯tmit. But one day, one fateful day, I came across your father. He had visited the station and when he saw me, he felt pity for me. he worked on my case and cleared my name and I got released. ¡°I started Woking for him, as his cook, at first. But after a year, we got married. ¡°Then I went back to Anna¡¯s house for my baby. But¡­ on teaching there, I couldn¡¯t find her anymore. And I discovered her house had been burnt down.¡± She paused and cried again. ¡°And I¡¯ve been looking for her since then, to get my daughter back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I kept it away from you and your father. I¡­ I was just scared and didn¡¯t know how to tell you. I just wanted to find her first before showing her to you.¡± She sniffed and took one of my hands. ¡°Please Kim. Don¡¯t be mad at me. It wasn¡¯t my fault. I was just in a difficult situation. Please, baby¡± I didn¡¯t realise she wasn¡¯t the only one crying. I was crying as well. The whole thing was just too shocking and I can¡¯t seem to believe it. ¡°Baby¡± she called tearfully and embraced me and I felt like pushing her away, but couldn¡¯t. I felt kind of angry, but pity at the same time. She¡¯s been through alot and I felt bad for her. But she shouldn¡¯t have kept it a secret from me. I can¡¯t believe I have a sister. ¡î¡î¡î Jeanne¡¯s Pov: On Monday morning. We all sat together at the dining ¨C I, Molly, Mrs Tristan, and the Loverboys ¨C for breakfast. Even Alex was there, but he wasn¡¯t saying or contributing anything to the conversation we were making. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re strong enough to go out, Jeanne?¡± Mrs Tristan asked again and I sighed and looked at her. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, ain¡¯t. You don¡¯t need to worry about me. The medicines did help a lot and I¡¯m perfectly fine now¡± I replied, hoping she¡¯d be convinced. She¡¯s been insisting I stayed home for enough rest. But the truth is, I¡¯m fine now. I¡¯m able to walk without stress and everything¡¯s normal. Besides, I don¡¯t want to miss a single day out of my training, not when we have just one week to go. ¡°I can¡¯t believe something that hideous happened in my daughter¡¯s school¡± Mrs Tristan continued. ¡°I mean, what if something bad had happened to her? I had actually intended changing her from there, but Mrs Hudges the proprietress has pleaded with me not to. She almost went on her knees, begging me. And considering the fact we¡¯ve been friends for a long time, I decided to listen to her. But I¡¯m sure she¡¯s only interested in the huge benefits she¡¯s been getting from me. ¡°But I¡¯ve made it clear to her, if I hear as little as a broken ss incidence in that school, I¡¯m getting her out of there as soon as possible¡± she said a little angrily and I was forced to chuckle. Then, a brief silence stepped in. ¡°Your training¡¯s rounding up this week, right?¡± Carl asked and I nodded. ¡°I wish you the best, dear¡± Mrs Tristan added and I smiled and bowed. Then, Alex cleaned his lips with a napkin and stood up, ready to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now¡± he said as he stood on his feet. ¡°Hold on, Alex¡± Malcolm said. ¡°Hope you¡¯re aware we¡¯ll be attending sses today?¡± Alex flinched and looked at him. ¡°What ss? It isn¡¯t tuesday¡­¡± ¡°Yes. But today¡¯s vocational ss will be handled by Mr Leonard. So we¡¯ve got to be there¡± Daniel said. OMG! ¡°What?¡± Alex scoffed. ¡°What stupid vocational ss? I¡¯m not interested¡± ¡°You know we can¡¯t skip Mr Leo¡¯s sses, Alex. He¡¯s capable of doing terrible things to us. So, you¡¯ve gonna spare this one. It¡¯s a catering ss¡­¡± ¡°And whoever said I was interested in cooking shit? I don¡¯t give a damn and I¡¯m not going¡± he replied and walked away. He sounded so irritated. The Loverboys looked at each other and shrugged. But, is Alex really going to afford missing Mr Leo¡¯s ss? ¡î¡î¡î After breakfast, I dropped Molly off at school and proceeded to mine. We received the normal morning sses and by 10 am, it was time for the vocational ss. It¡¯s really happening and Mr Leo was the one coordinating it. Wow! So that means Alex was bound toe. But he had bluntly said he wouldn¡¯t being. Hm. Let¡¯s see what happens then. Everyone got set in the big hall and since we werebining both the science, arts andmercial sses together, three of the lovergirls were present ¨C Kim and two other girls. That was when I got to know Kim and I were grade mates, but different courses. She was putting on a bum shot and a blue jacket and I can¡¯t believe she can wear something like that to ss. I heard there would be practicals and different catering equipments filled the entire ce. Just when Mr Leonard was about tomence, the loverboys walked in majestically. But Alex wasn¡¯t with them. The students all started day dreaming on them as they found a ce to sit. ¡°Good morning students¡± Mr Leo said buoyantly as he stood in front of us. The whole ss became silent and focused on him. ¡°Today, like you all must have known, we¡¯ll be making a practical on chocte cake¡±. Then, suddenly, he paused and looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Alex?¡± He faced the loverboys and asked and they looked at each other. ¡°I asked a question. Where¡¯s Alex?¡± He asked again in a more demanding tone, staring keenly at them. ¡°Uhm¡­ We have no idea sir¡± Daniel replied and Mr Leonard sighed and brought out his phone. He moved some distance away and made a call and obviously, it was Alex. He spoke angrily on the phone, but the only thing I could hear were thest lines of the call: ¡°If you don¡¯t get here in the next ten minutes, you can be sure of staying out of school for a year¡±. And he dropped the call. Gosh! This man¡¯s too strict. No wonder the loverboys are scared of him. I think he must be someone who holds a strong position in the Alpha records. ¡°Sorry for the interruption¡± he said as he returned to us. ¡°Okay. So can we proceed? Get your books and pens ready as I do and exin the first practical myself. Then, after that, you¡¯ll do yours yourself.¡± I quickly brought out my notepad along with the other students and Mr Leo started the practical. He demonstrated each step for us and I was surprised to see a man so good at baking. ¡°Now remember¡± he said. ¡°When turning your mixture into the pan, be careful so it doesn¡¯t touch the sides of the pan, is that understood?¡± He asked as he turned his mixture into the pan and we all replied simultaneously. ¡°Good. And now, all you have to do is bake your cake on a low heat¡± he said as he fixed the pan into the oven and closed it. ¡°Any questions?¡± At that moment, Alex came in. Wow! The whole ce became filled with whisperings and side talks as he showed up in his ssic appearance. But he looked really angry. ¡°You missed the lectures Alex¡± Mr Leo said. ¡°I wonder how you¡¯re gonna cope in the practicals¡±. ¡°Like I care¡± Alex said ¨C lowly though ¨C as he walked to where the loverboys were and sat beside them. All thedies that had an opportunity to be close to him all looked like they wanted to copse at any moment. I wish they were there when he had carried me in his arms. ¡°Okay¡± Mr Leo continued audibly. ¡°Now, the practicals begin. But it¡¯s gonna be done in pairs ¨C a boy and a girl. And the pair with the best result gets the highest score. Oh, really? We¡¯re going to be in pairs? Who will I be paired up with? ¡°Now,¡± he continued. ¡°So it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s my fault you got paired up with someone you don¡¯t like, I made it more like a lucky pick.¡± He paused and brought out polythene and emptied it on the table. Little wrapped papers poured out from it. What does this mean? ¡°These are the names of all the girls present here. Now, each boy wille out and make a pick and when he opens it, whoever¡¯s name he finds on the paper is going to be his partner¡± Mr Leo exined and the hall automatically became noisy as excitement crept in. They all started noistering to each other and there was only one reason behind their excitement ¨C who would be the loverboys partners? ¡°Quiet!¡± Mr Leo said on top of his voice and the vibration in it made the whole ce dead silent. But I was also curious. Who would get paired up with the loverboys? That person would be so lucky ¨C working hand in hand with a loverboy! ¡°Okay. Shall we begin? The first boy on the row,e out quickly and make a pick.¡±. Mr Leo said and the first boy went out and picked a paper. He was very cute, but apparently, most of thedies were praying he doesn¡¯t chose them. They were all hoping on the loverboys. He opened the paper and called out the name: ¡°Ivy Jack¡±. The students giggled as the ivy of a girl went out with a little frown. She went to a stand with her partner and the next boy came up. Finally, it got to the loverboys turn. First, it was Daniel. All thedies went drooling around him and Mr Leo had to throw angry nces at some to keep them cool.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He went over to the table and picked a name and called it out: ¡°Eva Chrinn¡± he called and I turned to look at her. It was one of the lovergirls. Wow! How lucky. I knew if it wasn¡¯t for the fact she was a celebrity, she¡¯d have screamed and fallen on the floor. She smiled happily and rushed out and went to a stand with him. Next, it was Carl¡¯s turn and the drooling resumed. It¡¯d have been nice if I get paired with Carl. I mean, he¡¯s friendly. He picked a name and opened it and all thedies eyes beamed. ¡°Elena Anderson¡± he called and thedy screamed from where she was and ran out. Wow! She was so lucky. She ran and stood in front of him and her hands actually started shaking. Then, he scoffed and held her and they went to a stand together. Then, it was Malcolm¡¯s turn and the drooling went on for him and he chosed another luckydy¡¯s name: ¡°Andrea Jones¡±. And finally, it was Alex¡¯s turn. Believe me when I say this, but the drooling and suspense the other loverboys had created were nothingpared to the ones Alex was creating. To my ultimate surprise, some of thedies were even crying. I mean, this was a golden opportunity for them to be so close to their favourite superstar. He huffed as he stood up and walked to a table. I saw ady holding her chain and making a prayer. Even Kim was anxious and twitchy and was obviously prayingpraying she gets chosen by him. He picked a name from the table and rolled his eyes before opening it and some of thedies ended up falling while trying to peep into it. He paused and stared into the paper for a long time and with the way he looked, it seemed he was surprised. Well, his expression was unexinable. ¡°Alex?¡± Mr Leo called. ¡°Who¡¯s name did you pick?¡± He was obviously also curious. Oh, God! Who¡¯s name did Alex pick? 29 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: He took his eyes from the paper and looked at Mr Leonard. ¡°Jeanne Raymond¡± he called and a wild gasp ran across the crowd. Whaaat? Did I hear him correctly? Did¡­ did he just call my name? Oh, my God! I got paired up with Alex? Are you kidding me??? I gulped nervously and stepped out. The entire students were all staring and talking wistfully. I stood in front of Alex, but he didn¡¯t look at me. Then, we walked over to a stand together. Seriously, I can¡¯t believe this. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be working with Alex. I¡¯m really nervous. You know he can be annoying sometimes. I didn¡¯t want to look at Kim because I knew she might end up killing me with her looks. The pickings went on and Kim got paired up with a very handsome guy ¨C but of course, she didn¡¯t like him. Finally, the pickings were over and we were all standing with our partners in front of a table which contained all the catering equipments and ingredients. Mr Leo addressed us on what to do and made it clear we only had an hour for the baking. Then, we all got busy and he left the ss, but made it clear he¡¯d be back. I gulped nervously and looked at Alex. How do we do this? Are we really going to work as a team? But thinking of it, am I expecting a loverboy to work in the kitchen? Get his hands stained and all that? How the hell are we going to do it? I looked at the rest of the Loverboys and noticed they were all busy with their partners. Geez! Why did I have to end up with someone like Alex? It isn¡¯t like I don¡¯t like it; I just have a feeling I¡¯ll be in for trouble. Carl looked at me andughed and I sighed. Then, I looked back at Alex and¡­ Holy Mary! Shit! You wouldn¡¯t believe what this guy¡¯s doing right now. He¡¯s actually siting and ying a candy crush game with his phone. Whaaat? I opened my mouth and looked at him in shock, but as usual, he didn¡¯t even look at me; like I was invisible or something. I took in a deep breath. I guess I¡¯m my own partner here. I opened my book and started working with the steps. I mixed the margarine and sugar and next, I added the eggs. Alex was still enjoying his game. Just then, Mr Leo came into the ss. But I guess Alex didn¡¯t spot him. ¡°Alex!¡± Mr Leo called strictly as he marched to our table. ¡°Your job isn¡¯t to act as a supervisor, Alex. You¡¯re to participate in the practical. What¡¯s this?¡± He asked a little angrily and Alex rolled his eyes and stood up. He looked bittered. He touched his forehead and came to me. ¡°Fine! What am I doing?¡± He asked huskily and touched his forehead again. Mr Leo shook his head and walked away, going to supervise another set. Alex sighed and touched the bowl of the mixture. ¡°What the hell am I expected to do?¡± He asked churlishly and I scoffed. I seriously hope he isn¡¯t trying to pour out his anger on me. I mean, I¡¯m not Mr Leo¡¯s daughter. I gulped nervously and looked around. What could I possibly ask him to do? The leader of the Loverboys. ¡°Uhm¡­ We¡­ We need to pour in the floor, sir¡± I told him and he took the whole bowl of floor and tried pouring it in at once. ¡°No, no, no, sir. It¡­ It isn¡¯t done that way¡± I told him quickly and he sighed and dropped the bowl. ¡°Then what? How else do we pour it in?¡± He asked impatiently. Gosh! ¡°it¡¯s¡­ Uhm.. to be added by bit by bit. Like, a cup before the other.¡± I replied and he nodded and took a cup of the floor and poured it into the bowl whole I mixed. He watched as I mixed it and with the way he looked, it all seemed to be a waste of time for him. Then, he added the rest of the floor and while turning it in, it poured on my palm. ¡°Sorry¡± he said and rolled his eyes like he was forced to apologise. ¡°I¡¯m an artist, not a caterer¡± he added and I just smiled and cleaned off the floor off my palm. Hold on; does Alex realise he¡¯s talking to me? I mixed the rest of the ingredients and greased the baking pan, ready to pour in the mixture. Alex watched me pour the contents into the pan and when I was done, he carried it into the pan and we fixed it into the oven. ¡°So, what is left to do?¡± He asked after closing the oven. ¡°Uhm¡­ wait for the cake to get baked, sir¡± I replied with a bow and he scoffed and I wondered why. Then he returned to his seat and continued with his game. ¡°Alex, what the hell are you doing?¡± Mr Leo asked immediately. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the cake to bake¡± he replied, still fixing his eyes on the phone. ¡°Well, keep that phone away¡± Mr Leo said. ¡°What? Am I supposed to ce my hand on my chin and worship the oven while it bakes?¡± Alex replied and the students couldn¡¯t helpughing. Mr Leo stood and shut him an angry stare and he rolled his eyes and turned off the phone. He sat, seething with anger and I stared away. After a while, the cake was baked and I opened the oven and brought it out.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Finally¡± I heard Alex mumble and I shook my head and turned back to the cake. Then, the rest of the students also brought out theirs and finally, it was time for Mr Leo to have a taste of it and give out the marks. He came to ours and when he tasted it, it was obvious he liked it. He wrote down in his book and moved to the nest table. I wish we get to win. And when he was done, he stood in front of us and opened his book. ¡°You all did a wonderful job¡± he said. ¡°But the best here is¡­ well, team Jeanne and Alex¡± he announced and my eyes beamed. The students began pping immediately and I turned and looked at Alex who had an ¡®i don¡¯t care¡¯ expression on. Geez! We won it! ¡°Good job, Jeanne¡± Mr Leo said and I smiled happily and bowed. Then, he went ahead to call the other scores and it was noted Kim¡¯s team came 5th. Oh ¨C oh. Immediately, she walked out of the ss. Seriously? Then, Alex stood up and cut a little piece of the cake and tasted it. He ate with relishment. ¡°Good job¡± he said in a whispering tone and walked away while I stared at him in amusement. I couldn¡¯t stop smiling. Alex said something good about me. Did you see that? Oh, my gee! 30 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I went for my training afterwards and when we were done, I followed Megan to her house ¨C as agreed. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were working for the loverboys, Jeanne¡± she said as we stepped down from the car. she had gotten to know about it on Saturday. ¡°I¡¯m sorry megan. I just didn¡¯t thought it was necessary¡± I replied as we entered the sitting room. Wow! Her house was fabulous. They were doubly rich and I wondered what her mother does for a living to acquire all these wealth. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± She looked at me and asked as I took a seat. ¡°You didn¡¯t think it was necessary? Of course, it is. I¡¯d have been paying you unlimited visits¡± she said and Iughed. ¡°Besides, why didn¡¯t you let me visit you when you were sick?¡± She asked, leaning on a table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Megan. But I was scared of the loverboys reaction. They don¡¯t really appreciate the presence ofdies in the mansion¡± I replied. ¡°Oh! Alex, right?¡± She asked and I nodded. ¡°Hm. So, how were you able to work there, then? I thought he¡¯d have driven you away?¡± She asked. ¡°Well¡­ He tried to. But his mum is the only reason I¡¯m still there¡±. ¡°Wow! That sounds serious. So have you gotten to know any secrets yet? Like, why he dislikesdies?¡± She asked and I shook my head. ¡°Mmm. Too bad. ¡°So tell me; what re the loverboys like, huh? How do you feel around them? Do you get to touch them? Do theye home with their girlfriends?¡± She asked enthusiastically and sat next to me. Iughed. ¡°Well¡­ they¡¯re friendly a bit ¨C especially Carl. But Alex¡­ he¡¯s unpredictable¡± I replied and she nodded slowly. ¡°Do you get to touch them? Have you kissed any of them?¡± ¡°Megan!¡± I called andughed hysterically. ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯m just a nanny there. How can I kiss them?¡± I asked and she smiled. ¡°Well, you see, you¡¯re just so lucky. I wish I were in your shoes. I¡¯m ready to give up my birth certificate just to work in that mansion and be close to them. I had wanted to go to the Alpha High school but mum wouldn¡¯t approve of it¡±. I wasughing because of what she said. ¡°So¡­ shall we proceed to the kitchen?¡± I asked after a pause. ¡°Yeah. Just a second¡± she said and hurried to the fridge, probably taking a drink out of it. I took my eyes around, admiring the beauty of the ce. My eyes got to the stars and I saw someone ¨C a young woman -walking away. She was putting on a long red gown that swept the floor and I couldn¡¯t see her face because she was already walking away. Huh? Who was she? And why was she leaving even before entering the room? I looked at Megan who took out a drink and closed the fridge. She probably didn¡¯t see the woman. I was about telling her about it but just then, a call came into her phone. ¡°Mum?¡± She called on the phone, looking surprised. The call was on loud speaker and I could hear her mother¡¯s voice from the other line. ¡°Come upstairs, now!¡± The woman said strictly and ended the call and even Megan was startled at the way she had spoken. She paused in a ruminative mood. ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯ll be right back, Jeanne¡± she said and took the stairs and I stared in amusement. Are you sure everything¡¯s fine? Megan¡¯s pov: I felt so curios as I climbed the stairs to mum¡¯s room. Why did she have to call me on phone toe up? Why didn¡¯t she juste down stairs and say what she wanted to say? I opened the door and walked into her room and there I met her, facing the window. But immediately she noticed my entrance, she turned and faced me. ¡°Why the hell did you bring thatdy here?¡± She snapped and I scoffed and looked at my back, then back at her. She was really taking to me. ¡°Who¡¯re you talking about mum?¡±: I asked, bewildered. ¡°Stop ying games with me, Megan. Thedy downstairs. What the hell is she doing here?¡± Okay; this is getting really weird. I¡¯m confused already. ¡°Mum, chill. What¡¯re you talking about? She¡­ she¡¯s my friend. And she came here to teach me how to make sau¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn what she came here to do, Megan. She isn¡¯t epted in my house. So get her out of here¡± she said. ¡°Mum, are you trying to say I¡¯m not allowed to bring friends to the house anymore?¡± ¡®You can bring anyone you want to, Megan. But not Jeanne¡±. Her eyes dimmed immediately and her face went cold. It dawned on her she had said something she shouldn¡¯t had said. ¡°Y¡­ you know her?¡± I asked confused. She covered her face with her palm and sighed. ¡°Damn it! This is the reason I never wanted you to go to that stupid ce in the first ce. Now, you¡¯re already getting me into trouble¡± she groused. . I scoffed and looked at her. ¡°Wh¡­ what¡¯re you talking about?¡± I asked.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Listen to me, Megan; I don¡¯t want you to have anything to do with thatdy. And keep her away from me. ¡°Now, get her away from me before I do something crazy¡± she said belligerently and started towards the door. ¡°Mum¡­¡± I tried calling but she snapped at me. ¡°Get her out of here before I do it myself¡± she said churlishly and walked out the door. I stood with my mouth open. I couldn¡¯t move because of the shock. Why does mum know Jeanne from? And why does she want her to leave? Could she be hiding something? Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I waited a long time for Megan to return and after a while, she returned. But, I noticed she was kind of looking broody. She walked slowly and stood in front of me. And she was trying not to look at me. ¡°Uhm¡­ Jeanne¡± she called and stood in front of me. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Uhm¡­ I¡¯m sorry to say this, but¡­ my mum¡­ she wants you to leave.¡± She said and I furrowed my brows. ¡°Your mum?¡± I asked; muddled. ¡°Yes. She said she doesn¡¯t want any visitors at the moment.¡± I scoffed and stood up and she looked at me. I was surprised. I looked at the stairs, then back at her. Then, I sighed. ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll be on my way¡± I said and grabbed my bag from the chair. Then she held my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jeanne. Well, you know my mum, I told you about her before, right?¡± She said remorsefully and I smiled and touched hers. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it. I understand. ¡°See you tomorrow¡± I said with a smile and left. As I walked out the door, I couldn¡¯t help but think about the whole thing. Why did Megan¡¯s mum want me to leave? Could it be true she really didn¡¯t want any visitors at the moment? Or she just made that up? And with the way Megan was looking, I wonder what they talked about in the room. Anyway, it¡¯s her house and she has the right to do whatever she wants to. Too bad I didn¡¯t get to see her face. I got to the road and boarded a cab, heading home. 31 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: When I got home, I helped Molly shower and eat. Then we sat in the sitting room together, watching a movie. The loverboys were yet to return, but Mrs Tristan returned not long after. ¡°Mum!¡± Molly called tedly and ran to embrace her. ¡°Oh, darling. How¡¯re you?¡± She asked after nting a kiss on her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m fine, mum¡±. ¡®Good evening ma¡¯am¡± I greeted with a bow. ¡°Good evening , Jeanne. And how¡¯re you today? ¡± she asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine ma¡¯am. Thanks¡± She smiled and looked at Molly. ¡°By the way, Molly, isn¡¯t Chloe your ssmate?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah, she is¡± replied Molly. ¡°Uhm¡­ didn¡¯t she invite you to her birthday party tonight?¡± She asked and Molly sighed and returned to her seat next to me. ¡°She did, mum. But I¡¯m not going¡± she replied. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t go alone. And I knew none of you would want toe with me.¡± ¡°Molly! You should have just asked. ¡°Huh? Do you really think I¡¯m ready to cry out my eyes again, begging you guys toe with me like I did during the school function?¡± Mrs Tristan scoffed and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re so funny, Molly. well, Chloe¡¯s mum invited me to the party. So I¡¯m going. Now, get dressed¡± she said and Molly¡¯s eyes beamed. ¡°What? Really mum?¡± She asked in excitement and Mrs Tristan smiled and nodded. ¡°And you¡¯ll being with us, Jeanne. Just in case molly needs anything. So, get prepared as well.¡± She said and took the stairs. Huh? I¡¯ll be going with them to the party? Molly stood up and dragged me up with her. ¡°Come on nanny. Let¡¯s get ready for the party¡±. ¡î¡î¡î Hm. If not that I know the celebrant¡¯s a kid, if someone had told me this was a kid¡¯s party, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it. I walked into the dazzling hall with Molly and Mrs Tristan. The whole ce was buzzing with life and not just kids, but adults were present as well. Boys and girls dressed in suit could be seen walking around with trays of snacks, drinks and so on. The party was fabulous. Some of the kids called and waved at Molly and she waved back at them. Hm. She was already a celebrity at this age. ¡°Look whom we have here¡± a woman said as she came up to us and gave Mrs Tristan a hug. ¡°Hello, Christen. Long time no see¡± Mrs Tristan said after the hug. ¡°Indeed, my dear. I¡¯m so happy you were able to honor my invitation¡±. ¡°Good evening ma¡¯am¡± Molly greeted in her tiny sweet voice. ¡°Oh, darling ¨C my daughter¡¯s rival in ss. How¡¯re you today?¡± She asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Good evening ma¡¯am¡± I also greeted. ¡°Good evening, pretty¡± she replied and looked around. ¡°Uhm¡­ your son isn¡¯t with you?¡± She asked Mrs Tristan. ¡°Nah. He¡¯s not even at home¡± she replied. Oh! I understand. Busy bee¡± the woman said and theyughed. Hmm. Alex that barely has time to have breakfast. How does she expect him to attend her daughter¡¯s party? Immediately, a little girl dressed in a royal way scuttled to us. ¡°Molly!¡± She called in a smile that revealed all her white teeth. ¡°Chloe!¡± Molly also called and embraced her. ¡°Wow Chloe. You look like a princess¡± she said and sheughed. ¡°Well, yeah. It¡¯s my birthday¡± the Chloe replied and they giggled. ¡°Oh! Happy birthday, Chloe¡± molly said and gave her a flower she was holding. She collected it and smiled. ¡°Thanks, Molly. Come with me. Sophie and the rest have been waiting¡± she said as she held Molly¡¯s hand and they ran away together. The both mothersughed. ¡°Kids and their lifestyles¡± Chloe¡¯s mother said and shook her head. ¡°Please, do enjoy the party, Mrs Tristan¡±. ¡°Sure, dear. Thanks¡± Mrs Tristan replied and she walked away. ¡°Please, keep an eye on Molly, Jeanne¡± she said and also left, going to greet other guests who were probably friends of hers. I sighed and walked over to a table to sit. On the table where I sat were drinks, cakes and sweets. Hmm. This was totally a rich man¡¯s party. I took a cupcake from the table and ate from it. It was so delicious. I ran my eyes around for Molly and found her in the midst of other girls, talking andughing. Well, I better keep an eye on her. She¡¯s Mrs Tristan¡¯s princess. But I¡¯m so tired and really want to go home and rest. Just then, I saw someone walk pass where Molly was ¨C someone familiar. It was a youngdy, gaily dressed in a long red gown that exposed all her back. Of course, I know her! She¡¯s the samedy we had almost knocked down the other day on our way to school; the one who had said something like: *You¡¯ve really be this pretty, huh?* Yes! She¡¯s the one. What¡¯s she doing here? I looked at her as she walked majestically and passed a corner. I stood up from my seat and uncannily started following her. Thisdy really looks familiar to me. I just can¡¯t exin it, but she does look farmiliar to me. I followed the corner she had taken and met her on a quiet passage ¨C alone. But she couldn¡¯t see me because I was hiding behind the passage before hers and she was backing my direction. Then, she brought out her phone from her red purse and seemed to make a call. ¡°Hello? Denah?¡± She growled on the phone. ¡°How the hell did Owen get my number? ¡°Listen to me, Denah. I¡¯m out of DM and I so don¡¯t worry any connection between myself and them anymore. I¡¯m trying to go on with my life here and I don¡¯t want any problems. I want them to stay away from me.¡± I listened keenly to the call she made and wondered whom she was talking to. But, I¡¯d have loved to have a word with her. I don¡¯t know, I just felt like meeting her again. ¡°Nanny!¡± I heard Molly¡±s voice from behind and I turned to see her scuttling towards me. Oh-oh. Bad timing. And she tripped and fell on the floor. ¡°Baby¡± I called and ran to her immediately. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked as I helped her from the floor and she dusted her body. ¡®I was looking for you¡± she said. ¡°Oh¡±. I bit my nails and hurried back to the passage where thedy was. But she wasn¡¯t there anymore. I took the next passage and continued going round, but she was nowhere to be found. Then, I looked through the window and saw her driving away in a big shy jeep. Oh-oh! She left already. Too bad! I really wanted to talk to her. ¡°Nanny, is there a problem?¡± Molly asked as she stood beside me and I sighed and shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, baby¡±. Evans¡¯ Pov: Oh, God! I¡¯m in a damn serious trouble. Like, I¡¯m so ruined. Where¡¯s Jeanne? The loverboys were back and sir Alex has just requested for a cup of coffee. And Jeanne was nowhere to be found and I¡¯ve been trying to reach her on phone, but she wasn¡¯t picking up. What do I do now? Only Jeanne knows how to make Alex¡¯s coffee the way he likes it. If I do it now, he¡¯s definitely going to spot the difference and get suspicious. What the hell do I do? I entered into his room with the cup of coffee in a tray and I met him sitting on the bed, operating hisptop. ¡°Why did it take you so long?¡± He asked with his eyes still fixed on the system and I cringed. The real problem hasn¡¯t even started, yet he¡¯sining. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir¡± I said with a bow and kept the tray on a stool in front of him. I better get out of here before he tastes the coffee. On my way out, being in a hurry, I hit the table close to the door and some items fell on the floor. Oh, damn! Alex was already taking up the coffee. Oh, Jeanne. We¡¯re both dead today. I quickly bent to pick up the items. But just when I was done and was about leaving, I heard his voice. ¡°Evans¡± he called and I felt my heart skip. I coughed a little before turning around to look at him. ¡°S¡­ S¡­ Sir?¡± I stuttered. He tasted the coffee again and made a grimace on his face. ¡°Why does the coffee taste different today?¡± he asked and I felt cold ice running down my throat. ¡°Huh?¡± He asked and looked at me and I tried thinking of what to say. ¡°It¡­ It does?¡± I asked, but he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°oh! Well, sir. you see, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m just really busy right now in the kitchen. So I must have missed the recipe. I¡¯m terribly sorry for that¡± I said, hoping I was convincing enough. Surprisingly, he dropped the coffee back on the bed. ¡°Take it away and make another¡± he said and stood up, going to a drawer in the room. Whaat? This guy¡¯s got to be kidding me. He really wants to put me into trouble? Why can¡¯t he just drink the coffee for tonight? At least this was what he¡¯s been drinking before Jeanne came in. What do I do now? Gosh! I¡¯m so stuck here. My hands are tied. Even if make another coffee, I wouldn¡¯t be able to make the exact type Jeanne make and Alex¡¯s going to get suspicious again. There¡¯s so no running away from this. I¡¯m sorry Jeanne. But there¡¯s nothing I can do. ¡°S¡­ Sir¡± I called as he rifled through the opened drawers, looking for something. I took in a deep breath. ¡°I¡­ I have a confession to make, sir¡± I said and he paused to look at me. He was muffled. ¡°Confession?¡± He asked. I took in a deep breath again. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ its about your coffee, sir¡± I said and he looked more interested. But that cold look wouldn¡¯t leave his face. Oh, Jeanne. I¡¯m so sorry for doing this. I know you might get into trouble for what I¡¯m about to say. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve not been the one making your coffee¡± I said and he furrowed his brows.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Now, he looked perplexed. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± He asked in that cold voice and despite the fact I was a guy, it still made me nervous. Okay; this is the moment. ¡°Sir,¡± I called dreadfully. ¡°Jeanne has been the one making your coffee¡±. 32 Evans Pov: He scoffed and stared vacuously at me. ¡°Jeanne?¡± He repeated and I nodded slowly. What¡¯s gonna happen now? He scoffed again and turned around facing the window. He was now backing me with his hands crossed behind his back. Okay, why the cold silent now? He didn¡¯t say a thing as he just faced the window and I can¡¯t really rell; I mean, I don¡¯t know; but did i just see a smile on his face? No. I¡¯m definitely not seeing clearly. ¡°You can leave¡± he said coldly after a while and I was startled. Seriously? He won¡¯t say anything about it? Still surprised, I just bowed and left the room. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I returned home with Molly and Mrs Tristan and it was prettyte by then. I helped Molly shower and went ahead to make her a ss of milk in the kitchen. The loverboys were home, but I didn¡¯t see any of them as they all stayed in their rooms. When I got into the kitchen to make Molly a ss of milk, Evans came in, looking like someone who was being beaten up. ¡°Hi¡± I greeted, looking at him. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called and stood in front of me. ¡°Jen, we¡¯re in a big mess¡±. I winced and paused on what I was doing. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked, cing one of my hands at akimbo. ¡°While you were away¡± he started. ¡°Sir Alex asked me to make him his coffee. And¡­ well, you know, mine tastes different from yours. So, he got suspicious and asked me to make it the way you did.¡± he paused and sighed. Okay; I really hope he¡¯s not going where I think he¡¯s going. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it, Jen. So I had to tell him the truth.¡± He said. ¡°What truth?¡± I asked immediately, hoping he¡¯s talking about something else. ¡°I¡­ I told him you¡¯ve been the one making his coffee¡± he said and I gasped and covered my mouth with my palms. No no no. He¡¯s definitely lying. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s serious. ¡°You¡¯re joking¡± I said with a scoff. ¡°I¡¯m not Jen. For goodness sake, why will I be joking?¡± ¡°Evans, are you kidding me? What do you mean you told him the truth? What silly truth? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± ¡°Damn it! You promised me. You promised you wouldn¡¯t spill it out. How could you do this to me?¡± Immediately, Alex walked in. Oh, God! This is going to be trouble part 2.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. I gulped nervously as he walked in and I wondered what he had in mind. I couldn¡¯t even think of greeting him. He walked pass us and went to the refrigerator, bringing out a bottle of wine. Evans and I kept staring dumbfounded at him. He took some ice cubes and put them into a ss cup and poured some wine in Then, he stood and drank from the ss and dramatically, he was staring at me. Oh, God! He emptied the ss and turned in more drink and this time around, he took the ss and bottle and walked pass us, leaving the kitchen. With my lips open, I turned and looked at Evans and he was staring back at me. He didn¡¯t say a thing! But I have a terrible feeling there might be something behind that silence. Kimberly¡¯s Pov: I sat in my room with Eva, facing me and smoking from her cigarette. ¡°So you have a sister for real?¡± She asked but I didn¡¯t reply as I just stared into space. She sighed and smoked from her cigarette. ¡°So you guys have no idea where she is?¡± She asked and I shook my head. ¡°Wow¡± she mouthed. ¡°But¡­ are you happy about it? Like¡­ are you d you have a sibling?¡± I sighed and rose my brows. ¡°Well, of course. I mean, I¡¯ve always wanted to have a sibling ¨C someone to be close to around the house. So, I think it¡¯s okay¡± I replied and she shrugged and smoked. ¡°Well¡­ I pray you guys get to find her soon enough¡± she added. ¡°By the way, Kim¡± she said after a pause. ¡°I think that Jeanne of a girl is really something else. I can¡¯t believe she got paired up with Alex.¡± I sighed and stood up, going to face the window. ¡°I think I¡¯ve had it with thatdy. It¡¯s time i put her aside¡± I said angrily. ¡°Do you have something in mind?¡± She asked and I smiled and turned to look at her. ¡°Of course, I do.¡± 33 Jeanne¡¯s pov: I waswas really so nervous. I mean, I was expecting Alex to do the worst to me, but his silence was something else. He didn¡¯t join us for breakfast today. And after breakfast, Molly and I left for school. So many thoughts kept shing through my mind. And today was Tuesday. Oh! That means the Loverboys will be attending Mr Leonard¡¯s further maths ss. Wow! But I was still worried about Alex. Why didn¡¯t he react to the coffee stuff? Could he have something in mind? Oh, God! I was so nervous. I have a feeling I might get into trouble. I just hope my instincts are wrong. We received the first two sses and next, it was time for further maths, which of course, the Loverboys were bound toe. We all settled on our seats, awaiting Mr Leonard toe in. Just then, Kim walked in with two of the lovergirls. Wow! She was looking as dazzling as ever. She was putting on a short pink gown and a pair of blue sneakers and trust me, she was damn so hot. The entire students turned to admire her as she walked gracefully and surprisingly, she came to my seat. Yes, where I was. What the heck? ¡°Hey¡± she said lowly as she stood in front of me. I gulped nervously and looked at them. What could these lovergirls possibly want from me? ¡°G¡­ Good morning, miss Megan¡± I greeted nervously. ¡°Hi¡± one of the girls behind her waved at me. ¡°I want to have a word with you ¨C in private¡± Megan said and started walking away and one of the girls signalled me to follow and I was startled. Do they really want me toe with them? But why? I swallowed hard and sluggishly stood up, following them. We didn¡¯t go far; just the next passage after the ss. What could thesedies want from me? I hope I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. ¡°Listen to me, Jeanne¡± Kim said immediately we got to the passage and they stopped walking. ¡°I have something important to tell you¡± she paused and rubbed her palms together. Okay; what is going on? We both stood, facing each other and I was really curious. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have any problems with you, Jeanne¡± she continued. ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to do exactly as I say. ¡°Quit the nanny job and leave the Loverboys mansion¡±. That sounded like a bomb explosion to me. What? What the hell is she talking about? Why does she want me to leave the mansion? I stuttered and couldn¡¯t think of what to say. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡± ¡°I want it done in the next 24 hours. Consider this a warning.¡± And with that, she walked away with her crew. Wow! is this for real? No. She¡¯s got to be joking. Why on earth does she want me to quit the nanny Job in the next 24 hours? What could be the problem? Oh, God! I remained standing there for a while. What do I do about it? . I¡¯m not ready to quit the job. What will happen to Molly? She needs someone to take care of her.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Oh, God! I buried my face in my palms, lost in thoughts. I need to think of a way out of this. After a while, I returned to the ss and oops! Mr Leonard had alreadymenced teaching. And the Loverboys were there as well. OMG! Hold on; Alex was sitting next to my seat; like, where my bag was kept. What? Does this have to happen all the time? Oh, Alex! I slowly started walking in, thinking of how I¡¯m gonna sit next to Alex again. ¡°Where are youing from, youngdy?¡± Mr Leonard asked on my way in and I stopped walking. Oh-oh. ¡°Uhm¡­ sorry sir. I just made use of the restroom¡± I replied twitchy, hoping he doesn¡¯t go any further. He turned back to the board and resumed with the equation he was solving and I went ahead to my seat ¨C next to Alex. I didn¡¯t know if I was to greet him or just stay quiet. I was too nervous. What would his reaction be? He didn¡¯t even look at me, but just stared through the window. and I noticed a bluetooth ear piece was connected in his ear. Oh, my! Mr Leo probably has no idea about this. And I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s listening to songs right now. He wasn¡¯t even with a pen or a piece of paper, just his phones and car keys. This guy¡¯s so such azy ass. I wonder if he knows any other thing aside music. I sighed and tried focusing on Mr Leonard. But my mind was kind of restless as I kept thinking about what Kim said. Why does she want me to quit the job? And what¡¯s gonna happen if I don¡¯t? ¡°You all should solve this equation in your books¡± Mr Leonard said when he was through solving two examples on the board. ¡°I¡¯ll go round and check out your works in 3 minutes¡± he said and the students started working on it immediately. I looked at the equation and copied it down in my book and started solving. Alex was the only one not busy because he didn¡¯te with a book. Even the rest of the Loverboys were writing. ¡°You¡¯re doing it the wrong way¡± I heard someone say and being taken abacked, I lifted my eyes to see/confirm whom it was. What? He sat up and collected the book and pen from me, cing it in front of him. With my eyes opened wide like they wanted to burst out, I watched muddledly as he solved the equation in my book. What? Is this for real? Is Alex really writing in my book? Good heavens! In less than a minute, he was through with what he was doing and he slided the book back to my locker. Good lord! Alex really touched and wrote in my book! Whaat? I stared at him gobsmacked and didn¡¯t know what to say, if I was to thank him or what. I was too transfixed. I was actually waiting for the coffee st, and now, this? ¡°Okay; time up. Let¡¯s see what you got¡± Mr Leonard¡¯s voice broke into my thoughts and that was when I could stop staring at Alex. Gosh! It really looks like a film trick. Mr Leo started going through the students books, first from the front row. He checked all the students there and confirmed it to be wrong. Then, he got to our row . ¡°Where¡¯s your solution, Alex?¡± He asked and Alex opened his palms. ¡°I didn¡¯te with a book¡± he replied non-chantly. Mr Leo scoffed. ¡°Are you kidding me? How can you think ofing to ss without your writing materials?¡± He paused and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been warning you about this, Alex. You need to take your studies more seriously. Acting this way won¡¯t do you any good, son.¡± ¡°Yes, mum¡± Alex replied and few of the students chuckled -including me. Mr Leo sighed and shook his head and moved over to me. I showed him my solution and after going through it, he nodded satisfactorily. ¡°Good job, Jeanne. Impressive. You¡¯re the first student who¡¯s getting it correctly¡± he said with a light smile and I just bowed and awaited him to move to the next table. I turned and looked at Alex who was trying not to state at me. This is unbelievable. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s such a genius. Even I who was so good at maths would¡¯ve gotten it wrongly if not for him. So, why does he hate skipping sses? I cleared my throat and looked at him again. I needed to say something. ¡°T¡­ Thank you, s¡­ sir¡± I said nervously, but he didn¡¯t look at me or reply. Then, I took in a deep breath and stared down at the table. ¡î¡î¡î I went for my training afterwards and miss Beatrice gave us some new skills and after that, we were asked to perform one after the other. ¡°Good job. You all are impressive¡± miss Beatrice said when we were done. ¡°And you, Jeanne, I like the improvement in your dance steps. Keep it up¡± she said to me and I smiled shyly and bowed. Wow! It seems I¡¯m really making a great change. Then she went ahead to remind us of the traininging to an end in 2 days and on the 3rd day would be the voting. Gosh! I¡¯m really so nervous right now. When we were done, I decided to go out. But on my way out, I identally bumped into Tasha, stepping on her toes. Oh, no. ¡°Are you blind?¡± She asked immediately as she crossed her hands and faced me. ¡°Oh, my God, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± I said hastily, hoping she gets over it. ¡°Simply because your dance steps improved, it¡¯s already affecting your sight, huh?¡± She asked and I flinched. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s doing all these because she¡¯s jealous. ¡°Hey, she apologised already, right? Let it go¡± I heard someone say and I turned to see Megan stepping in. Tasha scoffed and turned to her. ¡°Can her worthless apology get her stupid dirt off my foot?¡± She asked angrily. ¡°Well, I suggest you cut it off, then.¡± Megan replied and took my hand. ¡°Come on, Jeanne. I wonder why you¡¯re wasting your time with such a pillock¡± she said and walked out with me and I could hear Tasha gasp. Oh my God! This Megan really has some nerves. Iughed. ¡°Hah! Thank you Megan¡± I said immediately we got outside. She smiled and faced me. ¡°it¡¯s nothing. But you really need to have some guts, Jeanne. Learn to fight back. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m sorry once more for the other day¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve talked about it, Megan¡± I interrupted with a smile. ¡°I understand. You don¡¯t have to keep apologising¡±. She sighed and hugged me. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have some snacks? Come on, bill¡¯s on me¡± she said and I agreed and we left for the canteen together. ¡°So, who¡¯s your role model?¡± She asked as she set two trays of cookies and canned drink on the table where we sat. ¡°Uhm¡­ I don¡¯t have one, yet.¡± I replied. ¡°Initially, it was Kim, but not any more¡±. ¡°Great¡± she said with a nod. ¡°And you. Do you have one?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course! Mira ¨C the dance diva.¡± She replied excitedly. Mira! Isn¡¯t that Daniel¡¯s ex girlfriend? ¡°Do you also like her?¡± She asked. ¡°Uhm¡­ kind of; not really¡± ¡°Oh, Jeanne. I think you should make her your role model. She¡¯s perfect and I adore her far more than Kim or whatever her proud name might be. ¡°Here; take a look at some of her pictures¡± She opened her phone and gave it to me and I started going through the pictures of Mira. Wow! She had like a thousand pictures of hers on her phone. It seems she¡¯s really obsessed with her ¨C the same way I was obsessed with Kim. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful¡± Iplimented, still going through the pictures. ¡°Of course she is. She actually won an awardst year under the CCG as the best female dancer in America. Ewen Kim couldn¡¯t beat her to it¡±. She replied happily. I kept sliding and came across a picture of she ¨C Megan ¨C with a cute boy. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s my¡­ ex¡± she said lowly and bit her lips. ¡°Wow! What happened between you two?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°Uhm¡­ don¡¯t really know. He just changed¡± she replied and I decided not to pressure her about it since it was obvious she didn¡¯t want to discuss it. I kept sliding and found lots of his pictures in there. Obviously, she was still in love with him. Then, I came across a picture of she and a pretty young woman together. What? Wait! I know this dy- woman. Yes! She¡¯s the samedy we had almost knocked down the other day on our way to school; the one who had said: *you¡¯ve really be this pretty huh?* The one I had seen at that party. The one who looks familiar to me. Yes! Howe she¡¯s with Megan? ¡°Megan,¡± I called as I turned the phone to her direction. ¡°Wh¡­ Who¡¯s that woman with you?¡± I asked, curiously. Megan looked at the picture and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s my mum¡± she replied and my eyes beamed. What? She¡¯s Megan¡¯s mum? 34 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°Is there something wrong?¡¯ She asked as I kept staring at the picture. ¡°Jeanne?¡± She called again, also bing curious. I can¡¯t believe thatdy¡¯s Megan¡¯s mum. Bute to think of it; could it be possible she recognised me and that was the reason she wanted me to leave when I had followed Megan home the other day? Could it be possible¡­she¡¯s someone from my past, but doesn¡¯t want to associate with me? I took my eyes back to Megan. ¡°Uhm¡­Megan,¡± I called and she rose her brows. She clearly wanted to hear what I had to say. ¡°Your mum¡­I want to speak with her¡± I said and she flinched. ¡°My¡­my mum?¡± She stuttered and I nodded. I took in a deep breath. ¡°Listen to me, Megan. There¡¯s something you don¡¯t know about me. I¡­I lost my memories and was found and adopted by the man who I take to be my father. But the truth is, I don¡¯t have a single idea where Ie from. I don¡¯t know my family or anyone from my past.¡± I enthused and her eyes dted in surprise. ¡°Oh, my God! Are¡­are you serious?¡± She asked bewildered. I know I don¡¯t like telling people about it; but right now, I need her help. ¡°You don¡¯t know where youe from?¡± She asked again and I nodded. ¡°H¡­How did this happen? Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± I sighed and brushed my hair backwards. ¡°So¡­how does that connect to my mum?¡± She asked after a pause. I clicked my tongue and leaned forward. ¡°I¡­I think your mum knows me, Megan. I mean, from my past¡± I said and she winced. ¡°Wh¡­What?¡± ¡°Yeah. There was a day Molly and I were on our way to school and we had almost knocked her down with our car. I rushed out immediately to apologise to her, but when she saw me, she said something like: *you¡¯ve really be this pretty, huh?* ¡°And with the way she had stared at me, so confusing; it was obvious she knew me; like I could feel it¡±. I paused and touched my hair. she was staring speechlessly at me. ¡°I know this might sound crazy, Megan, but, I¡¯d really appreciate it if you could help me get to her. I¡­I really wanna see her; get to talk to her and see if she could help me with any piece of information¡±. I concluded and stared into her face, expecting a positive reply. Oh, God! I really hope she finds it reasonable. ¡°Wow¡± she scoffed and didn¡¯t say any other thing for a while. ¡°So, you¡­you¡¯re suspecting my mum?¡± she asked. ¡°No, no, no. It¡¯s not the way you think, Megan¡­¡± ¡°it¡¯s alright, Jeanne.¡± She cut in with a light smile. ¡°Like I said, my mum is one of a kind. She¡¯s weird, and I know it. And I won¡¯t doubt it if you tell me such stuff about her. ¡°So, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m willing to help¡± she said and my eyes beamed. ¡°You¡­you will?¡± I asked ecstatically. Megan¡¯s Pov: I¡¯ve always known there was something fishy about mum. I mean, despite the fact she was my mother, I still knew she had a really huge big psst. So, I¡¯m not exactly surprised with what Jeanne said. And besides, I really want to help her. I couldn¡¯t take her to the house again; no. Mum would definitely throw her out. So, I told her of a n- a way we could get mum toe over to the studio. I sat, facing her, and made the call. ¡°Mum?¡± I said painfully on the phone. ¡°Megan?¡± She also called. ¡°Mum!¡± I cried. ¡°I really need your help, mum. Please. I can¡¯t move. My whole body seems to be on fire and I feel like falling.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Wh¡­what¡¯re you talking about? Where¡¯re you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in still in the studio, mum. Please, I really need you toe over and get me home. Please, mum¡± i said in a whimper and it was obvious she was already worried. ¡°Where the hell is your driver?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to reach him, but he said the car broke down and is at the mechanic. I¡¯m so scared, mum. Please, I really need to get out of here. Take me home¡±. She sighed. ¡°I can¡¯te over, Megan. Just¡­just get a cab¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you get me, mum? I can¡¯t move!¡±. ¡°Well, I seriously can¡¯te over. Ask someone there to give you a ride.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one to ask!¡± I bursted into tears immediately ¨C on the phone. But seriously, I wonder why mum¡¯s avoidinging to the studio. Right from the first day I enrolled here as one of the trainees, she warned me never to involve her in anything I do regarding the studio. ¡°Are the Loverboys in?¡± She asked after a long silence. ¡°No¡± I replied quickly, although I wasn¡¯t sure. But, it¡¯s been quite long I saw the Loverboys here. But why¡¯s she concerned about them? She didn¡¯t say any other thing, but only ended the call. ¡°is sheing?¡± Jeanne asked immediately, her eyes gushing. ¡°Of course¡± I replied with a smile. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I really hope this whole thing work. I really want to talk to Megan¡¯s mum. I stood at the facade of the studio, awaiting her to arrive. Megan was away; so I could have enough time to talk to her before she¡¯d show up. I stood there nervously and finally, her car arrived. Wow! Finally. I stood and watched as she drove in her red shy jeep and parked a little distance from the gate. She came out of the car, looking all gorgeous. She was putting on a short ck gown that exposed the whole of her chest, hiding just her nipples. Then, a set of ck heels and ck specks on her eyes. She was very young and pretty and I wonder what age she might have given birth to Megan. She brought out her phone and seemed to be making a call and I guess she was trying to contact Megan. Okay; this is my chance. I rubbed my palms together and walked to her direction. She didn¡¯t look at me until I finally got to where she was and I couldn¡¯t tell if she was surprised or not because of the specs she was putting on. I stood in front of her, staring at her and she stared back at me. For a moment, I was speechless. Then, she took off her specs and I could now stare into her sparkling eyes. ¡°G¡­Good day, ma¡¯am¡± I greeted nervously and she gawped at me. She stared at me for a while and didn¡¯t say anything; not immediately. ¡°Good day¡± she finally replied and took her eyes back to her phone. ¡°Uhm¡­ma¡¯am; do you remember me?¡± I asked and she lifted her eyes from her phone and shot me a stare. ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡± she replied simply and ced her phone on her ear. It seemed she was calling Megan, but she wasn¡¯t picking up. ¡°Uhm, ma¡¯am¡± I called and cleared my throat. ¡°I¡¯m the samedy that had almost knocked you down the other day. Do you remember? I had helped you from the floor¡±. She sighed and brushed her hair. ¡°Yeah¡± was all she said as she continued with her phone. She obviously didn¡¯t want to talk to me. ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you, perhaps, know me from somewhere? You look pretty familiar to me¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, right? I don¡¯t know you¡±. ¡°But¡­The other day, when we first met, you had said something like: *I¡¯ve really be this pretty* ¡°Wh¡­what did you mean by that?¡± She gawped at me and didn¡¯t say anything immediately. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me, youngdy, I have no idea who you are, okay? And that day, I had only meant to say you were pretty. Whatever you heard was a mistake¡± she replied quickly with a sigh.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Oh, God! This woman¡¯s really proving difficult. How do I get to her? ¡°Please, ma¡¯am, if there¡¯s anything you know about me, I¡¯d really want to hear it. You look so familiar to me and I¡­I have a feeling we¡¯ve met before¡± I said and hoped she¡¯d be able to spill something out. But, at that moment, I noticed a different look in her eyes. She seemed to be staring elsewhere and with the way she looked, it was obvious she was surprised ¨C scared. I turned to the direction she was staring at and saw Alex walking with some guards, although, he was far away and wasn¡¯t staring our direction. I flinched and looked at Megan¡¯s mum. Was she really staring at Alex? And why does she look so scared all of a sudden? ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡± I tried calling, but immediately, she opened her car and ran in; like, her body was shaking as she did. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡± I called and stood by her window. What is going on? Before I could say any other thing to her, she started the car and took off immediately. I stood abacked and watched blearily as she drove out the gate. She even left Megan behind. What could be wrong with her? Why¡¯s she running away from Alex? Why¡¯s she scared of him? Could she have something personal with him and doesn¡¯t want him to see her? But, what could it be? 35 Megan¡¯s pov: I climbed the stairs and headed to mum¡¯s room. But, even before I got to the door, she came out of the room and met me. ¡°Mum¡± I called immediately. ¡°What the hell happened? Why did you leave without me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me the loverboys weren¡¯t in the studio?¡± She asked angrily. ¡°Well, I¡­I had no idea they were in. Besides, why¡¯re you so concerned about them? Are you seriously running away from them? What did you do wrong¡­¡± ¡°Shut the fu*ck up!¡± She snarled and I was startled. Then she sighed and waved the bristle of her hair aside. ¡°Listen to me carefully, Megan¡± she said, pointing a finger at me. ¡°You¡¯ve barely spent 2 weeks at the Alpha Records, yet, you¡¯ve almost gotten me into the trouble ¨C twice. ¡°The next time you do this again, trust me, I¡¯m taking you out of the country¡±. And with that, she walked away. I remained standing, abacked. I didn¡¯t even know what to say or think. What the hell is wrong with mum? Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I almost found it difficult falling asleep as so many thoughts kept shing through my mind. I was so worried. First, I had to think about Megan¡¯s strange mum.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. I still had a feeling she knew me but was trying to avoid me. And why was she running away from Alex? Who is she to him? Secondly, I had to think about Kim and her warning. But why does she want me to quit my job? It isn¡¯t like I wanna do it. And I¡¯m scared what her reaction might be. Maybe I should tell Mrs Tristan about it. But, what if Kim denies it and make me look like a lier? What then would happen? As Iid alone on the bed, I shivered. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m quitting the nanny job. I don¡¯t want to. I can¡¯t leave Molly, Mrs Tristan and the loverboys. Although, I couldn¡¯t help but worry what Kim¡¯s reaction would be. ¡î¡î¡î The next morning, I bath Molly and dressed her up for school after attending to myself as well. On our way out of the room, I noticed Alex was in his room and was ying the keyboard. Oh, Alex; I didn¡¯t get to see him the previous night. They had attended a concert and didn¡¯t return on time. I stood and listened to the tune he was ying. It was familiar. Yes; it was that touching song he was ying the other day, the one I had suggested a chorus. Oh! How I wish I could tell him about it. ¡°Nanny, are you admiring my brother?¡± Molly broke into my thoughts and I flinched and looked at her. ¡°What¡¯re you saying, baby? Come on, let¡¯s go¡± I said and took her away before she¡¯d get me into trouble. On our way to the dining, a thought suddenly niggled at me. I stopped and turned to face Molly. ¡°Uhm¡­baby,¡± I called and held her hand. ¡°Can you do something for me?¡± ¡°What is it, nanny?¡± She asked, licking her tiny pink lips. Okay; I really hope this is gonna work out. ¡°Uhm¡­can you deliver a message to your brother when hees down to the dining?¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I want you to tell him to use a high-pitched chorus for the song he was ying this morning. Tell him it¡¯d be suitable¡±. She scoffed and gawped at me. ¡°A high-pink what?¡± She asked with a funny expression. ¡°it isn¡¯t high-pink. It¡¯s high-pitched. Say it; pitched¡±. I told her. ¡°Okay; pitched¡± she said and I smiled. ¡°Good girl. ¡°Now, make sure you don¡¯t tell him I asked you to do it, okay?¡± I said and she nodded and we continued on our way to the dining. when we got to the dining, I met Mrs Tristan and two of the loverboys ¨C Daniel and Malcolm. Carl was in his room. ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am¡± I greeted Mrs Tristan as Molly and I sat next to each other. ¡°Good morning, dear. How was your night?¡± She replied and asked. ¡°It was fine, ma¡¯am. ¡°Good morning, sirs¡± I greeted the loverboys and Daniel waved at me. ¡°Good morning, Jeanne¡± Malcolm replied and I smiled and sat down. We started eating and close to when we were done, Alex came down. Hah! Finally. . He walked down gracefully, trying to fix his sleeve button. ¡°Good morning, mum¡± he said lowly as he walked up to her and gave her a peck. ¡°Good morning, darling. Don¡¯t tell me you won¡¯t be joining us for breakfast today¡± Mrs Tristan replied, staring at him. He sighed and touched his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mum. I¡¯m having a meeting in less than an hour.¡± He replied and turned to Daniel. ¡°if Steven callster, could you stall him for me, please?¡± He asked and Daniel chuckled. ¡°Sure¡± he replied. I looked at Molly and she was staring back at me. Then, I signalled her to go ahead and she stood up. ¡°Alex!¡± She called just when he faced the door and he turned back to look at her. She stood in front of him and started twisting her finger. Oh, God! Are you sure I didn¡¯t make a mistake assigning this girl to this task? ¡°What is it, Molly?¡± He asked, wondering what she had in mind. ¡°Uhm¡­Alex¡± she called and coughed a little. ¡°I have a suggestion to make uhm¡­regarding one of your songs.¡± She paused and cleared her throat. ¡°I think a high-pink chorus would be perfect for it¡±. Oh, Jesus! Kill me! ¡°Pink what?¡± Alex scoffed and asked. She licked her lips and looked at me, then back at him. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s high-pit¡± she said and Danielughed. ¡°Are you trying to say high-pitched?¡± Malcolm asked. ¡°Oh, right. High-pitched.¡± She said quickly and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°So¡­which of the songs are you talking about?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Oh! She said it¡¯s the one you were ying this morning¡± she said and I felt a loud bang in my head. ¡°She?¡±; Alex asked with a scoff. ¡°What she?¡± She bit her nails. ¡°Oh! I meant to say *me* ¡°Damn it! Stop pushing words into my mouth. The most important thing is I want you to use a high-pit chorus. It¡¯s just a suggestion, but if you don¡¯t wanna make use of it, no problem¡± she said with a huff and started walking back to the dining. ¡°You¡¯re giving a suggestion you don¡¯t even know about¡± Daniel said withughter and she rolled her eyes. ¡°Thanks, Molly¡± Alex chuckled and said and left. I slowly turned and looked at her but she just faced herher food and didn¡¯t want to look at me. She knew she ruined the whole thing. Kimberly¡¯s Pov: I walked tho and fro, angrily at the balcony with Eva and Joyce behind me. ¡°Kim, you need to calm down. You can¡¯t let thatdy ruin your day¡± Joyce said, but it couldn¡¯t calm me down. ¡°How can she think of disobeying me?¡± I asked angrily. ¡°I told her to quit that God-damn job but she¡¯s yet to do it. Does she really think she can stand against me?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯re ways to take care of it. You shouldn¡¯t let her make you feel this restless¡± Eva said and I paused and stared into space. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. There are ways to take care of it. And I¡¯m so going to take care of thatdy¡± I said with loathfully. I can¡¯t wait toy my eyes on her. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: After receiving the morning lectures, I decided to go to the library to check out a particr book. On my way there, I took the stairs. And while I was still on the stairs, I ran into Kim and three of the lovergirls. They were also on the stairs and they stopped in front of me, making me unable to walk any further. Oh, God! Don¡¯t tell me. Some students were downstairs. Maybe, I should rush down and escape thesedies. ¡°G¡­Good morning, miss K¡­¡± Before I could finish up what I was saying, she pped me. What? I gasped and touched my cheek as I stared at her in shock. What the hell? ¡°How dare you disobey me?¡± She asked angrily, making a fist with her hand. I stuttered and tried moving back. ¡°I thought I asked you to quit the job? Did you think I was joking? Huh?¡± ¡°Miss¡­Miss Kim, I¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t talk when I¡¯m talking¡± she cut me off and immediately, pushed me down the stairs. I screamed as I felt myself going off the stairs. Why¡¯s this girl so cruel to me? I leapt to thest stairs and just when I was about falling to the floor, I felt myself push against a chest and next, I fell on the floor. But¡­I wasn¡¯t lying on the floor. I was lying on something; someone. My eyes were closed because of the shock; but after the strange urance, I opened my eyes to see what was going on. What-in-the-name-of-the-heavens!!! I was lying on top of Alex! Like; loverboy Alex! What the hell? Did I fall on him? But how? What¡¯s he doing in school? And why did I have to fall on him? Oh, my God! Kim pushed me on me. She probably had no idea he wasing. Oh, Jesus! I¡¯m lying on Sir Alex¡¯s chest! I left my mouth open in shock as our faces were almost touching each other¡¯s. I could feel his breath and I was sure he could feel mine as well. The students around were already screaming. I had no idea what Kim was doing now. But I fell on Sir Alex! Oh, my God! 36 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I suddenly felt a hand drag me up like a baby and I got to know it was one of Alex¡¯s guards. ¡°Sir¡­¡± the guards called and also helped him up from the floor. He sighed and nced at his shirt which had be stained. ¡°Alex!¡± Kim called in a frightened voice; running down the stairs. The three lovergirls came down as well. ¡°Oh, my God! I¡­I had no idea you wereing around. I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to do it¡± she said bitterly and tried holding his hands, but he withdrew them. ¡°Have you gone sane?¡± He asked and a wild gasp ran across the students. Oh, my God! ¡°What exactly were you thinking, Kim? How can you push someone off the stairs?¡± He asked angrily and touched his forehead. Kim fumed and red at me. I didn¡¯t even know what to say. ¡°She¡­she was being impossible, Alex¡± she said detestfully. ¡°And that¡¯s enough reason to push her off the stairs?¡± He asked and sighed. ¡°You need to apologise¡± he added. ¡°I already did. I said I¡¯m sorry¡± she replied, staring at him. ¡°Not to me; to her¡± Alex said and tilted his head to my direction and she scoffed. What? ¡°you¡­you want me to apologise to who?¡± She asked in disbelieve. ¡°To thedy you pushed down the stairs¡± he replied and my eyes dimmed. Huh? Kim should apologise to me¡­In public? What? She chuckled and moved backwards. Even the students had began talking within themselves. It was impossible for someone like Kim to apologise to someone like me. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± She asked with a scoff. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see anyoneughing¡± Alex replied and she heaved. ¡°Alex, I¡­I can¡¯t do it. It¡¯s all her fault. You can¡¯t expect me to apologise to her¡­here¡±. ¡°if you don¡¯t do it, Kim, you can be sure you¡¯re out of Alpha Records¡± Alex said and her face flushed. ¡°You¡­you won¡¯t do that¡± she stuttered. ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one way to find out¡± Alex replied and sheshe chuckled. Don¡¯t you think I should get out of here? She bent her head and ced her two hands on her waist. Anger was clearly eating her up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± she muttered angrily, staring at the floor. ¡°You have to do it properly.¡± Alex said. ¡°Look at her when saying it¡±. She exhaled and slowly lifted her head to look at me. Her eyes were glistening. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± she said repugnantly and ran away. ¡°Kim!¡± One of the lovergirls called as they also ran after her. Okay; maybe I¡¯m just dreaming. Did Kim actually apologise to me? My heart was beating rapidly. I looked at Alex and he shot me a stare and I quickly bowed my head. Then, he walked away with his guards. Seriously, I wish there was a way I could just vanish and find myself home. my legs seemed to be numb and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to walk. The students couldn¡¯t stop staring at me. Oh, my gee! Kimberly apologised to someone today¡­ I can¡¯t believe Alex stood up for thatdy¡­ Did you see the look on Kim¡¯s face? There were tears in her eyes¡­ They kept talking non stop and I had to find my way out of there. ¡î¡î¡î I so wasn¡¯t myself throughout the rest of the day in school. I just stayed in ss and didn¡¯t want to go out because my name was ringing all over the school building: *Loverboy Alex made Kimberly apologise to his crush* It was funny how news spread around. By 12pm, I went ahead for my training and it took me a lot to be able to follow up because my mind was so upied. But, thinking of it, with Kim¡¯s attitude towards me, what¡¯s gonna happen during the voting on Friday? I¡¯m scared she might influence the rest of the lovergirls not to chose me. Oh, God! What if I fail because of her? After the training, Megan and I ate together and talked about a lot of things. But she didn¡¯t bring up her mother¡¯s issue. I guess she was also fed up with it. When I got hometer in the evening, I helped Molly change and shower and we ate afterwards. The loverboys were yet to return and so was Mrs Tristan. I wonder what poor Molly must have gone through before I came here. When we were done eating, we sat at the dining and I helped her with her assignment. Then, we sat in the sitting room and watched some movies. It was an ¡°Henry danger¡± programme, but my attention was so not there. I leaned on the couch and closed my eyes, resuming my ruminative mood. I thought about a lot of things. Why does Kim treat me this bad? Is it because I don¡¯t have a family? Is that why she hates me? And my family¡­where could there be? Are they still alive? And do I really have one? Oh! Will I ever get to see them? Will i ever regain my memories? And what could be the reason behind my loss of memory? Could it be possible someone was behind it? But, who and why? I got lost in deep thoughts and didn¡¯t realise when I fell asleep. The next time I woke up was when the loverboys returned and were entering the sitting room. It was actually Molly¡¯s ring voice that woke me up. ¡°Good evening, Alex¡± she greeted with a smile and I rubbed my eyes to have a look at them. Oh, Alex! ¡°Evening, Molly¡±: he replied simply and took the stairs, his eyes buried in his phone. He didn¡¯t even look at her ¨C or me. I watched him as he took the stairs and remembered what he did for me in school. It also made me smile in front of the rest. I wish I could talk to him. ¡°Wats up, Jeanne?¡± Carl asked and that was when I could divert my attention to them. ¡°Uhm.. good evening, sirs¡± I said with a bow. ¡°Good evening, Jen¡± Malcolm replied. ¡°Good evening¡± Daniel also said and took the stairs. ¡°How have you been?¡± Carl asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine, sir. Thanks¡± I replied with a smile and they left the room afterwards. They all looked pretty tired. ¡°Do you like my brother, nanny?¡± Molly asked after a while and I opened my eyes in shock. ¡°Wh¡­What?¡± I asked bemused. ¡°Well¡­I¡¯ve seen the way you look at him. Are you crushing on him?¡± She said and I gasped. How does she know the meaning of crush? Gosh! I didn¡¯t say anything to her, but just coughed and pretended to concentrate on the movie. Then, she shrugged and also looked back at the Tele. Spoilt brat. After a while, I suggested we go to bed since it waste already, but she told me to follow her and I did. She took me out of the house and came out to the balcony, sitting on it. ¡°Why did youe here?¡± I asked her as she sat on the floor. ¡°Come on, nanny. Let¡¯s take some air¡± she replied and prodded me to sit and I sighed and sat next to her. Then, she looked up at the sky which was filled with sparkling stars. ¡°it¡¯s so beautiful, nanny. Isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked, staring beatifically at the stars. ¡°Mmm. Yeah.¡± I replied and also had a look at it.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t say anything immediately but just kept staring and smiling at it. ¡°Nanny, do you have a younger sister like me?¡± She asked and I scoffed. ¡°Uhm¡­I don¡¯t know. I mean, maybe¡± I replied and she shot me a confused look and stared away. ¡°Uhm¡­nanny, if you pass the training and be one of the lovergirls, are you going to leave and stop being my nanny?¡± She asked and the question struck at me. I haven¡¯t even thought of that. ¡°Of¡­of course, not, baby. We¡¯ll still be together¡± I replied perfunctorily and she smiled and nodded. Next, she ced her head on myps. ¡°Sing me a song, nanny ¨C a barbie song. It¡¯s been long you sang to me, remember?¡± She said while staring into my eyes with her dazzling eyes. This kid is one of a kind. I sighed and rubbed her hair with my palm. ¡°Okay, baby. But this time around, I won¡¯t be singing you a barbie song, but one of my own¡± I said and she nodded happily. I know she¡¯s just looking for a way to sleep. She falls asleep too quickly. I cleared my throat and began singing one of the songs I always love singing because it gives me hope. Molly was staring at me, with her head still ced on myps. The stars are up and bright tonight All it takes is just one wish Dreams may doe true But wishes never fail. Close your eyes and make that wish. Don¡¯t be scared it¡¯ll be okay¡­ I smiled as I sang satisfactorily, and my eyes were fixed on the stars the whole time. Wishes doe true They doe true Wishes doe true Just close your eyes and wish I finally concluded the song and took in a deep breath when I did. I looked at Molly and noticed her pretty eyes were closed. I smiled. What a fast-sleeper. Oh, God! How do I carry her in now? ¡°Where did you learn that song?¡± I suddenly heard someone say from behind and I quickly turned to see who it was. What? It was Alex! If not that Molly was on my legs, I¡¯d have sprang on my feet. He was standing by the doorway, but after speaking up, he started walking to where I was. ¡°Uh¡­It¡­It wasposed by me, sir¡± I replied as I fluttered my eye lids. He was putting on a short and a white T-shirt and didn¡¯t have a lot of jewelries on except for a gold chain on his neck and an ear ring on his right ear. He scoffed and dropped to a crouch beside me. ¡°You write songs?¡± he asked and I nodded lightly. I can¡¯t believe Alex is squatting close to me. His eyes were gleaming in the dark. ¡°it¡¯s beautiful¡± he added and my heart leapt. I smiled bashfully and bowed. ¡°T¡­Thank you, sir¡± I replied. Seriously, I think I¡¯m hearing jingle bells ying in my heart. Then, he stood up and took Molly from my legs, carrying her in his arms. Ah! Perfect! I also stood up and followed him as he started walking into the house. He took Molly to her room andid her on the bed and I covered her with the nket and turned off the bright lights. He walked out of the room and I also did and when I got outside and was about heading to mine, he stopped me. ¡°Come with me¡± he said and walked into his room and I flinched. Huh? Did¡­did he just ask me to follow him to his room? I rubbed my palms together and took in a deep breath before going in. Wow! A sweet fragrance weed me. The room was looking all blueish because of the dim lights that were on. Phones,ptops credit cards and ATM cards were scattered all over on the bed and table. I looked at the window side and found Alex sitting on the keyboard. I cleared my throat and drew near. ¡°Sit¡± he said and gestured me to sit on the chair opposite him and I did. We were now facing each other with the keyboard between us. ¡°Uhm¡­I didn¡¯t really get your message earlier on¡­about the song; the one you had asked Molly to deliver¡± he said and I opened my eyes in shock. ¡°S¡­Sir?¡± I called, gobsmacked and he chuckled. ¡°So, what song were you talking about?¡± He asked and I coughed a little. I can¡¯t believe he understood it. ¡°Uhm¡­its the song you were ying this morning¡­something about second chance¡± I replied and he looked down at the keyboard and striked some keys. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it. Let me hear you out¡± he said and started his soft touch on the keyboard. He yed a short intro and after few seconds, he entered with the first verse: I know I¡¯ve wronged you bad. Just hear what I¡¯ve got to say A second chance is all I need from you.. He sang it so beautifully and when he was rounding up the verse, he signaled me toe in with the chorus and I got myself ready. Then, I entered with the chorus I had in mind, singing on a high key: Don¡¯t you walk away Remember all you promised A second chance is all I need A second chance I ask I promise to be true And love you till I¡¯d die A second chance is all I need Just give me one more try He looked down at the keyboard as I sang and I noticed his eyes were beaming. Then, when I was done, he yed the keys for a little more while before halting. ¡°wow!¡± He said lowly. ¡°it¡¯s beautiful¡±. I smiled shyly and bowed. ¡°T¡­Thank you, sir¡± I replied and he nodded. ¡°This is a relief to me.¡± He said. ¡°My manager has been on my neck for a new song. So, I came up with this, but was having issues with the chorus. But, thank God you were spying on me and came up with this¡±. I smiled again and lowered my gaze. Well, that¡¯s all I could ¨C smile, smile, smile. ¡°So , I guess I have three things to thank you for¡± he continued. ¡°Thank you for treating my dog ¡°Thank you for always making that extraordinary coffee. ¡°And thank you for helping me with a chorus¡±. He looked at me while saying it and my heart skipped. Gosh! I can¡¯t even feel my buttocks anymore. It feels like I¡¯m sitting on the air. I¡¯ve always been scared he¡¯d skin me alive if he ever gets to find out; but here he is, thanking me. Carl was right. Alex is a fun guy. And tonight, I could see that softer side of him. I coughed a little and bowed again. I was so twitchy. ¡°I guess you should catch some sleep now. It¡¯s pass bedtime¡± he said and I nodded and stood up. I hope I don¡¯t trip when walking. I sauntered to the door but stopped when I got to it. ¡°Uhm¡­Sir,¡± I called and turned back to look at him and he was also staring at me. ¡°Thank you for what you did today in school¡± I said, nervously and he smiled. Wait; Alex just smiled at me today. Oh, my geeeeeee! ¡°Good night¡± he said warmly and after staring at him for a few more seconds, I finally opened the door and walked out. You guys should help me because I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to fall asleep today. 37 Kimberly¡¯s Pov: I smoked angrily in my room ¨C with EvaEva and Joyce watching. I hate everything! I hate Jeanne! Because of her, I was insulted. She made Alex make a fool out of me. ¡°I seriously can¡¯t believe Alex stood up for thatdy¡± Eva said and it increased my anger. ¡°Normally, Alex would had just walked away. But surprisingly, he forced you to apologise to her in public and that¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t imagine what thoseme students are saying about it. Some even went ahead to call her his crush and all that. This is so unbelievable¡± Joyce said. ¡°And I can¡¯t believe she wants to be one of us. I mean, what¡¯s gonna happen if she bes a lovergirl?¡± ¡°Not even in death!¡± I said angrily and turned to look at them. ¡°Over my dead body will I allow that animal be a lovergirl. The voting is taking ce tomorrow and I¡¯m gonna make sure I frustrate her. ¡°She¡¯s messed with the wrong person and I¡¯m gonna put her in her ce.¡± Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I woke up the next morning feeling so energetic and happy. It was a glorious day. I smiled when I recalled everything that had happened between Alex and I the previous night. Gosh! I can¡¯t believe i was able to fall asleep. I took my bath and dressed up and went ahead to attend to Molly. I stopped and looked at Alex¡¯s room, wishing I could see him, but it was locked. I shrugged and went into Molly¡¯s room. After bathing and dressing her up, we went down for breakfast and that was when I got to know the loverboys were not at home. They had left early that morning for an appointment. Oh-oh. Too bad. I was hoping I¡¯d see Alex. After breakfast with just Mrs Tristan, we left for school. ¡î¡î¡î Believe me when I say this, but my name was ringing on the lips of everyone in school. They all kept throwing nces at me and I could clearly overhear their conversation about me when I walk pass them. yes, she¡¯s the one¡­ Alex made Kim apologise to her¡­ I heard she works in the mansion¡­ Could there be any intimacy between them? I listened in amusement and couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Gosh! So many rumours I just hope I don¡¯t get into more trouble with Kim. After lectures, I went ahead for my training and today¡¯s section was really tedius because it was thest day of training and tomorrow would be the voting. We all sang and danced one after the other and miss Beatricemended us for it. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t eat heavy food beforeing tomorrow¡± she said in conclusion. ¡°when performing, clear your minds from every other thoughts. The only thing that should be important to you is the task ahead. ¡°Sing from the deepest part of your heart and dance for fun. Be confident. And I wish you goodluck¡± she rounded up with a smile and we appreciated her. Then, she left afterwards. Megan came to me and suggested we had snacks as usual . and I agreed. I wonder if tomorrow¡¯s event would affect our friendship. But I hope it doesn¡¯t. ¡°Tell me, Jeanne; what¡¯s the secret? Your dance steps have really improved¡± she said as we sat facing each other in the canteen and I smiled. ¡°it¡¯s just determination, Megan¡± I replied and she nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy for you. I wonder what¡¯s gonna happen tomorrow. Will the lover girls even make a pick?¡± She said and shrugged. It was obvious she was also curious and nervous. When we were done eating, she left, telling me she had an appointment with a friend. I walked back to our training hall which had be empty and I climbed the stage. I walked over to the speakers and turned on the music. I needed to practice more.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I started dancing and felt so good. Even if nobody told me, I could tell I was doing great. I danced for a long time but stopped when I noticed someone standing by the door. It was a lovergirl! I rushed and turned off the music. It was lovergirl Hetty; one of my favourites. And she doesn¡¯t move around with Kim and the rest. She was putting on a short and crop top and looked so ssic. What¡¯s she doing here? ¡°G¡­good day, ma¡¯am¡± I greeted nervously. ¡°Hi¡± she replied simply and walked in. ¡°You¡¯re one of the trainees, huh?¡± She asked and I nodded lightly. ¡°I love your moves. They¡¯re wonderful. Keep it up¡± she said and my eyes beamed. Did she reallypliment me? ¡°Thanks, ma¡¯am¡± I replied ecstatically and she smiled. ¡°But¡­they¡¯re some tiny errors you still made¡± she said and looked at her wrist watch. ¡°Got some time to spare?¡± She asked and I nodded. Of course. She walked to the speakers and turned on the music again and stood on the stage with me. Then, she started dancing and giving me some hints and I entered into another training section with her. It was incredible. When I got hometer in the evening, I helped Molly shower and eat. Then, we sat at the dining I helped her out with her homework. While we were doing it, the loverboys returned and sat in the sitting room. Hah! I saw Alex. I smiled as I watched them ¨C him ¨C sit frazzledly, throwing their phones beside them. They looked really tired. Carl, Malcolm and Daniel were putting on the loverboys polo, while Alex was putting on an all-white appearance and it was so beautiful. ¡°Gosh! That guy¡¯s aplete mess¡± Daniel said blearily and Carl chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he could be that stupid.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why he just can¡¯t ept the fact he¡¯s a looser¡± Malcolm added and I wondered whom they were talking about. They must¡¯ve had a busy day. Evans came in not long after with a tray of food and kept it in front of Daniel. ¡°I¡¯m so tired I can¡¯t even eat¡± He said as he opened the covered food and took out a meat. Well, obviously they were tired. They didn¡¯t even acknowledge my presence or Molly¡¯s. Evans left and returned with another tray and kept it in front of Carl and the next one he brought was for Malcolm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about mine¡± Alex said before he left. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m ready. But for now,¡± He paused and stood up. ¡°Tell your assistance to make me a cup of coffee¡± he added and took the stairs. What? I looked at Evans and he starred back at me and shrugged. Woah! Alex really wants me to make him a cup of coffee again? Evans left the sitting room, headed for the kitchen and I stood up and followed him. ¡°you didn¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve gotten an assistance, Evans¡± I said jokingly as I entered the kitchen. ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t. Alex did¡± he replied and I scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s pretty amusing he didn¡¯t get mad at you for what you did, you know?¡± He said as I prepared the coffee. ¡°Well¡­let¡¯s just say it¡¯s a miracle¡± I replied and he shrugged. When I was done with the coffee, I put it in a small te and took it to his room. I took in a deep breath before knocking on the door and his cold, yet sweet voice replied from inside: ¡°Come in¡±. I breathed out and opened the door, going in with the coffee. He was sitting on the bed with hisptop in front of him. ¡°Good evening, sir¡± I greeted with a bow as I walked in and he collected the coffee from me. ¡°Hi¡± he said simply and sipped from it. With the look in his eyes, it was obvious he liked it ¨C as usual. I gulped down nothing and turned around to leave. ¡°Your training¡¯s ending tomorrow, right?¡± He asked and I turned back to him. ¡°Yes sir¡± I replied with a nod. ¡°Good luck¡± he said and I smiled and bowed. I felt like asking him if he would be present for the vote, but I felt scared to. I really wished he¡¯de. He turned back to his system and I finally left the room. I woke up the next morning, feeling really really nervous. Today was the D-day; the day I became a lovergirl or not. I had decided not to go to school. So, I just prepared Molly and dropped her off at school. The loverboys were at home, but by the time I returned, they had left already. I stayed indoors and did more rehearsals. I would be singing a song by the loverboys ¨C Love me again ¨C which I had already discussed with the instrumentalists. I ate just pasta and when it was time, I dressed up and went to the studio. I walked into my training hall and discovered I was actually thest person to arrive as the rest of the trainees were already there. They were all looking exquisite and Megan waved at me immediately she saw me. ¡°Hey¡± she called and came to meet me. ¡°You¡¯re looking good¡± sheplimented and I smiled. Really? I¡¯m just putting on a white y gown and t shoes. ¡°You¡¯re nervous, huh?¡± She asked and I shrugged. ¡°i guess we all are¡± I replied and she chuckled. Tasha rolled her eyes at me when I looked at her and I scoffed. Like I care. Shortly, miss Beatrice came with three other people and spoke to us in a whispering like tone: ¡°The lovergirls are here!¡± She said as if it was a secret and my heart skipped. They¡¯re here! Oh, God! This is so happening. We all fixed our gaze at the door as we awaited their entrance and immediately, they came in. Wow! They were all looking stunningly beautiful with Kim in their middle. And they were just five of them. But, where are the rest? ¡°Wee, lovelies. Please have a seat¡± miss Beatrice said warmly to them and ushered them to seats which were facing the stage. The people miss Beatrice hade with, who were dressed in suits, also took their seats. I looked at Kim as she sat; facing us. She was putting on specs and made her look so hot. I wonder what¡¯s gonna happen now. I was so scared. Immediately, three other girls walked in. It was the rest of the lovergirls! Including Hetty who had danced with me yesterday. Wow! It seems they don¡¯t like moving with Kim and the rest. Could there be having issues? ¡°Weedies. Please have a seat¡± miss Beatrice said and also ushered them to a seat which faced the stage. I noticed one of the girls with Kim turned and red at one of them. Then, Miss Beatrice climbed the stage and took up the mic. ¡°So, let¡¯s begin¡±. she said and my heart began thumping fast. I suddenly looked at the entrance. There was no sign of the loverboys. Oh, God! Could it mean they won¡¯t being? Although, miss Beatrice had made it known they rarely doe, but I was hoping they would this time around. My anxiety suddenly increased. I was so scared. Will Kim allow me to pass this training? Miss Beatrice once again, told us what we need to do and Tessa was the first to go. She sang a song by the lovergirls which was written by Kim and she danced it so perfectly. Gosh! This girl was really a diva. Look at the way she twists her waist. Indeed; she was a dancer. But her singing skills wasn¡¯t as good as her dancing skills. Next, it was Megan¡¯s turn and she sang a song by Mira ¨C her role model. She was also a crazy dancer. But if you ask me, I¡¯d say Tessa still beat her to it. After her was Roxanne and she sang a song by the loverboys which was written by Alex. She also sang and danced to her best and after her, I was next. Oh, God! I took in a deep breath as I slowly walked to the stage. Gosh! I¡¯ve never been this nervous in my entire life. My hands were shaking. I cleared my throat as I stood in front of the mic stand and my eyes ran into Kim¡¯s. She made an evil grin at me when we made the eye contact and I quickly took my eyes away. Oh, God! Help me. Okay. Then, I introduced myself and my song and began singing. And even if I was too nervous, I could tell I was doing perfectly good. I sang and tried dancing as best as I could and caught Hetty smiling at me. When I was done, I bowed before leaving the stage and miss Beatrice came up. My hands were all sweaty. Oh, God! I really hope I performed well. ¡°Bravo, girls¡± miss Beatrice said. ¡°Bravo. You all were adorable; trust me. You did excellent. ¡°So, now it¡¯s time to hand the moment over to the lovergirls to cast their votes¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be no vote¡± Kim suddenly said and everyone flinched and looked at her. ¡°M¡­ma¡¯am?¡± Miss Beatrice called, confused. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to make use of a different method this section. And by so doing, I¡¯ll be the only one who gets to chose¡± she said and some of us gasped. What? ¡°Kim, what¡¯re you talking about?¡± Hetty asked with a scoff and Kim rolled her eyes and stood up. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll be making the choice. So, as it stands, I¡¯m chosing you, Tessa Patrick, as the new lovergirl¡± she said and Tessa screamed and ran out. Oh, my God! This is not happening. What? Hetty stood up immediately. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, Kim? This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s done. There need to be a vote¡± she said angrily. ¡°Shut the fuck up, Hetty. I¡¯m the leader and I get to make and change the rules. Now, if you¡¯re not happy with it, you can go to hell¡± Kim replied derogatorily and Hetty¡¯s eyes glinted with anger. ¡°You must be insane, Kim. This is not going to happen¡­¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Kim cut her off andughed. ¡°Do you really think you can stand me for a second? Seriously, bae; I¡¯d love to see you try¡±. Hetty fisted her hand and one of the girls with her held her by the shoulders. It was obvious there was nothing they could do about. But why does Kim have to act this way? Could it be because of me? My heart got turn apart. I felt hot tears form up in my eyes, about to pour out. I knew this was going to happen. My whole dreams were shattered. They had all gone to waste. Why does such misfortune have to be fall me? I looked at Kim and she was smirking at me. She¡¯s finally gotten what she wanted ¨C destroying my dreams. Oh, God! What do I do now? ¡°And who¡¯re you to change the rules?¡± I suddenly heard a familiar voice say from behind and noticed the lovergirls gasped in surprise. Wait, I know that voice. Of course I do! I quickly turned around with the rest of the trainees and there I found the loverboys, standing by the doorway with Alex in their middle. Whaaaat? The loverboys! They¡¯re here! They came! Oh, my God! 38 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: My heart beamed as I watched in ultimate surprise as they entered into the hall. Oh, my God! I thought they won¡¯t being. ¡°A¡­Alex?¡± Kim called in a shocked tone. She probably wasn¡¯t expecting him as well. ¡°I asked a question, Kim. Why did you change the roles? Why did you cancel the vote?¡± He asked again and she lowered her gaze from him, not knowing what to say. ¡°S¡­Sirs,¡± Miss Beatrice called and walked up to them. ¡°You¡¯re uhm¡­highly weed. Please, do have a seat¡± she added. ¡°How could you just stand here and watch injustice going on?¡± Carl asked, referring to miss Beatrice. ¡°We tried talking to her, Carl, but she kept babbling about being the leader¡± Hetty chipped in and Alex sighed. ¡°it seems that position is really getting into your head, huh?¡± He asked. ¡°I think I¡¯d have to file a report for a change of leader¡±. Kim winced and lifted her eyes to look at him. I could now see the fear in her. Wow! The loverboys were way more powerful than them. Well, I guess that¡¯s because they were formed from them. ¡°So, I guess they should go on with the vote; then¡± Daniel said, taking a seat. ¡°But, we weren¡¯t here to see their performances¡± Malcolm said. ¡°But¡­I¡¯ve already been chosen by Kim¡± Tessa said, dejectedly. ¡°The whole thing was a mess.¡± Alex said. ¡°Kim ruined it. You guys would have to perform again¡±. ¡°What? But¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not okay with it, youngdy, you can use the door¡± Daniel cut her off and she bent her head, seething with anger. ¡°But, Alex, I was just trying to make the whole thing fast. It¡¯s not like I had any bad intention¡± Kim groused. ¡°Well, it is a bad intention, Kim. Now sit, let¡¯s go on with this¡± he replied a little pissed off and they all had their seats. Kim was thest person to seat. Oh, my God! Are we really going to perform again? Do I¡­do I really have a second chance at this? Tessa walked back to us, joining us back in the line. I can¡¯t imagine how she must be feeling right now. ¡°Okay,dies¡± miss Beatrice came to us again. ¡°You¡¯ve heard the new development, right? So you¡¯re all going to perform again with a different song and I¡¯d advice you give it your best because this is going to be your veryst chance. ¡°Good luck¡± she added in a whisper and left us. I ced my palms together and sighed. I can¡¯t believe this is really going to happen now. So, thepetition was still on. Tessa was the first to go and she sang a song by another famous artiste. But it seems the frustration from what still happened was still at her as she couldn¡¯t dance perfectly like she used to. After her was Megan and she sang a song by the lover boys and danced to her best this time around. Roxanne went up next and she also sang a song by the loverboys which she did almost perfectly. Finally, it was my turn and I climbed the stage, nervously of course. I took in a deep breath as I stood in front of the standing mic. I looked at Alex and noticed he was staring back at me. Oh, God! I hope I can do this. I introduced my song which was one of the songs iposed and began singing. At first, I was super nervous and scared. But as time went on, I became more free and rxed and brought in that dancing spirit again. I removed the mic from the stand and held it in my hand so I could move about while singing and trust me, it was so interesting. I even noticed Carl smiling at me the whole time. But Alex, he had a vacuous expression on, although he was staring at me. * I concluded with a stylish posture and Hetty rounded it up with a p. Oh, my! I really hoped I did well. I bowed and left the stage, going back to where the rest of the trainees were. ¡°Good job, girls. That was amazing¡± miss Beatrice said as she climbed the state again. ¡°Now, let¡¯s give it up to our idols to take the vote.¡± She added and turned to the loverboys and lover girls. A piece of paper and pen were already in front of them and they were expected to write down the name of the person they find to be the best. They all took up the papers and pens and scribbled down on it and when Miss Beatrice was sure they were done, she went over to them and collected the papers from them, giving it to the other three women who were sitting on a different table. The women were probably trying to total the numbers and I suddenly started wishing it¡¯d dy a bit, feeling scared of the oue. Then, after two minutes, Miss Beatrice went back to them and they gave her a list and she climbed back to the stage. ¡°Okay¡± she said as she looked into the list. ¡°Right now, I¡¯ll be calling out the numbers of votes. ¡°Tesaa Patrick-2 votes. ¡°Roxanne Myers ¨C I vote. ¡°Megan Jones ¨C 3 votes. ¡°And Jeanne Raymond¡±, She paused and looked at me. ¡°6 votes¡± she said with a smile and I didn¡¯t realise when I screamed. Oh, my God!!! Tell me this is a dream! Oh, God, please! This is a dream! Ahhhhhhhh! ¡°Congrattions, Jeanne¡± she said genially and all I could do was weep. I can¡¯t believe I passed the training. I¡¯ll be a model! ¡°This is not fair!¡± Tessa said angrily and ran away in tears. Kim stood up immediately and left with her crew. The loverboys also stood up, smiling. Megan came up to me and pulled me in a hug. ¡°Congrats, girlfriend¡± she said with a smile and I was kind of shocked. ¡°Megan¡­¡± ¡°Come on; I . mustn¡¯t necessarily be a lover girl to be a musician. There¡¯ll be other opportunities¡± she said and I smiled ruefully and embraced her. ¡°Thank you¡± I said and she rubbed my back. I turned to the loverboys direction and caught Alex staring at me. Then he smiled and walked out. Daniel waved at me and also left and so did Malcolm. But Carl was the only one that came up to me. ¡°Congrats, Jen¡± he said and pulled me In a hug and I kind of felt surprised. ¡°Thank you sir¡± I replied and he brushed my hair and also left. The three lover girls left also waved at me before walking out. Oh, God! This whole thing still seems like a dream to me. Then, miss Beatrice came up to me. ¡°Congrattions once more, Jeanne. Please,e with me¡± she said and started walking out and I turned and looked at Megan who was still in the hall. ¡°Good luck. See youter¡± she mouthed to me and I smiled at her before walking out. I followed Miss Beatrice to where ever it is she was going and finally, we got to an office. I was so happy. I followed her into the exquisite office and there I met a woman in it. She smiled at me as I walked in. ¡°Congrattions, Jeanne¡± the women said and I replied with a bow. ¡°She¡¯ll enlighten you on the next steps, Jeanne. So, feel free around her¡± miss Beatrice said and left. I looked back at the woman and she gestured at me to sit and I did, facing her. ¡°I¡¯m Mrs Naomi and it¡¯s nice meeting you. ¡°Once again, congrattions for passing the training. But just so you know, you¡¯re notpletely a lovergirl yet. ¡°Your sess will be confirmed after your performance live on stage with one of the loverboys. And ording to the schedule, the loverboy you¡¯ll be paired up with is Alex. And just so you know, the performance will be taking ce in Korea. So, that means you¡¯ll be travelling to Korea with Sir Alex a day after tomorrow¡±. My heart skipped. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡­you mean I¡¯ll be going to Korea with sir Alex?¡± I asked, gobsmacked. ¡°Yes. And you¡¯ll be spending three days there with him. ¡°We¡¯re working on your tickets now. But every other thing has been set already. You¡¯ll be making use of thepany¡¯s jet and the suite where you¡¯ll be staying has already been arranged as well. You¡­¡± ¡°Uhm¡­excuse me, ma¡¯am¡± I interpted, politely. ¡°Are you trying to say Sir Alex and I will be staying in the same apartment for that three days?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes dear. As a matter of fact, there¡¯s just one bedroom in the suite¡± she replied with a smile. Whaaat? I¡¯ll be sleeping in the same room with Alex for three days? ¡°You¡¯re happy, right?¡± The woman asked and giggled. ¡°Well, I know how you feel. Millions of girls are dying to find themselves in that position. ¡°So, like I was saying, you¡¯ll be going with him a day after tomorrow and you¡¯re gonna practice for two days and on the third day, you do your performances in front a huge crowd. Like, almost the entire Koreans will be there at the concert. ¡°Now, the trick is this; Alex is a well known loverboy. So, anyone who watches his musical video or show gets carried away by it. So, if you get to perform with him at the concert and arge number of people gets to notice you instead of Alex, then it means you did really great and you automatically be the next lovergirl. So, you need to put in your best¡± she enthused and I sighed heavily. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am¡± I said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re wee dear. Now, you¡¯ll being back tomorrow for some verifications. Congrattions once again¡± she saidsaid and stretched out her hand for a handshake and I collected it and stood up. ¡î¡î¡î I got home feeing super excited. My heart was dancing to some harmonies. immediately I entered into the sitting room, I was taken abacked by Molly¡¯s ring voice. ¡°Nanny!¡± She called excitedly and ran to me, embracing me tight. Iughed and cuddled her. ¡°Congrattions, nanny. I heard you passed the training. I¡¯m so happy for you¡± she said In her tiny sharp voice and I smiled and kissed her on the hair. ¡°Thank you, baby¡± I replied and just then, Alex came walking down the stairs. ¡°Get ready, nanny; we¡¯re going to the cinema¡± she said and it puzzled me.¡± ¡°To the cinema? Why?¡±. I asked, nonplussed. ¡°To celebrate your victory!¡¯ ¡°I haven¡¯t agreed to it, Molly¡± Alex said as he entered the sitting room, his hands in his trouser pockets. ¡°Come on, Alex. Remember, i told you there¡¯ll be showing a an interesting episode of Elena of Avaldor today. She¡¯ll be acting with snow white and it¡¯s one in a lifetime opportunity. All the kids will be there¡± she expounded. ¡°So, are you going there to watch Elena or you¡¯re going there to celebrate your nanny¡¯s victory?¡± He asked and she rolled her eyes and said: ¡°Both¡±. Then, he chuckled. ¡°Good evening, sir¡± I greeted him with a bow and he came closer to where we were, now standing in front of me. ¡°Congrattions¡± he said and I smiled and bowed again. I wonder if he¡¯s aware I¡¯ll be going to Korea with him. ¡± Time is running out, Alex. Are we going?¡± Molly asked and he sighed and touched his forehead. ¡°Gosh! Where did I take such sister from?¡± He muttered but I heard him andughed lightly. ¡°Alex¡­¡± ¡°Fine! Get ready. We¡¯re going, okay?¡± He said and Molly jumped up in excitement. ¡°even a ghost doesn¡¯t hunt someone this way¡± Alex said as he walked away, probably going to get ready. ¡°Nanny!¡± Molly called happily. ¡°Come on, nanny; let¡¯s get ready. We¡¯re going to the cinema!¡± She said as she held my hand and Iughed and climbed the stairs with her.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Wow! So, I¡¯ll be going out with Alex again. But it¡¯s gettingte already. When are we going toe home? 39 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: We walked into the breathtaking cinema and I gasped as I looked around. This was my first time here and it was beautiful. Molly held my hand as she walked beside me while I walked beside Alex who¡¯s guards were behind us. Immediately the people around noticed us ¨C Alex ¨C they all got excited. Whaaat? It¡¯s loverboy Alex! Oh, my God! Are you kidding me? If not for the guards behind him, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d have all been crowding him by now. Alex¡­ Alex¡­ They all couldn¡¯t stop saying his name as they also started taking pictures of him. We went over to the receptionists who also became excited. ¡°Good evening, sir. ¡°Good evening ma¡¯am. We¡¯re d you¡¯re here¡± one of thedies said with a wild smile. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re here to watch Elena of Avatar¡± Alex replied and looked at Molly. ¡°It¡¯s not Avatar, Alex. It¡¯s Avaldor¡± she said and he shrugged and looked back at the receptionist. ¡°Oh, sir. I¡¯m sorry, but that was shown yesterday; not today¡± she replied and Molly flinched. ¡°What?¡± She shrieked. ¡°But Chloe told me it would be shown today. She¡¯s such a liar¡±. She sighed despondently. Woah! So we just came all the way here for nothing? ¡°Well¡­I guess we should be on our way then¡± Alex told her and she huffed. ¡°Uhm¡­but sir, we do have a lot of interesting movies to watch over here. You can take a look¡± the receptionist said and gave us a list of the avable movies. Alex went through them briefly and passed the list to me. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of movie. What do you think?¡± He asked and I ran my eyes through the list. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s asking me to make the chose. ¡°Uhm¡­The divorce¡± I said and pointed to it. ¡°That sounds boring. Who¡¯s nning a divorce among you two?¡± Molly asked and the receptionistughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, pretty. But we don¡¯t have any kid shows tonight. You can only find them during the day time¡± she said and molly and molly groaned. Then, Alex booked our tickets and we moved over to the food section. Each of us carried what we wanted. Molly took some popcorn, sausages, biscuits and limca drink. I took some popcorn and a bottle of coke. While Alex just collected a bottle of coke as well. One of his guards stayed behind to pay for everything while we proceeded to the movie hall. ¡°I love you, Alex!¡± Someone shouted from the crowd and he turned back to see who it was, but couldn¡¯t spot her from the crowd. He just smiled and waved at the crowd and we continued on our way. Wow! I wonder what it feels like being a celebrity. We walked into the enormous movie hall which had almost been filled up and found our way to the back to get a seat. The people who we already there couldn¡¯t believe seeing Alex in the same hall with them. Hah! Oh, my gee! It¡¯s Alex!¡± Gosh! Do celebrities always receive such treatments each time they¡¯re in public ces? Alex, Molly and I went to the backback while one of his guards followed us in and sat behind us. Almost all the people there kept turning back to look at us until aputerised voice spoke from the speakers: *quiet, please. Movie in progress* I noticed Alex heaved a huge sigh of relief and finally, the lights went off and the movie started. Just the bright light from the TV reflected in the room. And the sound systems were superb. Wow! Now I¡¯ve known the difference between watching a movie from the cinema and watching at home. I¡¯ve always thought it was a waste of time and money. people who came with snacks started eating from theirs and molly didn¡¯t hesitate to open hers as well. She consumed the sausage and went for the biscuits immediately and next, the drink. . The popcorn was thest thing she ate with relishment. I also opened my popcorn and coke and started eating with courtesy. Alex just opened his coke and sipped from it and that was it. He didn¡¯t touch it again.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The whole ce was quiet and just the sound of the movie could be heard. I leaned properly on my seat and tried concentrating on the movie. At the start of it, it was noted it was written and produced by Faith Lucky. I think I¡¯ve heard of thatdy before. It seemed interesting. It was a story of two young couples who married forcefully because they were betrothed to each other. They didn¡¯t really want it, but their hands were tied since their families willed them to it. The boy¡¯s name was Robin. And the girl¡¯s name was Andrea. Robin hated it to the core that he was forced to get married to Andrea because he had someone else whom he loved. He always saw her as a bad luck and wished he wasn¡¯t with her. And Andrea¡­she didn¡¯t entirely like the idea of getting married to Robin, but she liked him. A part of her was happy she ended up with someone like him and she prayed someday, he¡¯d get to like her. She fell in love with him. She badly wanted to be the perfect wife, but her work kept getting in her way. She was an ountant and barely had time for herself, nor her family. It pained her a lot but Robin didn¡¯t seem to care much about it. They remained married for five years and Robin only made love to her once in a blue moon. One day, one terrible day, she found out a disastrous secret; something she wished she didn¡¯t have to know. It shattered her life; her dreams, although, they didn¡¯t let the secret known to us at that moment and it got everyone kind of curios. She returned home, frazzled to tell her husband about it. But to her greatest surprise, she caught him having s*x with ady right on their matrimonial bed. Geez! What kind of a husband is this? I turned and looked at Molly and she had ced her tiny head on Alex¡¯s shoulder. Ah! Definitely she¡¯ll be asleep within the twinkle of an eye. 40 Andrea was devastated. What could be more shocking than this? she busted into tears and sat on the floor, crying out her eyes. Thedy quickly dressed up and ran out of the house. Her name was Becky and she was Robin¡¯s mistress. Robin felt remorse, of course, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything to Andrea as she sat crying on the floor. He went to her and tried holding her, but she pped him. Wow! I love that p. I wish she could give him more of it. He stared at her for some time and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Andrea¡± he said. ¡°This whole thing was a mistake. We were never meant for each other.¡± He paused and breathed out heavily. ¡°I want a divorce¡± he said and Andrea¡¯s eyes glinted. Oh, God! How can he do such a thing to her? She looked at him in disbelieve and told him to get out, tears rolling down her cheeks. He stared at her for sometime and stood up and left. He made use of the guest room that night. She kept crying through the night and couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Yes, she stayed awake all through. The next morning, surprisingly to Robin, he woke up and discovered she had prepared breakfast ¨C something she rarely did because of her work. And why was she still at home? She greeted him genially like nothing happened between them the previous night. He was startled. She told him to join her for breakfast, but he refused, feeling suspicious. Then, she ate from the te he was supposed to eat from and he became rxed a bit and decided to join her. He didn¡¯t even bother to ask why she was still at home, instead of going to work. After eating in silence, he brought up the divorce issue again and the way she responded to it shocked him. She smiled and told him she was ready to do it; but just on one condition; she needed a favor from him. He was curious to know what she wanted and finally, she spilled it out. She told him she wanted them to stay as happy couples for just three weeks and after that, they could go on with the divorce. Robin was stunned and found the idea absurd. Why the hell does she want them to stay together for three weeks before going on with the divorce? He told her he didn¡¯t like the idea and she went on to plead with him and consider it herst wish to it. He made it clear to her he wouldn¡¯t develop any feelings for her if that was what she wanted. And she told him she didn¡¯t have a problem with that just as long as he stayed with her for those three weeks. Then, he agreed. He went back to his mistress and told her not to worry; that everything would be over in three weeks and they could finally be together. Becky was overwhelmed and couldn¡¯t wait for those three weeks to pass by. Days passed and Robin noticed something different in his wife ¨C although he couldn¡¯t really spot it out. She always prepared breakfast before leaving for work and always came back early enough to make dinner for him. She suddenly had more time for him than she used to and it was really surprising. He enjoyed her meals and her warmth close to him on the bed. He found himself making love to her more often. Well, that was the deal, right? Stay as happy couples for three weeks. Days turned into weeks and a lot of things happened Robin found himself feeling something he¡¯s never felt for his wife before. It¡¯s as if some beauty in her was hidden and he was just discovering them. On one cool evening, he was driving along the bank where she worked and decided to drop by to know if she was through so they could go home together. Surprisingly, when he got there, he was told she had stopped working there some weeks ago. She quit the job. Robin found It hard to believe as he puzzled over it. He quickly drove home and when she returned, he asked her about it and was shocked by her reply. With tears, she told him she had quit her job so she could have more time for him. And all those time she left, iming she was going to work, she had been going to her mother¡¯s ce. Robin couldn¡¯t believe what he heard. So, she quit her job because of him? To make him happy? Why? Time flew like the wind and Robin found himself spending more time with Andrea than he did with Becky. And finally, their three weeks deal waspleted and it was time for the divorce. Robin got a call that morning to the office and when he met with the manager, he received the best news of the year that he had been transferred to Paris to manage one of thepanies there. He gave a shout of joy and couldn¡¯t wait to tell his wife about it. Of course, she was his wife. There was no way he was letting go of her. He had been confused about it before; but finally, he¡¯s gotten to know he was in love with her.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Yes! He loved her and would spend the rest of his life with her ¨C in Paris. He drove home excitedly and on a high speed. But on reaching home, his bubbles were busted. He found her lying unconsciously on the bed. He called and tapped her, but there was no response. And he didn¡¯t hesitate to rush her to the hospital. Oh, God! She had cancer! Robin cried his eyes out as the doctor told him about it in the office. She only had three weeks to live ¨C which had already been spent with him ¨C and now, she was a living corpse. The doctor made it clear she only had minutes to live. And another shocking news he received was this- she was pregnant. Oh, God! No! She was going to die with the baby! I felt my cheeks bing hot as tears formed up in my eyes, but I tried not to let it out. I just hope this doesn¡¯t happen. She can¡¯t die. Robin sat in front of her on the hospital bed, holding on to her hand, crying profusely. But she was too weak to weep. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡± He whimpered. ¡°That was the day you told me you wanted a divorce¡± she replied and his acrimony increased. How could he have been so stupid? Why did he ever act the way he did in the past? All those time she tried being the perfect wife for him, he had no idea she was dying and was just trying to use thest moments of her life to make him happy. Why did such misfortune have to be fall him? ¡°Please, forgive me, Andrea. Stay for me. I love you¡± he cried in her palms and she smiled ruefully. ¡°I¡¯ve always loved you, Robin; despite the fact we were forced to get married. And it has always been my wish you get to love me. At least, knowing you loved me before I died, is a sweet memory I can take home. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. We were probably never meant to be. But I¡¯m d I have a ce in your heart¡± she said tearfully and Robin buried his face in her palm and soaked it with tears. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose her. Where would he get someone like her again? She was too special; too unique. Oh! If only he knew, he¡¯d had cherished all the times he had with her. He¡¯d had made all their moments fun. But why can¡¯t he have a second chance? Her hands went cold and stiff. He didn¡¯t hear anything from her again. The anaesthetic machine had gotten to a t line. He lifted his eyes from her palms where he wept and looked at her. His eyes widened with shock. He ran out of the room immediately, yelling on the doctors and nurses. They ran in and set to work immediately while he watched blearily from the window. But, it was obvious. He didn¡¯t need the doctor to tell him even after he saw him shook his head. His breathing had be tensed. More tears flowed down his cheeks as he watched them cover her up with a white cloth. That was the moment he knew he had lost a precious gem ¨C one that could never be reced. * 41 Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as the movie came to an end with that. Oh, God! Why did she have to die? Why is it this tragic? Why did she die just when her dreams were abouting true? It was too heartbreaking. Tears strolled down my cheeks uncontrobly as I kept staring at the TV screen which was now disying the casts. I still found it hard to believe. It felt so real; like it had happened in front of me. ¡°Jeanne¡± Alex called and that was when I realised people were already leaving the hall- most of them grumbling as well. I couldn¡¯t look at Alex because of the tears I was shading. So, I just stood up quietly while he followed and the guard behind us carried Molly on his shoulders as she was still fast asleep. We walked out together and I kept my head bowed the whole time so Alex doesn¡¯t see my tears. I was trying so hard to control it, but I couldn¡¯t. I hate tragic movies. They get me too emotional. We got outside and I stood and awaited the guard to lie Molly in the car. I fixed my hands in my cardigan pockets and took in a deep breath, trying to stop the tears. Then, suddenly, Alex came upto me and surprisingly used his palm to clean my face, wiping off my tears. I lifted my head in shock to look at him and I caught him smiling. ¡°You¡¯re one funny person, Jeanne. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re crying over a movie¡± he said and I scoffed and bent my head. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry, sir¡± I replied, not knowing why I was apologising, anyway. He went to the car and returned with a face cap, putting it on. ¡°Come on; let¡¯s get some ice cream¡± he said and my eyes sparkled. What? He wants us to walk together? I stared at him, puzzled and he took the lead and I followed. His guards tried following us but he signalled them to stay behind. So, we walked alone. My sniffles were beginning to die bit by bit. But I still had that urge to cry. Alex and I walked silently along the tranquil street and finally, we got to an ice cream kiosk. He collected two cups of ice cream ¨C one vani; the other banana and he gave the banana vor to me. The cap he was putting on was really being of help, although the ice cream man kept staring at him like he looked really familiar. After paying him off, we left the kiosk and I thought we were heading back to the car, but we weren¡¯t. He took me to an unknown ce where we used adder in climbing the high part of the building. What is this ce? And how does he know somewhere like this? I got a little scared when climbing thedder, but Alex supported me till I got to the top and he climbed up afterwards. I noticed it was a t surface and Alex held my hand to sit and he sat beside me. Wow! What a lovely view. It seemed as if we were in the air and were close to the sky. A lot of dancing stars filled the sky and the atmosphere was so breezy. I got lost staring at the stars. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, huh?¡± Alex asked and I nodded without looking at him. It was such a beautiful sight to behold. He didn¡¯t say anything immediately as he licked slowly from his ice cream and I also decided to find time to lick mine as well since it was beginning to melt. ¡°You know, back in those days, my friend and I, whenever we were tensed, we¡¯d just take some ice cream together¡± Alex said and I shut him a stare. Why do I have a feeling he¡¯s talking about Theo? I lowered my gaze to my ice cream and took in two spoons. ¡°Sir,¡± I called after a pause. ¡°Can I ask a question?¡± I asked and he nodded.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Then, I cleared my throat. ¡°Uhm¡­back then in school, during Mr Leonard¡¯s ss, when those people in suit hade in and asked you about some missing stuffs in that store; why did you lie about the fact that you had seen me in the store that day?¡± I asked and he smiled lightly and looked at the stars. ¡°Well¡­I had a feeling you didn¡¯t do it. So, there was no need pointing you out.¡± He replied and I was startled. I looked into his face as he stared into the stars and I smiled. I ate from my ice cream again and joined him in staring at the stars. It was so beautiful. ¡°Do you believe in the wishing stars?¡± He suddenly asked and I dallied a little and replied: ¡°Yes, sir¡±. ¡°Have you made one before?¡±:he asked and I nodded slowly. ¡°So, has any of ite true?¡± He asked and I nodded again. ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­I had wished to be a musician and it¡¯s alreadying true. ¡°And¡­as for the other wish, I know it¡¯lle true someday¡± I replied and he nodded slowly. ¡®So.. wishes doe true¡± he said but I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a question or a statement. ¡°I wish it does¡± he added in somberness and kept quiet for a while. I could see that morose nature of his slowly trying to take over. Please, don¡¯t. ¡°Can you sing me a song? That song you were singing the other night; something about stars and wishes¡± he said and I felt surprised a bit. Wow! Alex really wants me to sing for him? ¡°Uhm¡­okay, sir¡± I replied and cleared my throat and began singing. The whole ce was calm and peaceful and Alex stared into space as my voice went on. The stars are up and bring tonight. All it takes is just one wish Dreams may doe true But wishes never fail.. Oh¡­Make a wish. The stars are up tonight. And they¡¯re waiting for that wish All you need to have is faith¡­ I fixed my eyes on the stars as I sang on a low key. I enjoyed doing it. Wishes doe true Wishes doe true They doe true Wishes doe true I sang the chorus, but surprisingly, when I was about singing it again, Alex took it from me and sang it in a stylish way and I was shocked. I quickly turned and looked at him in surprise as he sang the chorus so angelically while staring at the stars. Oh, my! He¡¯s singing my song! When he finished the chorus,. I sang it again, this time around in a high key, hoping he¡¯d join me, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he just smiled and stared downwards. But when I tried singing the chorus again, he joined me this time around and we sang in perfect harmony. I was singing on a high key while he sang on a key that wasn¡¯t high or low- just perfect. Oh, my God! It was so beautiful and I didn¡¯t realise a tear was rolling down my cheek. Iughed tearfully when we rounded up the song and I covered my mouth with my palm. Oh, God! I wish we could do it again. ¡°So, have you made a wish?¡± He asked after a while and I sniffed and cleaned the tear off my face. Then, I closed my eyes and made a wish ¨C the same wish I¡¯ve always made. ¡°I wish I find my family¡± I said while looking at the stars. Then, I turned to Alex. ¡°And you, sir? Have you made a wish?¡± I asked and he sighed and nodded. ¡°I already have¡± he replied and I rose my brows. I wonder what he wished for. He looked at his ice cream which had melted and threw it away. Mine had also melted, but I gulped down the liquid instead of throwing it away. I couldn¡¯t waste it like that. ¡°Come on; let¡¯s go¡± Alex said and I nodded and we stood up together and climbed down thedder. He held my hand as I climbed down from thedder and it kind of felt strange to me. ¡°Have you been told we¡¯ll be going to Korea together?¡± He asked as we walked back to the car. ¡°Y¡­Yes, sir¡± I replied a little bashfully. I felt odd talking about it, I mean, considering the fact we¡¯ll be staying alone in the same apartment. We didn¡¯t say anything to each other as we finally got to where the cars were parked and Oh, my God! Alex and I have been holding hands the whole time! He finally let go of it as the guards opened the door for us and he prodded me to go in first and I did. Molly was in the other car since she was sleeping. So, Alex and I made use of one car, sitting next to each other. The drive was silent as Alex kept staring through the window the whole time. It seemed he had something going on in his mind. I kept reying the whole thing that had happened in my head. They were almost bringing tears into my eyes again. And just like a dream, Alex was bing nice to me ¨C someone who had told me to stay away from him because he disliked me. The whole thing was a miracle. We finally got home and the guards opened the door for us and we came out of the car. One of the guards carried Molly from the car and started taking her into the house and I followed him so I could cover her up in bed. Alex followed behind ¨C silently. ¡°Good night, Jeanne¡± he told me when I was about entering into Molly¡¯s room. Oh! I had kind of expected him toe in with me. Gosh! What am I even thinking? ¡°Goodnight, sir¡± I replied with a bow and watched him entered his room. Hold on; he was kind of looking cold now. What could be wrong with him again? I remained standing and staring at the closed door until the guard that had gone toy Molly came out of the room and I went in. 42 Alex¡¯s Pov: I walked into the room and plonked myself on the bed, burying my face in my palms. I knew this was going to happen; ¨C these feelings -it was something I¡¯ve been trying to avoid; something I¡¯ve been scared of. She¡¯s beautiful and has a killer voice and from the very first day I saw her here, I knew this was going to happen. I knew the feelings woulde again. She was so pretty when she cried . and all those times she smiled at me made me remember what it felt like to be loved again. I don¡¯t want to be this cold hearted guy that I¡¯ve be. I want to fall in love and live a happy life. But I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared of these feelings I¡¯m beginning to get for Jeanne because it¡¯s only going to put her life in danger. He¡¯s going to kill her if he finds out. Yes, it¡¯s Theo. I betrayed him- did something terrible to him in the past. But it wasn¡¯t my fault. I was only forced to do it. But he wouldn¡¯t understand it and vowed to make sure I don¡¯t ever experience love again because I took away the only girl he ever loved. But it wasn¡¯t my fault. They wanted her. My hands were tied. He vowed to make sure I don¡¯t ever fall in love again and since then, he kills everydy I fall in love with. He¡¯s nowhere to be found, but he knows my every move. He already took two away from me and is watching out for who the next one would be. And that is why I¡¯m scared of these feelings I¡¯m having for Jeanne already. He¡¯s definitely going to kill her again. But I don¡¯t want him to. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to survive another heartbreak. I swear, I¡¯ll die if he takes Jeanne away from me too. My heart is too weak already to receive any more heartbreaks. I lifted my head from my palm and noticed they were already soaked with tears. Oh, God! My heart was aching so much. I want to fall in love again, but I¡¯m scared . Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I woke up the next morning feeling so excited. Like, I felt so good. I¡¯ll be travelling to Korea with Alex and after three days, I¡¯m likely to be a lovergirl! I washed my face and went ahead to check up on Molly. Thank goodness today was weekend. So, I had enough chance to rest and prepare for my flight tomorrow. Before entering Molly¡¯s room, I looked at Alex¡¯s door which was closed and kind of wished it was open. I smiled and proceeded into Molly¡¯s room. She was awake when I got in and was just watching a movie. ¡°Good morning, nanny¡± she greeted with a yawn and went to her and pecked her on the hair. ¡°How are you, baby?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Did I really fall asleep at the cinema?¡± She asked and Iughed. ¡°Yes. Come on, now. Go on and brush your teeth so we can get ready for breakfast¡± I told her and she nodded and went into the bathroom. When we got down for breakfast, Mrs Tristan hugged me and congratted me on my performance and wished me all the best in the show in Korea. The rest of the Loverboys also came down for breakfast, except Alex. He just stayed in his room and it made me wonder why he did so. After breakfast, I went to the kitchen to get some cornkes for Molly who had requested for it and when I got there, I met Carl in already. He was taking some ice cubes from the deep freezer. ¡°Hey¡± he called as I walked in. ¡°Good morning, sir¡± I greeted with a smile. ¡°And how¡¯re you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, sir.¡± He turned back to the fridge and I went ahead to the shelf and took the cornkes. ¡°How was your night with Alex?¡± He asked and I rose my brows at him. ¡°Sir?¡± I called, trying to possum. ¡°You went out with him, right? How was it?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­It was fine, sir¡± I replied bashfully and heard him chuckle. ¡°Have you realised Alex is in love with you?¡± He asked and my eyes dted. Whaat? Why¡¯s this guy ying pranks with me this early in the morning. He turned and looked at me andughed at the way I was looking like a ghost. ¡°What? I¡¯m serious. He¡¯s my buddy and I can tell when he¡¯s in love. You guys even bought some ice cream, right? Do you think the normal Alex would do that?¡± He expounded and I kept staring at him like he was saying gibberish. But, how did he know about the ice cream stuff? I gulped nervously and looked down at the cornkes, forgetting what I wanted to do with it. ¡°You¡¯re confused, right?¡± He asked andughed again. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll prove it to you¡± he added and I looked at him, wondering what he meant. He took the ice cubes and was about walking out when Alex suddenly showed up at the door. Oh! He was putting on a white short and a red top. And surprisingly, Carl stopped walking and turned back to me. ¡°By the way, Jeanne¡± he said and I flinched, wondering what he had to say. ¡°Uhm¡­you¡¯ll be going to Alpha Recordster in the day, right?¡± He asked. ¡°Y¡­Yes sir¡± I stuttered a reply. Alex was still standing at the door. Then, Carl walked up to me and touched my hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll drive you there myself, okay?¡± He said and I couldn¡¯tcouldn¡¯t even nod. Hold on; is he doing this because of Alex? He smiled and winked at me and headed back to the door. ¡°hi buddy¡± he waved at Alex and walked out the door. Oh-oh. I looked at Alex and noticed he was looking muddled ¨C having a funny look. I took the cornke and milk and headed walked to the door. ¡°Good morning, sir¡± I greeted with a bow and he kept staring into my face. ¡°Yeah¡± was all he said as he entered into the kitchen and it got me startled. Hold on; is Alex being jea¡­ No. What am I even thinking? * Later in the day, I went to the Alpha Records for some verifications and clearance, but of course, it wasn¡¯t Carl who took me there. On my way out, I ran into Hetty and two of the lovergirls she always moved around with. ¡°Jeanne¡± she called immediately as we both stopped in front of each other . I smiled and bowed. ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am¡± I beamed. ¡°Please, just call me Hetty. Besides, we¡¯re one now¡± she said warmly and I smiled. Wow! This girl¡¯s just so different. How I wish Kim was like her. ¡°Hi, Jeanne¡± one of the lovergirls with her said. ¡°I¡¯m Maia¡±. ¡°And I¡¯m Lea¡± the other said and I nodded in agreement. ¡°Nice meeting you guys¡± I replied, feeling really shy. I mean, this girls were people I could only see on TV. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m interacting freely with them right now. ¡°Wee to the band, Jeanne. I hope you enjoy your time with us. By the way, hope you don¡¯t mind if I got your contact?¡± Hetty said and gave her phone to me and I didn¡¯t hesitate to collect it and type in my digits. ¡°Thank you¡­Hetty¡± I said and she smiled. ¡°See youter, dear. I¡¯ll give you a call.¡± She said and left with the rest of the girls who waved at me before leaving. Hm. At least, I met someone who isn¡¯t as grumpy as Kim. ¡î¡î¡î The day flew like wind and finally, it was time for our flight to Korea. First, we had breakfast and when the loverboys came down, Carl sat next to me. Oh, geez! And Alex was facing us. He kept talking andughing to me the whole time and I noticed a strange expression on Alex¡¯s face. Carl didn¡¯t pay any attention to any body in the dining except me and at some point, he¡¯d use his hand or brush my hair. Oh, God! ¡°Uhm¡­Carl¡± Alex suddenly called. ¡°Can I have a word with you, please?¡± He asked and Carl shrugged. ¡°Sure, brother¡± he replied and stood up and left the dining with Alex. Okay; what is going on? Carl¡¯s Pov: I forced myself not tough as I got to a quiet ce with Alex. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Carl?¡± He asked immediately we got there and I tried to act confused. ¡°Uhm¡­I¡¯ve been doing a lot of thingstely. So, which of them are you¡­¡± ¡°Stop trying to turn into a joke, dude. I¡¯m damn serious.¡± He cut me off. ¡°Why are you suddenly into Jeanne?¡± I scoffed and looked at him. ¡°And¡­what does that mean? We¡¯re just friends¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t call that act just friends, Carl. Stop trying to y with that girl¡¯s heart¡± he interrupted me again and I breathed out a wow. ¡°And whoever said I was ying with her heart, Alex? If I do have any feelings, you can be sure they¡¯re real.¡± I said. ¡°Oh, please! You¡¯re not ready for love, Carl. And you and I know that¡± ¡°Oh! And since when did you be a love counsellor? Besides¡­why are you suddenly concerned about Jeanne?¡± I asked, folding my hands. ¡°She¡¯s my sister¡¯s nanny!¡± ¡°Wow! So, are you being concerned about your sister or what?¡± I asked and he sighed and touched his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m just warning you, Carl. Leave Jeanne out of your games¡± he said and started walking. ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re warning me?¡± I asked as he walked away and immediately I was sure he hadpletely left, I busted intoughter. Oh, my God! Are you kidding me? Alex is a gonner! Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Our luggages had already been kept in one of the cars that were following us to the airport and we were now walking to the garage. Alex was ahead while Molly and Carl were beside me. ¡°Remember to bring me a lot of presents from Korea, okay?¡± Molly reminded me as we finally got to the garage where our cars were parked. Alex had already gotten in and was now seated in the car. ¡°Of course baby. How can I forget?¡± I told her and pecked her cheek. Then, I looked at Carl. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Jeanne¡± he said pitifully. ¡°I wish I could go with you. Please, take care of yourself, okay?¡± He said and I forced myself not tough. It sounds funny hearing all these from Carl. ¡°Uhm¡­Thank you sir¡± I replied and he pecked my hair. What? ¡°Uhm¡­Jeanne¡± Alex suddenly called from the car. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to ruin this lovely friends moment, but if you wouldn¡¯t mind, we have a flight to catch¡± he said and Carl hid his face on my shoulder tough.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Isnt it obvious already?¡± He asked in a whisper and I found myselfughing as well. ¡°Okay. Take care of yourself, Jeanne. And be careful when you¡¯re in the room with Alex. Remember, he¡¯s a loverboy¡± he added in a whisper and it made me cringe. What does he mean by that? ¡°Jeanne!¡± Alex called impatiently and I left Carl and ran to the car. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir¡± I told him as I sat next to him in the car. ¡°Bye, nanny¡± Molly waved at me from outside and I waved back at her. ¡°Bye, beautiful¡± Carl also said and waved at me and immediately, Alex winned up the sses, not giving me an opportunity to wave back at him. Huh? What in the name of God? He didn¡¯t say anything as he brought out his headphone and tried connecting it. I bent my head andughed lightly. ¡°And what¡¯s funny?¡± He asked and I lifted my head to look at him, surprised. ¡°Oh! Nothing, sir. Nothing¡± I replied and he breathed out a ¡°whatever¡± and connected his headphones. 43 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: We finally arrived in Korea and a car drove us to the suite where we¡¯d be staying in Seoul city. Wow! This ce is just too breathtaking. I kept staring through the window as we drove pass big buildings and skyscrapers and lots of Korean people. Alex just kept making and receiving different kinds of calls. Finally, we drove through a gate and I guess that was our destination because the driver pulled over in front of a tall magnificent building. Wow! What is this ce? Is this where we¡¯ll be staying? The doors were opened for us and Alex and I came down from the car. The guards that had followed us behind opened the boots and started bringing out our luggages. ¡°Wow¡± I breathed out, taking my eyes around. It was a magnificent building and lots of cars filled the whole ce with few people moving about. I saw three Korean men in suits walking towards us and tried pulling myself together. ¡°Alexander¡± one of the men called with a wild smile. his eyes were so tiny and they almost became invisible when he smiled. ¡°Good day, Mr Byung Woo.¡± Alex greeted with a light smile. ¡°Oh, dear. Longest time, no see. I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here. Chun-man-eyo¡± the Korean man replied and I wonderedwondered what thest statement meant. ¡°Good day, sir¡± I decided to greet when he was done with Alex. ¡°Oh, dear. How was your flight?¡± He asked with a warm smile. ¡°it was fine, sir. Thanks¡±. ¡°Please,e with me¡± he further said and we started walking with him, approaching the tall building. ¡°Everything you¡¯ll be needing in here has already been prepared for you.¡± He continued speaking as we walked along. ¡°There¡¯s already a keyboard and you can have enough time to get ready for the concert.¡±. We entered into the building and my eyes glittered at the sight of the ineffable sight in front of me. Wow! The whole ce was too beautiful! Although, it looked more like an office with men and women in suits moving about with files in their hands. The floors were tied, of course, and the walls were made of ss that I could see my own reflection in them. ¡°Alex!¡± ¡°Handsome!¡±. Some of the people around called out to Alex when they saw him and he just waved back at them. Wow! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m walking in the midst of Koreans. ¡°They¡¯ve all been waiting for your arrival¡± the Mr Buy whatever said as we walked to a door and after pressing a button, it opened. Oh! It was an elevator. We got in and after some time, it opened again and when we stepped out, I found myself in a ce that really looked like a house. Wow! Who would believe there was an office downstairs? Well, the building was very big and I guess it should be up to 5 floors or more. ¡°And wee to your littlefort¡± the Korean man said as he opened the door of the room in front of us. A ¡®wow¡¯ escaped my lips as we stepped into the sitting room. The room had a brown color and everything one needed to befy was in it ¨C sofas, refrigerators, a t screen, an air conditioner and all that. The dining was just behind the room and I noticed covered tes were arranged on it. ¡°In case you need anything, anything at all, just call give us a call. Okay?¡± The Korean. Man said as we stood in the room. ¡°Okay, sure¡± Alex replied and touched his forehead. ¡°Oppa!!¡± I suddenly heard a female voice shriek and I flinched and turned to see who it was. It was a youngdy who came out from a . room and before I¡¯d realise what was going on, she jumped on Alex, embracing him. What? Alex smiled and reciprocated. ¡°Oh, God! I¡¯ve missed you. It¡¯s been years now¡± thedy said excitedly as they pulled from the hug. ¡°Hi, Da-hye¡± Alex said and she giggled and embraced him again. Wait; I know thisdy. Of course! She¡¯s a popr Korean actress. Oh! So she knows Alex? ¡°How was your flight?¡± She asked happily. ¡°Urgh! Manageable, I guess.¡± Alex replied and she giggled and turned to me. ¡°Oh! And you must be Jeanne, right?¡± She asked, pointing her index finger at me. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Good evening¡± I replied politely. ¡®Oh, dear. I heard you¡¯re on the verge of bing a lover girl. Well, don¡¯t worry, with Alex singing with you, you¡¯re sure to win because he¡¯s a god¡± she said and smiled at Alex. Gosh! ¡°Okay. So, I figured you guys might be exhausted and I decided to take care of you myself. I made dinner¡± she said ecstatically and signalled us to follow her to the dining. ¡°Hm. I had a feeling my presence would be useless with Da-hye around.¡± The Korean man that came with us said and Da-hyeughed. ¡°Enjoy your stay, both of you¡± he added and left the room. ¡°So¡± Da-hye continued as we all sat at the dining. ¡°I hope you enjoy my meal. Of course, you know I¡¯m a good cook¡± she said andughed again and Alex just smiled. Hm. It seems she¡¯s fond ofughing and smiling. She opened the tes and started dishing out our meals. Gosh! This looks totally strange to me. What kind of a meal is this? When she was through dishing it out, we started eating and I noticed Alex was eating faster than I was. It seems he liked the food. How does he get to know Korean foods? Well, he¡¯s a celebrity and travels round the world. Da-hye kept talking andughing with just Alex and it kind of got me puzzled. Alex that barley touches ady. Howe he¡¯s so free around her? it seems they¡¯ve been friends for a long time. Hm. They kept chatting and chatting and the only time Da-hye paid attention to me was when I was about standing up. ¡°do you like my meal?¡± She asked and I paused to look at her. But before I could reply, she spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s called sundubu jjigae¡± she said and I almostughed. It¡¯s that an incantation or what? ¡°It¡¯s nice¡± I replied perfunctorily with a faux smile and she pped her hands like a baby, feeling excited. Then, I took in some water and stood up. ¡°Uhm¡­thanks for the meal. But I need to take a shower¡± I said. ¡°Okay, dear¡± she replied and I smiled and left. I entered into the bedroom which I was able to spot because I had seen the guards taking our luggages there.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. I stood and admired it for sometime and changed into a towel. I suddenly remembered what Carl told me that morning before leaving ¨C although I didn¡¯t know why I let it have an impact on me. I jam ¨C locked the door before going into the bathroom which I still made doubly sure I locked as well. Then, I took off my towel and had a long sweet bath under the cool shower. I wonder what my three days with Alex would be like. When I was done, I went out and changed into a trouser and a long sleeve top. Well, I didn¡¯t want to leave any part of my body exposed to avoid any form of the devil¡¯s work. Making sure I was properly covered, I went out to the sitting room and there I met Alex, sitting all alone in the sitting room, holding a drink. Oh! It seems Da-hye left already. Well, better. ¡°Hey¡± he called when he noticed me and I cleared my throat and entered fully into the room. ¡°H-hi¡± I replied nervously and sat on the couch beside his. ¡°Care for a drink?¡± He asked as he poured in drink from the bottle of wine into a ss and handed it to me even before I¡¯d reply. ¡°Thanks¡± I replied bashfully and sipped from it. ¡°Uhm¡­sir¡± I called and he looked at me. ¡°Uhm¡­what song are we presenting?¡± He paused and drank from his ss. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll talk about that tomorrow¡± he replied and I nodded. ¡°Okay sir¡­¡± ¡°Alex¡± he cut me off. ¡°Just call me Alex¡± he said and my eyes beamed. What? I could feel my cheeks turning red and I quickly drank from my ss to cover it up. ¡°So, do you like Carl?¡± He asked after a pause and I almost spilled out drink from my mouth. ¡°S¡­Sir?¡± I stuttered, forgetting the fact he asked me to call him by his name. ¡°Yes? Do you like him?¡± He asked, rolling his eyes. ¡°Of¡­of course, not. We¡¯re just friends¡± I replied, cringing a little. ¡°So, why do you always blush when he¡¯s talking to you?¡± He asked and I scoffed. What in the name of God! ¡°I¡­I¡­I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You like him, right?¡± He asked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I can¡¯t like him to that extent¡± I replied and he suddenly smiled. ¡°Why? Is there someone else you like?¡± He asked and I gasped. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Alex¡± he cut in and I sighed. ¡°Sorry¡­Alex¡± Gosh! It feels so strange calling him by his name. He smiled to himself and gulped down the rest of the content in his ss. ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling sleepy already?¡± He asked and I didn¡¯t even think twice before saying: ¡°Yes¡±. ¡°Oh! Same here. Let¡¯s go to bed, then.¡± He said as he stood up and I felt a loud bang in my head. Whaat? What bed? ¡°Uhm¡­¡± I paused and looked around. ¡°Actually, sir¡­sorry, Alex. I uh¡­¡± I paused and took the TV remote. ¡°I actually want to watch some movies. I¡¯ll just join youter¡± I said, hoping I was convincing enough. He stared at me for a short time and shrugged. ¡°Okay, then. Good night¡± he said. ¡°Good night, sir¡± I replied with a bow but gasped when I noticed I made a mistake again. He chuckled and walked away. I took in a deep breath when he left and turned on a movie. Well, to be sincere, I really was tired and needed some rest. But, gosh! I can¡¯t think of sleeping on the same bed with Alex. What the hell is that? How do we share the bed? What if I sleepily turn and put my hands on his waist? Or he does same? Or something bigger happens? I sighed tiredly and fixed my eyes on the tele, but didn¡¯t even understand what was going on. After some time, Iid down on the couch and slept off. Alex¡¯s Pov: I walked into the sitting room and found her fast asleep on the couch. I shook my head andughed. I knew she was dizzy but was scared sharing the bed with me. She¡¯s such a naughty girl. I went to her and carried her up in my arms, taking her to the bedroom. Iid her on one side of the bed and all she did was stretch a little and adjusted. She was really deep asleep and looked so pretty in it. Iid beside her and covered ourselves up with the duvet. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s actually putting on a trouser and long sleeve to go to sleep. I just hope she doesn¡¯t scream when she wakes up and finds herself lying next to me on the bed. Funny girl. 44 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I woke up the next morning and noticed I was lying on something big andfy. I opened my eyes and discovered it was a bed. What the hell? How did I get here? I sat up immediately and looked around. I was the only one in the room. But how did I end up on the bed? I can remember sleeping on the couch. So, what the hell happened? Or, could it be possible I sleep-walked to this ce or what? I was still wondering when the door of the bathroom suddenly opened and Alex walked out, shirtless with just a towel around his¡­waist!!! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Why did I have to wake up now? Oh, Jesus! You seriously won¡¯t believe how Alex is looking right now -shirtless! His hair and chest were wet and little drops of water fell from his hair to his chest. I couldn¡¯t have a clea view of his chest because it was covered up with tatoos. What the hell? How can someone have so many tatoos on his body? They covered most part of his chest down to his shoulders, but trust me, they were cute! Then his legs were so hairy and being wet, it made the dark hairs rx so beautifully. And the waist¡­gosh! The towel was the only thing covering¡­ Oh, Jesus! Jeanne! What am I thinking??? But seriously, if Alex ever shows on stage or on the tele looking this way, a lot ofdies will end up being admitted in a high-skilled hospital because it¡¯s more than killing. I¡¯m almost dying here. ¡°Hey,¡± he called with a soft chuckle as he walked to the wardrobe. I shook my head and tired pulling myself together. ¡°Uhm¡­good morning, sir¡± I greeted with a bow and heard himugh. ¡°Jeanne, how did you manage to learn in school?¡± He asked, but I couldn¡¯tprehend what he meant as I was lost starring at him from behind as he faced the wardrobe. ¡°How many times have I told you to call me Alex?¡± He asked and turned to look at me and I quickly took my eyes away. ¡°Uhm¡­sorry, sir. I mean, Alex!¡± I said and sighed and he smiled. Oh, Jesus! That smile was killing. I mean, smiling with those wet sweet pink lips. He took out a shirt and wore it on and took out a trouser. What??? I quickly buried my face under the bed shit and heard himugh. ¡°Hurry up ande down for breakfast¡± he said after a short while and I slowly opened my eyes and noticed he was done dressing up. Then, he walked out of the room. Geez! I was so engrossed staring at him that I forgot to ask him how I ended up in bed. I tapped my head and left the bed. Remembering the sight I just beheld was something else and I just pray I don¡¯t slump. I quickly bath and brushed my teeth. Then, I went out to the dining and there I met Alex already seated there. I sat, facing him and we started eating, but the food was gross! Alex didn¡¯t eat for long as he stood up after a while. ¡°When you¡¯re done,e out let¡¯s practice¡± he said and I nodded and he left. I didn¡¯t spend upto a . minute there and I also left and went to join him in the passage where the keyboard was kept. He was already seated there and was ying some a soft tone and he asked me to sit and I did, facing him. ¡°So,¡± he said. ¡°What song are we performing? It¡¯s going to have to be a song by the loverboys¡±. I bit the inside of my cheeks and quickly thought of a song. ¡°Uhm¡­how about that song about a second chance?¡± I asked and he looked down the keyboard and touched some keys. ¡°Let¡¯s go on that?¡±:he asked and I nodded. Then he started the interlude of the song and entered with the first stanza. He sang it beautifully and when it got to the chorus, I took over. It ended with the chorus and he paused and thought for a while. ¡°Okay, this is what happens¡± he said and yed the interlude again. He sang the first stanza and I took the part of the chorus and when I was done, he added another part and brought in a bridge which I was to take. That way, the song was longer and interesting. ¡®It¡¯s nice¡± I told him when we have able to sing the whole song correctly. ¡°Yeah¡± he . muttered and touched some keys again. ¡°You know, we¡¯ll be needing to practice more. But right now, I¡¯mI¡¯m starving. I haven¡¯t eaten anything sensible since yesterday¡± he said, holding his tummy. ¡°But¡­I thought you enjoyed Da-hye¡¯s meal¡­¡± ¡°What? That was a concoction¡± he replied in a whisper and Iughed. ¡°Uhm¡­okay.. If you want, I could make some food¡± I said and his eyes beamed. ¡°Oh, really? So, what would that be?¡± He asked and I clicked my tongue. ¡°Maybe¡­brunswick stew.¡± I replied and he nodded affirmatively. ¡®Perfect! Just write out the ingredients we¡¯ll be needing and I¡¯ll send for them immediately. ¡°But, hold on, are you even a good cook?¡± He is and I scoffed. ¡°Of course, I am. I always have.¡± I replied and he shrugged. ¡°Okay, then. Just write out the ingredients you¡¯ll be needing¡± he said and stood up and I went for a paper and pen immediately. I wrote down all the ingredients and gave them to him and in less than an hour, someone arrived with them. Right. I entered the kitchen immediately and set out to work. And surprisingly, Alex came in. ¡°Uhm¡­is there a problem?¡± I asked. I¡¯ve been trying to avoid calling him sir or his name. ¡°Just wanna be of help¡± he replied and took an onion. ¡°So, what am I doing with this?¡± He asked, rotating the onion in his hand. Gosh! He probably doesn¡¯t know how to prepare an onion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­Alex, I¡¯ll take care of it. You might uhm¡­end up cutting yourself¡± I replied and he gave me a quizzical look. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. I¡¯ll be fine¡± he said and took the knife and a te. I watched him as he started pealing off the onion and gosh he was just dividing the whole onion into two. ¡°Alex¡­¡± ¡°Ssh. I can do it¡± he cut me off and continued with what he was doing. I can¡¯t believe this. I shook my head and decided to do something else. I prepared the other ingredients and finally, I put the pot on the gas and put in the margarine. It took the young man about 10 minutes to slice one onion. He pped for himself when he was done. ¡°Do I need to do the second one?¡± He asked and tried taking the second onion, but I stopped him. ¡°Oh, sir. Don¡¯t worry about it please. I don¡¯t need it¡± I replied and he shrugged. I¡¯m sure the food would have been ready to eat by the time he¡¯d have been through with the second onion. He¡¯s such azy kid. ¡°Uhm¡­Alex,¡± I called. Gosh! It feels so weird calling him by just his name. ¡°Can I ask a question?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sure¡± ¡°Uhm¡­It seems you¡¯ve been friends with Da-hye for a long time now?¡± I asked and he scoffed. ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯ve known her even before she went into movies and became popr¡± he replied and I gave a slow nod. No wonder he¡¯s so friendly with her. ¡°Why asking?¡± He suddenly asked and I twisted my lips. ¡°Nothing really. Just wanted to know.¡± I replied and he smiled. Wait; isn¡¯t it obvious he always smiles a lot now? I continued cooking and soon, I was done putting in all the ingredients and all that was left was just for it to steamer. ¡°I hope this tastes as good as it smells¡± he said and I smiled. ¡°I told you, right? I¡¯m a good cook¡± I replied ecstatically. Immediately, we heard a knock on the door and he left to check it out. I stayed alone in the kitchen for sometime and when he didn¡¯t snow up, I decided to go check him out. I stood at the corner and looked at the sitting room and¡­Oh! Speaking of the devil. I saw him with Da-hye, and they were both standing at a close range, talking andughing. Geez! What¡¯s she doing here? They talked andughed and at some point, she¡¯d touch the neck of his shirt. ¡°I wish I could spend more time, but unfortunately, I need to rush over to check out the roles of some new scripts¡± she said with a pitiful look and it made me roll my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we can still meet up when you get back.¡± Alex said and she smiled and hugged him. Why¡¯s she so fond of that? I stood and watched as they talked about unimportant things for a while and finally, she hugged him again and left. Atst. Alex turned and caught me staring by the corner and that was when I realised I shouldve left by now. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called with a grim. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± He asked and I flinched. Smell? Yeah. What¡¯s that smell? It smells like roasted¡­ Oh, my God! Just like sh, I ran back to the kitchen and quickly turned off the gas while coughing. Alex rushed in immediately and opened the pot.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°What the¡­¡± he paused and coughed. ¡°How on earth did it end up burnt, Jeanne?¡± He asked and I used a spoon to turn the food. Oh, Jeanne. What have you done? ¡°I¡¯m¡­uhm I¡¯m sorry. I had no idea. I was just¡­¡± ¡°Were you actually spying on Da-hye and I?¡± He asked and my head almost left my neck. ¡°S¡­no. I¡­¡± ¡°And you told me you were a good cook. I can¡¯t believe you meant good cook of burnt foods¡± he said and I bent my head bashfully. I wish the ground can open for me to fall in. He closed the pot and started walking out. ¡°A¡­Alex, where you¡¯re going?¡± I asked in a low tune and he stopped and looked at me. ¡°Well, what do you think? I¡¯m going out to get some food. I need to find an English eatery¡± he replied and I gasped. ¡°Can Ie along, please?¡± I asked in an appealing tone. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want you to go and influence the cooks over there so they don¡¯t end up burning all their dishes¡± he replied and walked out. Huh? But, I¡¯m also hungry. ¡°Sir! Come on; I¡¯m sorry¡± I said as I ran after him. out of the kitchen. 45 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: After pleading with him, he allowed me to follow him and we drove to an English eatery ¨C Blooming London. He requested for the VVIP room and of course, that wasn¡¯t a problem for someone like him and we were able to get it. We sat alone in the beautiful room and ced our orders and when they arrived, I was surprised at how fast he rushed them. Wow! Indeed, he was pretty hungry. ¡°Gosh! Thank goodness I wasn¡¯t born a Korean. I would¡¯vemitted suicide a long time ago.¡± he said as he ate with relishment and Iughed. ¡°You would¡¯ve probably been used to it¡± I told him and he shook his head. He was eating an apple crumb pie, while I handled a peach cobbler. We ate silently for a short while until he broke the silence. ¡°Why were you spying on Da-hye and I?¡± He asked and I almost poured out food from my mouth. But luckily I didn¡¯t. ¡°Huh?¡± I tried to purport. ¡°You let the food get burnt because you were carried away staring at both of us. Why?¡± ¡°Uhm¡±:I paused and itched my head. ¡°Really, Alex, it¡¯s nothing. I was justing to check out who the visitor was. I had no idea the food was going to get burnt under that short period¡± I replied and he scoffed and looked down at his food. Oh, Jeanne. I just hope you don¡¯t get yourself into any more trouble. ¡°Let¡¯s y a game -truth and truth¡± he said after a while and I squinced. ¡°Truth and truth?¡± I repeated. ¡°I t¡­thought it was something like truth or dare?¡± ¡°Do you really wanna y dare with someone like me?¡± He asked with a smirk and I shook my head immediately. Goodness! Am I crazy? ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s get started. You go first. Ask me a question and I¡¯ll answer truthfully.¡± He said and I dropped my spoon to think of a perfect question. ¡°Uhm¡­what¡¯s your favorite meal?¡± I asked and he smiled. ¡°Ah! Nothing like chips and dips¡± he replied dreamily and it made meugh. whom would ever believe Alex could be this yful? ¡°Okay. Nice¡± I replied and ate from my te, awaiting his own question. ¡°Who¡¯s your favourite songwriter?¡± He asked and I chuckled- nervously. ¡°Uhm¡­that¡¯d be a boy named Alex Tristan.¡± I replied brimful with smiles. ¡°Hm. Alex. Haven¡¯t heard of him before¡±:he remarked and Iughed. Gosh! Okay, now it was my turn again. ¡°If you were asked to make one wish at this moment, what would it be?¡± I asked and noticed his countenance changed a bit. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for a chance to be forgiven¡± he replied and I grinned. ¡°Forgiven?¡± I asked in a low key and he sighed. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t get to ask a double question, okay? Now, it¡¯s my turn¡± he said and I let a . faux smile and lowered my gaze to my food. ¡°This songwriter ¨C Alex ¨C what do you like about him?¡±:he asked and a wow escaped my lips. What a question. I dropped my cutleries and joined my palms together. ¡°Uhm¡­actually, originally, the only thing I liked about him was his voice and¡­good looks and that was because he had a grumpy attitude. He was too rude and arrogant and so, there was nothing else I could really like about him.¡± I replied and he busted intoughter the moment I was done. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me to my face that I¡¯m grumpy?¡± He asked and I joined him inughing. ¡°No, sir. I¡¯m just talking about someone else who¡¯s Alex¡­¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± We paused andughed again. ¡°Okay. Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡± I said and cleared my throat. I think I¡¯m really enjoying this. ¡°What¡¯s the happiest day of your life?¡± I asked and he dallied a little before saying: ¡°None¡± What? I stared at him in surprise as he got ready to ask me his own question. ¡°if someone like Carl opens up to you and tells you he loves you, are you gonna ept?¡± He asked and I opened my eyes wide in surprise. What the hel? ¡°A¡­Alex?¡± I called andughed nervously. But he didn¡¯t smile at me; just staring and waiting for an answer. ¡°Well, I¡­¡± I paused and cleared my throat. ¡°I won¡¯t because¡­I don¡¯t love him¡± I added and he rose his brows. ¡°Really?¡± He asked with a scoff. ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to tell me you won¡¯t go stripping in front of him if he asks you to?¡± He asked and immediately, I used my spoon to hit him on his hand. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t!¡± I half-yelled ¨C yfully ¨C and hit with the spoon and just then, I gasped, realising I had overreacted. I paused and looked at him and he also stared back at me with a look of surprise. Why on earth did I hit him with a spoon? The world¡¯s precious Alex! ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± I tried speaking, but he stopped me by hitting me on the head with his own spoon. Ouch! I looked at him with a pitiful grin and we ended upughing together. Awwn! That was so sweet. I cleared my throat and ate a little from my te. ¡°Okay¡­my turn¡± I said and got ready to ask him my own question. * Eating with him that day was so much fun and by the time we were through from there, it was almost evening. We drove home breezily and unfortunately ¨C for me ¨C Da-hye was already there, waiting. ¡°Oppa!¡± She called immediately we got out of the elevator and as usual, she embraced Alex. ¡°Oh, dear. Where have you been? I¡¯ve been waiting for like ages now¡± she said with a childish grin as she arranged the cor of his shirt. ¡°Sorry. Just went out to get some things¡± he replied as she pouted her lips like a baby. ¡°Awwn. So, what did you get for me?¡± She asked and he chuckled. ¡°Uhm¡­good evening, ma¡¯am¡± I decided to greet so ill know I wasn¡¯t owing her any other thing. ¡°Oh, Jeanne darling. And how¡¯re you today?¡± She asked genially. She really seems friendly. Just that she¡¯s too close to my Alex. ¡°I¡¯m fine, ma¡¯am. Thanks¡± I. rellidd with a smile. Then, Alex opened the door and we all went in. ¡°You know, you need to make it up to me, Alex, for keeping me waiting all these while.¡± She said as she plonked herself on the couch and I also sat, adjacent to to her. She was one prettydy with a small body structure and mostly behaves as freely as a child. If not for the fact she¡¯s too close to Alex, I¡¯d have adored her so much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Da-hye. I had no idea you¡¯d being around¡± Alex replied and just then, a call came into his phone and he excused himself from us and walked away to make the call. ¡°Isn¡¯t he just adorable?¡± She asked, her cheeks turning red as she stared at the direction Alex had taken. What?C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s drooling. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like I¡¯m the luckiest girl on earth to have someone like him as a close friend. He¡¯s so sweet! Do you feel it when he smiles? And all those times he touched me, I feel like I¡¯m in heaven.!¡± She said dreamily and hugged herself. ¡°You¡­you like him?¡± I forced myself to ask and she gasped and looked at me. ¡°what do you mean like? I love him! Alex has been my crush for years now! He¡¯s my life. ¡°We¡¯ll make a perfect couple, won¡¯t we?¡± She asked and giggle and all I could do was stare speechlessly. ¡°You know,¡± she continued and leaned forward, like she was about telling me a secret. ¡°I n on telling him about it soon ¨C my feelings. I want him to know about it so we can finally be together. And¡­I think I¡¯ll be doing that tomorrow¡± she said andughed hysterically. What the hell? Is she joking or what??? Immediately, Alex came in and she stood up. ¡°Alex, dearie.¡± She called ecstatically and arranged his cor. ¡°Too bad I have to leave now. I got a call from my boss before you guys arrived and he wants to have a meeting with me.¡± ¡°Okay, then. No problem¡± Alex replied and she smiled and hugged him. ¡°Goodnight. Wish you good luck at the concert¡± she said as she head for the door. ¡°Thanks. Good night¡±. ¡°Bye, Jeanne¡± she said as she finally left. Ha! Atst. I so can¡¯t believe thisdy. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s in love with Alex and wants to confess her feelings to him. ¡°Hey¡± Alex called, trying to get my attention. ¡°You okay?¡±: he asked and I nodded. ¡°Okay. Come on; we need to practice¡± he said and led the way and I followed. * We practiced for a long time and finally, it was time to sleep again. Grrr! I still haven¡¯t found out how I ended up on the bed this morning. ¡°Why¡¯re you scared of sharing the bed with me, Jeanne?¡± He suddenly asked as we stood in the dining where he was taking out a juice from the refrigerator. Huh? I cringed and itched the back of my neck, wishing I could just disappear. ¡°Huh?. why?¡± He turned and faced me, now holding the juice in his hand. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a pervert?¡± He asked and my eyes gleamed immediately. What? ¡°Of course, not Alex! You¡­you¡¯re getting it all wrong. I just don¡¯t wanna make you feel ufortable¡± I replied, looking above his head. ¡°Seriously?¡± He asked and scoffed. ¡°Jeanne, if I wanted to do anything to you, I wouldn¡¯t necessarily need a bed¡± he said and I swear, my heart left my chest. Whaaaat? ¡°Sir?!¡± I shrieked and heughed. ¡°Chill, I¡¯m kidding. I¡¯m just trying to say you should trust me and feelfortable around me. I don¡¯t bite ¨C at least not anymore¡± he said thest part in a whisper and left, going to the room. Oh, God! Am I really going to sleep next to him on bed? Oh, Jesus! I ced my hand on my forehead and sighed, thinking deeply. I guess I¡¯m left with no other option, then. Besides, what am I thinking? He won¡¯t harm me. I trust him. Wait; do I? I took in a deep breath and finally went to the room and there I found him already lying on one side of the bed. Tracing my steps, I walked slowly and when I got to the bed, I climbed on it. He was facing my direction. So, Iid, backing him. ¡°Should I turn off the lights?¡± He asked and for some stupid reason, it sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Uhm¡­yeah¡± I replied in a tone I could hardly hear and next, he turned off the lights. I remained still on my position and suddenly thought about certain things . Tomorrow was going to be myst day with Alex in Korea and also the concert. I hope the concert goes well so we can all go back home safely. And for Da-hye, I wonder if she¡¯s really going to confess to Alex tomorrow and what would his reaction be? Who knows if even likes her as well? I remained quiet for a long time and wondered if Alex might have fallen asleep already. Or, what if he¡¯s awake and is staring at my butt? I decided to turn and check. So, I slowly turned my neck to look at him and¡­what the hell? I saw his two dazzling eyes gleaming in the dark, staring at me. Oh, God! I quickly turned around but that didn¡¯t stop him from asking. ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± He asked and I exhaled softly. ¡°Nothing.¡± I replied nervously and felt him smile. 46 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: The next morning, I woke up feeling excited and nervous. I mean, it was time for the concert and I was really nervous since it was going to be my first performance on stage. Some makeup artistes were called for that morning and they came with lots of pretty dresses and shoes and assisted me in selecting the best. Alex was in the sitting room also getting ready while I made use of the bedroom. After putting on my long ck sparkling dress, the makeup artistes set out to work on me and it took about an hour before they were done. wow! I was looking like a princess! I smiled and admired myself in front of the mirror. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually the one looking this good. ¡°You look amazing, ma¡¯am¡± one of thedies said to me and I smiled. ¡°Thanks¡± I replied and stood up and went for my ck heels. Then, I took my blue purse and left the room together with the make up artistes. I suddenly felt so shy going out. When I got to the sitting room, I mer Alex talking to some men, backing my direction. But, when he heard our footsteps, he turned to have a look and I noticed he seemed lost staring at me. I was kind of surprised at the way he fixed his gaze on me; like he had seen something he didn¡¯t expect. ¡°Uhm¡­Alex,¡± one of the men called and tapped hin on the shoulder and he slowly turned back to them. It seems he had forgotten he was talking to someone. I noticed he shook his head before resuming his discussion with the men. Then, finally i got to where he was and by the time I got there, he had rounded up whatever it is he was discussing with the men. So, they left and he turned back to look at me. ¡°H-hi¡± I said with a little crack in my voice. Although, we¡¯ve already greeted before, I just needed something to say. ¡°Uhm¡­you look beautiful¡± he said softly with a smile and I bent my head shyly. ¡°T¡­Thanks¡±. He wasn¡¯t looking bad either ¨C looking as handsome and killing as always. I wonder what¡¯s going to happen when the world watches me sing with the all famous lover boy ¨C Alex. ¡°So, shall we?¡± He asked and stretched out his hand to me and I posed, wondering if he really wanted us to hold hands. I took in a deep breath and ced my hand on his and we walked out of the house together. * Few minutester, we arrived at the venue and my heart beat increased at the poption I had seen. What??? They were just too much and we¡¯re just the ones that were outside, not talking about the ones that were inside. I kept looking through the window as the car drove to the back and Alex and I came down with the guards and met some men who were already waiting for us. The men in suits weed us and took us in through a restricted area where we were sure not to get hooked up by fans. Alex held my hand through the while and I guess that was because he could sense I was nervous. Well, I really was. can I do this? We got to the backstage and awaited to be called. We met a lot of people there and Alex was the one who did most of the talking because he seemed to be farmiliar with them.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Finally, we were called onto stage and my nervouity increased. Alex was the first to go, but before he left, he held my hand and stared into my face. ¡°Hey, remember everything I told you, okay? Just see it as one of usual rehearsals and do it for fun. Okay?¡± He spoke calmly and I nodded with a nervous smile and he left. I rubbed my palms together and sighed and as one of the boys around gave me a microphone and not long after, I heard Alex ying the interlude of the song. Well, that was the n. He was to sing the first song part of the song alone, then I¡¯d enter at the second part and we go on from there. I listened carefully as he sang the first part perfectly and when he was done, he gave the intro to the second part and that was the moment I was supposed to go in. Oh, God! I took in a deep breath and opened the red curtains and I found myself on stage in front of a mega huge Korean crowd, all eyes staring at me. Alex was backing me, facing the stage and ying the keyboard. Press men surrounded the stage and kept shing their lights at me. I sang the second part as I walked slowly and stylishly to the stage and the crowd suddenly started cheering and I wondered why. They don¡¯t know me, right? But I found myself bing more rxed as I sang the exact way I was supposed to and it got to a point that Alex left the keyboard and we both started dancing just as we had nned. The rest of the instrumentalists had taken over. We sang and danced it so perfectly and ended with Alex twirling and making me fall in his arms. * The next thing I heard were screams of people and I left Alex¡¯s body and noticed the crowd were all going wild. They screamed and jumped and cheered and I found it unbelievable. Did it go well? Alex smiled and embraced me. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± He said but I couldn¡¯t even think of what to say. We love you!!! Jeanne!!! Alex-J!!! You¡¯re incredible!!! Oppa!!! They kept screaming and waving at us and finally, I bowed and left the stage with Alex. Oh, my God!!! They like me! It seems my performance was awesome. ¡°I did it!¡± I said happily and embraced Alex immediately we got behind the curtains. Heughed and pulled from the hug. Wait; did I really hug Alex? Well, you won¡¯t me me. I¡¯m just too excited. ¡°Oppa!¡± I heard a familiar voice and turned to see Da-hye scuttling towards us. Huh? What¡¯s she doing here? ¡°Oh, my! You guys were incredible!¡± She eximed and pecked his cheek. Shouldn¡¯t I be the one she should be congratting? ¡°Hi, Jeanne.¡± She finally waved at me and I just waved back to her. ¡°By the way, you were awesome dear. Congrattions¡± she added. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am¡± I replied with a perfunctory smile and she turned back to alex. ¡°So¡­what are you doing here?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Oh! I came to watch your performance. Won¡¯t you give me a hug for that?¡± She said and giggled. ¡°Ma¡¯am Jeanne¡± someone called and I turned and noticed it was a man with two camera men beside him. ¡°Could you spare us a minute please? Please?¡± He said pleadingly and I almostughed because of how he said the please. ¡°Uhm¡­sure¡± I replied and followed them to the room they wanted. I sat in front of them and answered tons of questions and¡­wow! Is this what celebrities go through? When we were done, I decided to go back to Alex. But when I got to the spot where I left them, I couldn¡¯t find them anymore. Huh? Where did they go? I decided to look around and finally found them behind a corner, standing at a close range. Why¡¯re they alone? Oh¡­ ¡°Alex,¡± Da-hye called and held his hand. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know¡±. Oh, my God! Is she really going to tell him about it now? I stood and hid properly behind the corner so I don¡¯t get seen. My eyes were gushing with curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± Alex asked and shockingly, she kissed him! What! She gave him a soft tender kiss on his lips but he pulled away after a while. ¡°Da¡­¡± ¡°Alex, I love you¡± she said in a serene tone and my heart skipped. She really did it. She confessed to him. Oh, my God! I looked at Alex who expectedly had a surprised expression on. She wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him again. ¡°Da-hye¡­¡± he called and pulled away from the kiss. She tried doing it again but he stopped her. ¡°Hey, stop it¡± he said calmly and she paused and looked into his eyes; her hands still wrapped around his neck. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­I¡¯ve always seen you as a friend, Da-hye¡± he said. ¡°Yeah. But we can be something more¡± she replied and kissed him again and he pulled away. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. It can¡¯t be¡± he replied. ¡°Why not? We¡¯re perfect¡± she said as she ced her forehead on his. She tried kissing him again but he stopped her. ¡°I love someone else¡± he said and that was the only thing that made her pull away. Wait; what did he just say? ¡°Alex?¡± She called in a tone that portrayed she was undoubtedly shocked. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re¡­¡± she tried speaking but couldn¡¯t. She bent her head and scoffed. She didn¡¯t say anything for a moment and neither did Alex. ¡°She¡¯s the one, right?¡± She suddenly asked. ¡°It¡¯s her, isn¡¯t it? Jeanne?¡± She asked and busted into tears. Hold on; what the hell is she talking about? ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Alex simply said and she ran away in tears. Wait; why didn¡¯t he deny it? Why didn¡¯t he tell her she was wrong? What is¡­going on? I slowly turned and left the corner, returning backstage. My heart suddenly started beating heavily. Why didn¡¯t Alex deny it when Da-hye had asked him if he was in love with me? And who was thedy he ims to be in love with? ¡°Hey¡± I heard his voice immediately and turned to see him walking towards me. My whole systems were rotating. ¡°Wats up?¡± He asked as he stood in front of me and for a while, I didn¡¯t understand what he said. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine¡± I finally replied, nervously. ¡°Are you¡­okay?¡± He asked, sensing the caprice in my mood. ¡°N¡­Yeah. of¡­of course¡± I stuttered a reply and he furrowed his brows. ¡°O¡­kay. ¡°By the way, I was thinking it¡¯d be fun if we went out and grabbed some drinks; you know, to celebrate your victory.¡± He said and I didn¡¯t even know when I nodded my head. ¡°Okay. So¡­shall we?¡± He said and took my hand and we left the scene together. My head just kept muzzing and I couldn¡¯t think straight. The whole scenario that had taken ce between Alex and Da-hye still reyed in my head and it . left me confused and speechless. I followed Alex quietly to the car where he asked the guards not to apany us and he took off on the road. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay, Jeanne?¡± He asked as we sat next to each other in the car. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just uhm¡­you know, thinking about something¡± I replied and itched my head. ¡°Okay. So, how was the performance?¡± He asked and I cleared my throat before speaking up. ¡°Uhm¡­It was okay. I enjoyed it. I just hope I get good rmendations¡± I replied and he chuckled. ¡°Of course you will. Trust me¡± he replied and I gave a perfunctory nod. We didn¡¯t say any other thing and next, he turned on the car FM and surprisingly, the news being presented about us. Popr leader of the loverboys perform live on stage with ady who¡¯s about to be a part of the lovergirls band I looked at Alex and we smiled together. Miss, what do you have to say about this? the reporter asked and my anxiety increased. Oh! They¡¯re going to ask people about it now! well, it was amazing. I really had a wonderful time there. And Jeanne, she¡¯s incredible. I love her voice and her dance steps Oh, my gee! They moved onto someone else and she also gave the same remarks about me. Wow! Oh, Lord; help me. A lot of it went on and I kept smiling continously. ¡°Guess you have me to thank.ter on¡± Alex said and Iughed. Then, finally, he stopped the car and I figured we had gotten to our destination. ¡°Oh, my God! I¡¯m so happy Alex. I really hope this works out¡± I said happily, still in the car. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s working out already¡± he replied with a smirk and Iughed again. I was so happy. People were giving good rmendations about me. I opened the door and stepped out and just then, a call came into Alex¡¯s phone and he stayed in the car to receive it. Wow! Where is this ce? It¡¯s so beautiful. I smiled as I gazed at the tall beautiful building in front of us. Wow! I couldn¡¯t wait to go in with Alex. But thinking of it, I think Korean¡¯s beautiful. I took my eyes around and admired the other amazing buildings around. Even their roads were so clean. And talking about the roads¡­ I looked across and my eyes caught the sight of a guy, standing beside a ck shy car, staring my direction. He was dressed in all ck and wore a face cap. But; that didn¡¯t stop him from looking familiar to me. He was tall and looked handsome ¨C just like he¡¯s always looked in pictures and on the!!! Oh, my God!!! What the hell? Isn¡¯t that Theo??? 47 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: My eyes widened as I tried to get a clearer view of him. Alex was still in the car. He really looked exactly like Theo. Or¡­could I be mistaken? But, I don¡¯t think so. And why¡¯s he staring this way? Suddenly, he opened the door of the ck shy car he was standing beside and walked into it and that was when Alex came out of the car. ¡°Hey¡± he called as he turned around to meet me, but my eyes were still fixed on the ck car which engines had turned on. I kept looking keenly at it and wished I could have a view of him again. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Alex asked, surprised. He turned to the direction I was staring and also saw the car which was now moving. He joined me in staring at it until until it finally drove away. Then he turned back to me and tapped me. ¡°Hey¡­is there something wrong?¡± He asked and I cleared my throat and shrugged out of my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I just thought¡­¡± I paused and looked at the direction the car had taken. ¡°I thought I saw someone in knew. But¡­its nothing. Don¡¯t worry about it¡± I replied, hoping I sounded convincing. But, seriously, I was still worried and confused. Wasn¡¯t that Theo? ¡°Are you sure?¡± Alex asked, his hand still on my shoulder. ¡°Y¡­Yeah¡± I stuttered and cleared my throat again. He. looked behind, as if not satisfied. Then, he looked back at me. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go in¡± he said and I managed a faux smile and we walked into the magnificent building together. He held my hand as we walked in and we were warmly weed by the receptionists who took us to a special VVIP room. It seems Alex already made preparations for this before now. They served us drinks and snacks. But seriously, my entire attention was so not there. I was so confused. That guy really looked a lot like Theo. Or could I be mistaken? But what if I¡¯m right and he¡¯s really Theo? Then, why was he there, staring at us. Could he be spying on us? And why did he leave quietly? Oh, God! What do I have a feeling something is wrong? And Alex¡­I don¡¯t know, but i feel scared telling him about it. What if it gets him upset, especially since its just a guess and I have no idea Where Theo had driven to? What if it changes his mood? ¡°Jeanne¡± his calm voice broke into my thoughts and I lifted my head to look at him. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± He asked in an unfeigned perturbed voice as he ced his hand on mine which was on the table. I sighed and stared downwards. ¡°I¡¯m¡­fine. I¡¯m fine¡± I said in a deep breath and managed a smile. He looked at me and still looked worried. ¡°Then, why looking this way?¡± He asked and I forced out a dryugh. ¡°I said I¡¯m fine, okay? Don¡¯t worry about me¡± I. replied and took up my ss of wine and drank from it so I seem relieved. We spent a long time in the lounge and since Alex had be worried, I decided to brighten up my countenance so he doesn¡¯t feel bad anymore. When we were done from the lounge, I asked him to take me to a za so I could get some gifts for Molly, just like I had promised. He agreed and took me to a mighty za and we got to the kiddies section and there he assisted me in selecting some lovely items for Molly. ¡°if you get married, I¡¯m sure Molly would want you to take her in as your first daughter¡± he said while we were taking out toys from the toys section and Iughed. ¡°That¡¯s funny¡± I remarked. ¡°I¡¯m serious. She told me herself¡± he said and I gasped. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s really grown fond of you, you know?¡± He said and I smiled happily. ¡°Well¡­she¡¯s a cool kid. Although, she¡¯s kind of grumpy-just like her brother. But, I still love her¡± I said and heughed. ¡°Woa! Are you really saying that to me? I¡¯m not grumpy. I¡¯m a good boy. I know it¡± he proimed, spreading his arms apart and it made meugh. But, seriously, I was just trying to put on a lively mood to make him happy. Innerly, my heart was troubled. * When we were done from the za, we drove straight home and he assisted me in packaging all the things we bought. ¡°Uhm¡­Alex,¡± I called after a long while when we were together in the sitting room. He was drinking and watching the tele, while I just sat absent mindedly with a te of cookies on myps. ¡°Yes?¡± He answered without looking at me. Okay. I really need to do this. I think it¡¯s high time I knew already. ¡°Can I ask a question?¡± I asked nervously. ¡°Sure. What¡¯s it?¡± He replied, still not looking at me. His eyes were just fixed on the TV which was ying a Korean movie. ¡°Uhm¡­promise you won¡¯t get mad at me¡± I said and that was what made him look at me. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked, surprised. ¡°Promise me first¡± I repeated and he scoffed. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t. What is it?¡±. I took in a deep breath and adjusted to look at him. Oh, God! I really hope he doesn¡¯t get mad at me. ¡°Wh¡­What transpired between you and Theo?¡± I expounded and immediately, I saw a spark in his eyes. The drink he held fell from his hand to the floor and I winced. He fisted his hand and stood up. Oh, no! You promised you wouldn¡¯t get mad at me. ¡°What prompted you to ask this question?¡± He asked angrily, his voiceing out croaky. He wasn¡¯t staring at me, but just stood backing me. ¡°A¡­Alex¡± I stuttered and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m¡­s.. sorry. I just¡­wanted to know¡­¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to know!¡± He interrupted me raucously as he snapped and faced me. Oh, God! I felt my heart bing two. Is this how he gets when he¡¯s angry? ¡°Just because I let you talk to me doesn¡¯t give you the right to invade into my privacy!¡± He yelled at me and I could feel his hot breath on my face because of how close he was standing and shouting at me. I gasped in fright as a tear escaped my eyes. Why did I have to ask him about it? ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± I said in a faint voice, looking into his eyes. Then, just as if something melted him, he took in a deep breath and bent his head. He turned around and headed for the door, but just when he got there, he stopped and ced his hands on the door. His voice came out more calmly now. ¡°I did something bad to him¡± he said in a tone that wavered. ¡°I offended him badly and it¡¯s an offence that might be difficult to forgive. It¡¯s an offence that gives him every right to be mad at me, but I still pray someday, he finds a ce in his heart to forgive me.¡± And with that, he opened the door and stormed out of the house. I remained standing for a long while, just staring at the nk door. Alex¡¯s words reyed in my head and they kinda hurt me. But what really happened between him and Theo that angers him this much? What could it be? I plonked myself on the chair and thought bitterly about it. This is the reason I didn¡¯t want to tell him about seeing Theo at the lounge. I knew it¡¯d change his mood. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t had asked him this question either. Now, it ruined his entire mood. I wonder where he¡¯s gone to. I stayed quietly in the sitting room for a long time, then, I went to the bedroom. I opened the window and looked through it and there I found him sitting and drinking alone by the pool in the dark. Oh! poor him. I never should¡¯ve brought up that question in the first ce. I stood and watched him from the window for a long time. I felt like going out to meet him, but felt scared of what his reaction might be. Too bad thest night I have to spend with him has to be ruined. Iid quietly on the bed, facing the ceiling. So many thoughts kept shing through my mind ¨C so many unanswered questions ¨C and I so badly needed answers to them. I stayed in one position for a long time. Then, I left the bed and went to the wardrobe, deciding to get him a cloth. He was just putting on a vest and since he was sitting by the pool, I was guessing he might be cold. I needed to get him something warm.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. I took out a thick shirt from his bag and was about going out when the door suddenly opened and he came in. Oh! He paused at the door and stared at me and I moved away from the wardrobe. ¡°I uh¡­was abouting to give this to you¡± I said and held out the cloth to him. He sighed and walked in, moving close to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yelling at you earlier. I didn¡¯t mean any of it¡± he spoke calmly and remorsefully. ¡°it¡¯s okay. I understand¡± I replied with a light nod. He exhaled softly and drew closer to me, now standing very close in front of me. He didn¡¯t say a word and slowly, he lifted his hands and ced them on my waist. What in the name of¡­ My eyes were lost, staring into his; my heart racing heavily. ¡°S¡­Sir?¡± I called as I gulped nervously. Then, slowly again, he ced his forehead on mine and closed his eyes. ¡°Stay still¡± he said in a soft breath and the next thing I felt, he ced his lips on mine and kissed me. Mary! My heart leapt out of my chest as he went deeper and pressed his fingers into my waist. 48 Alex¡¯s Pov: Okay; I give up trying to hide my feelings anymore. I¡¯m in love with Jeanne. Yes, I¡¯m deeply In love with her and I can¡¯t concede it any longer. I know she must be pretty confused with what I¡¯m actually doing. I don¡¯t know, but I can¡¯t control it and it¡¯s always been my fears. This feelings; the urges; they¡¯ve always been there and I had a feeling they were bound to ovee me at any time. Oh, Jeanne! If only you knew I was endangering your life. I love you, but I¡¯m scared it might get you into trouble. I don¡¯t know; this has always been the issue with me. I can¡¯t control my feelings, and right now, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m stopping this. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: My eyes were wide open in shock the whole time as Alex kissed me tempestuously. It was filled with an unusual fervour. But, what is going on? What¡¯s happening? His fingers were still boring into my waist and I felt him moving them downwards. I released a little gasp and tried pulling away from him. But he didn¡¯t let me as his grasp around me was firm. I managed to pull my lips away from the kiss and he opened his eyes and looked at me. My breath had be hard and fast. His hands were still holding my waist and I couldn¡¯t disentangle because of them. But¡­did I want to? I looked at his lips which had be red and wet. He brought his head closer and went for my lips again; this time around, kissing me more slowly and passionately. It tasted strawberry. Oh, God! Is Alex really kissing me? Or am I just hallucinating? What is going on? The grumpy leader of the loverboys, kissing me? I closed my eyes and felt him bite my tongue and a small gasp escaped my mouth. It didn¡¯t stay at the kissing point for long as almost immediately, he gently pushed me and made me fell on the bed behind us, with him on top of me. Oh, my God! What¡¯s happening? He paused and ced his head on my tummy, as if thinking or something. Then, he rose his head and ced his hand on mine. ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± he muttered into my ears and kissed me again. I didn¡¯t even know what to say or do. At that point, my brain was dormant. I released from the kiss, breathing heavily. ¡°A¡­Alex,¡± I called faintly and he made our foreheads touch. I couldn¡¯t say any other thing and I felt him move his hand from mine and trailed them to . my waist. He pressed them softly and pecked my lips. He resumed kissing me and this time around, he used his hand to spread my right leg apart and rxed more in the space which had been created. I kept breathing heavily into his lips as he kissed mine. What am I even doing? Am I ready for this? I¡¯m still a vi*gin and never nned on getting deflowered anytime soon. But with what Alex Is doing, I can¡¯t even control my thoughts anymore. I want to resist it, but I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. Since I was putting on a long gown, it was still able to cover my p*nties; but not for long as soon, I felt Alex moving his hands slowly into the gown. Oh, God! He was touching my thighs! I felt him trail then downwards, all the way till he got to my p*nties! Hah! I gasped and unlocked from the kiss and slowly, he brought his hand out of the gown. He didn¡¯t try kissing me again but slowly took his hand to the top of my gown and pressed my bo*bs slightly. For the first time, I moaned and covered my face in his chest. Then, he moved his both hands to my neck and loosened the rope that held my dress. Oh, my God! He was about taking off my dress! He untied the rope and I gasped as the bra-less gown fell freely from my chest. I wrapped my hands around his neck and hugged him, trying to hide my bo*bs. Then, he sent his hands to my bare back and rubbed it and his warm hands on my bare skin made me shiver. He held my hair gently and made me lie back on the bed and I became really nervous because my cheat was now exposed to him. I couldn¡¯t even look at him directly in the eyes and he rxed his head on my shoulder and touched my left bo*b, squeezing it. Oh, heavens. I closed my eyes and released soft breaths and¡­ what the hell! He lowered his head and licked my nipple! Holy Christ! He bit it and suddenly started su*king from it like a baby. I shut my eyes tight and tightened my grip around his neck and moaned for the second time. This felt like heaven. What¡¯s happening to me? I got lost in the sweetness of him squeezing and su*king my nipple and didn¡¯t realise he was actually using his other hand to pull the dress off my waist. I didn¡¯t realise until it had gotten to my p*nt level and that was when I gasped and opened my eyes. He also stopped the su*king and concentrated on the gown which he had sessfully gotten to my waist level and all I could do was watch helplessly. He dragged the gown down from my waist and took it off my legs. Oh, God! Is this really happening? I was almost n*ked in front of Alex, and my p*nt was just the only thing keeping me. He kept his head back on my shoulder and pressed my bo*bs again. Then, this time around, he sucked it roughly. Oh, Alex! What¡¯re you doing to me? I moaned in sweetness and held his hair. And that was it. He went for my p*nt! God! No, no. I can¡¯t expose myself in front of a guy like this. He held the tip of the p*nt and started pulling It down and when he got to my knee, I suddenly held his hand. Then, he brought his face close and kissed me ¨C a snogging kiss ¨C and it made me unaware of when he finally took off the p*nt. Oh, my God!!! I was lying stark na*ed in front of Alex! I finally looked at him in the eyes as I gulped nervously. The air conditioner was on, but I was sweating already. I kept looking into his eyes and kind of wished he wouldn¡¯t look at my body. He came close and kissed me again on the lips. Then, he left me and knelt beside me on the bed and that was when I knew we were really doing this. He started taking off his clothes! I lifted the duvet and covered my body with it and tried not to watch as he undressed. In few seconds, he was through and he took the duvet from my body and resumed his position ¨C in between my legs. I could feel my heart beating like a party drum as his shirtless tattoo chest pressed against mine. He leaned his head on mine and¡­sent¡­hi s¡­hand¡­to my v*gina! I gasped and held his hand, trying to stop him. I suddenly felt scared.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He let out a light scoff and held my hand, taking it away from him. He made my hand lie on my chest, then he went for it again and I shut my eyes as I felt him rub my clit. Oh, God! Alex¡­ Then, I felt him slipping in a finger and a light scream escaped my lips. ¡°Wait¡­¡± I moaned with my eyes closed as I wrapped my hands around his shoulder and felt him slipping the finger in and out. I didn¡¯t realise when he made it two, but it hurt as hell and I shrieked. But that didn¡¯t stop him from doing what he wanted. Gently, he pushed in the two fingers again and the pain-sweetness didn¡¯t make me realise when I opened my legs wider. I moaned deeply as he continued with it for some time, but after a while, he stopped and brought his hands to my boobs, squeezing and su*king them. Then,; he went for my lips and kissed me roughly this time around. I opened my eyes as I tried recovering from the pains of fingering me. I had no idea he was about doing the main thing. He rested his head on my chest and didn¡¯t make a move for a while. ¡°Jeanne,¡± he called softly after a while. ¡°Are you a vi*gin?¡± He asked and my heart beat increased. Why¡¯s he asking? I couldn¡¯t speak, but just nodded and he lifted his head and su*ked lightly from my nipple. Then I felt something hard against my pu*sy and that was when I realised it was his d*ck. Oh, my God! I held him tight as I felt him rubbing it up and down my clit. I folded my lips and wondered what pration would feel like. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s usually painful. He pressed it hard against my clit and the next thing I felt was him finally pushing it in. ¡°No! Wait!¡± I moaned loud as I held him to myself. He didn¡¯t move it, but adjusted close to me and rested his head on my bo*bs. He ced his two hands on my hair, holding it tight. My eyes were still closed with my hands clutched around his shoulders. His d*ck was still stuck in my pu*sy. Then, he moved in and out and immediately, I felt a sharp pain- one that felt like a razor cut and I screamed and held him tight. ¡°Argh!¡± I screamed as the pain drove me wild and he paused and smooched my lips. It seems he was trying to prevent me from screaming. I breathed heavily as I felt a liquid rush out of my v*gina. Then, he covered his face on my chest and with his hands still stuck in my hair, he started thrusting in and out of me, slowly at first. It felt so tight and painful and I felt like my pu*sy was tearing apart. ¡°Alex¡­wait¡­Oh¡­God¡­wait¡­Alex¡­Please¡­¡± I moaned in deep breaths and soon, he started moving faster. He held my hair tight and moaned into my ears. I kept begging him to stop while I held him tight to myself and in the meanwhile, tears flowed down my cheeks. He kept going faster and deeper and I felt from my waist level downwards was damaged. Why does it have to be this painful? I hope childbirth won¡¯t be as hurtful as this. Finally, I felt something liquid pouring Inside me and next, Alex pulled out. I took in a deep breath as he left my legs and I noticed I couldn¡¯t even close them easily. I had to go through pains in making my legsp together, then I turned andid sideways so I could back Alex who was now lying on the bed as well. I cleaned the tears off my eyes, but more kept rushing down. The pains were excruciating. I couldn¡¯t even move my finger. Then, I felt Alex drag the duvet up and cover me with it. He brought his head close to my shoulders and I could tell he was looking into my face, although my eyes were closed. I felt him use his palm to wipe the tear that rolled down my cheek, and next, he pecked me and I didn¡¯t feel any other thing as I suddenly dozed off. Alex¡¯s Pov: I covered her with the duvet and watched as tears streamed down her cheeks. I felt pity for her. She was going through pains, and I knew it. I actually had no idea she was still a virgin! It¡¯s a good thing I asked her before prating, else, I¡¯d have badly injured her 10 times the pains she was feeling right now. I can¡¯t believe someone as pretty as she is was still a virgin. No wonder she always acts naive. I cleaned her tears and pecked her cheeks. I¡¯m sorry, Jeanne, for making you cry. I know what I¡¯ve done today was bound to get you into trouble, but I promise to be there for you. Although, I don¡¯t know how possible your safety is right now, but I just want you to know I¡¯ll fight for you until myst breath. 49 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I opened my eyes slowly as the morning sun glinted on the windows which reflected on my face. I exhaled and looked down at my body and noticed I was still n*ked and covered with the duvet. Then, I remembered everything that had happened the previous night. Oh, God! I sighed and sat up and ced my hand on my forehead. I can¡¯t believe I actually lost my innocence to Alex. How did this even happen? I looked around the room and noticed Alex was not in. The bed was still rumbled just the way it was after the incidence and¡­Oh! I saw the bloodstain! Oh, God! It really did happen. I was no longer a v*rgin. I can¡¯t believe I had s*x. Just then, the door of the bathroom opened and he walked out ¨C shirtless- putting on just a white trouser. Oh, my! How do I face him? What do I do? I wish there was a way I could disappear.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Hey¡± he called as he walked close to the bed. I looked at his chest which was covered with tattoos and remembered holding them the previous night. Oh, Alex! What did you do to me? How did you get me so easily? ¡°You¡¯re awake¡± he said and I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a question or a statement. He came up and sat on the bed, facing me. I took in a deep breath before speaking up. ¡°Uh¡­Good morning¡± I greeted with my eyes staring below. I couldn¡¯t afford to look at him in the face. ¡°Hope you slept well?¡± He asked and all I did was nod. Then, he rose his hand to my face and brushed my hair behind my ears. ¡°I prepared your bath water already. It¡¯s warm. So, go on and freshen up¡± he said and I nodded without looking at him and stood up. Since I was n*ked, I used the duvet to wrap my body before leaving the bed. Then I tried walking and that was when I got to know there was a serious problem. My legs! They were hurting so bad and I had great difficulty moving them. What the hell did Alex do to me? Or is this how it¡¯s supposed to feel? Considering he was probably staring at me, I decided to just try and move. I took slow and steady steps. But before I got to the door, I felt a hand carry me up from behind and I flinched and realised it was Alex. Oh! He carried me into the bathroom andid me in the bathtub which had already been filled with soapy water. He removed the duvet from my body before putting me in, but thank God the soapy water was able to cover me quick enough. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± he muttered and pecked my hair and I wondered if he was apologising for the pains or for something else. He left afterwards and I felt more rxed in the warm water. Iid properly in it and closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth of the water, especially as it touched my v*gina. The whole thing still seemed like a dream to me. I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve lost my innocence to Alex. But, why did he make the move in the first ce? He didn¡¯t even say a word to me. And I couldn¡¯t resist. My heart skipped as I recalled how it had all happened. I remembered how he kissed me and s*cked my bo*bs. Then, how he fi*gered me and finally, the pration. I can¡¯t believe I was even able to moan and scream. Oh, Gosh! How did I let such a thing happen to me? What could Alex probably be thinking now? maybemaybe this is a dream. I¡¯m still finding it incredible to believe Alex and I had s*x! * I spent a long time in the bathroom, feeling scared and shy to go out and face Alex. But since I couldn¡¯t stay in there forever, I had to leave. So, after spending almost an hour, I came out of the water, took a white towel and tied it round my chest, then left the room, returning to the bedroom. As I entered the room, I noticed a great change in it. Well, of course, the bedsheets has been changed to a sparkling white one, all the scattered clothes on the floor were no longer there. And a tray of meal was kept on the neatly arranged bed. Wow! Did Alex do all these? immediately, the door opened and Alex walked in. Oops! Fireworks. The nervousity in me resumed as he entered the room. ¡°Oh! You done?¡±:he asked and I nodded. ¡°Okay. Made breakfast already. Come on¡± he said and I sat on the bed and he sat, facing me. It was a meal of coffee, fried eggs and bread. He dished out some eggs for me and poured out coffee from the big jug Into a mug and gave it to me. I took a slice of bread and put in some eggs. Then, I closed it and ate and surprisingly, Alex was watching me the whole time. He served himself after I started eating and we began eating together. Gosh! I feel so awkward. How I wish he would say something aboutst night. ¡°Our flight is ready¡± he said after a little while. ¡®So, we¡¯ll be leaving after breakfast¡±. I just nodded and continued eating nervously. ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± he called but was suddenly interrupted by a call which came into his phone. He excused himself and left the room and I kind of wondered why he left to receive the call. I sat alone and ate slowly from my te. I can¡¯t wait to go back home so I can at least, stop sharing a room with Alex. The nervousness is killing. Not long after, i heard my phone ringing and I went for it, but uncannily, it was a strange number. Huh? Who was calling with a strange number? 50 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I picked the call, but didn¡¯t hear anything from the other line. ¡°Hello?¡± I said on the phone, but still didn¡¯t hear a thing. Why isn¡¯t he or she saying anything? The call ended and being curious, I tried calling back, but surprisingly, it was switched off. I tried It again, but still switched off. Then, just then, Alex walked in and I dropped the phone. ¡°Still eating?¡± He asked and I nodded and he resumed sitting on the bed with me. He didn¡¯t say any other thing and I noticed his mood kind of looked different. We ate in a brooding silence and he stood up before me and asked me to hurry up. He went to the wardrobe and brought out his luggage, taking it outside. I tried hastening the meal so I could meet up with him. Well, seriously, I was starving and don¡¯t know why. I wonder if it could be a result of the incidence¡­ Soon, I was done eating and went to the wardrobe to get something to wear. I took out a shirt and trouser and ck p*nt and while I was putting on the p*nt, the door suddenly opened and ales came in. ¡°No!¡± I tried stopping him, but he already came in. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry¡± he said quickly and rushed out. Oh, goodness! Well, thank God I still had my towel on. Just that, my hips were exposed. I sighed as I finally wore it on. What am I even hiding from him? When he had touched and used every part of my bodyst night? I took the trouser and shirt and wore them on and brushed my hair in front of the mirror. Then, I applied a little lipstick and that was it. Alex opened the door again and peeped before fully walking in. ¡°So¡­you ready?¡± He asked and I nodded again. Gosh! I just hope I don¡¯t turn into a lizard. He went to the wardrobe and helped me with my luggage, rolling it out. I looked around the room and making doubly sure there was nothing i was leaving behind, I also left. We drove to the airport where the Alpha Personal jet was already waiting for us and we took our flight back to America. ¡°Nanny!!!¡± Molly screamed in excitement and ran to me just as i was getting out of the car. Oh, God! It seems she¡¯s been waiting outside for me to return. ¡°Baby!¡± I reciprocated and opened my arms wide for her to jump in. She jumped on me and I carried her and embraced her, both of usughing. ¡°I missed you, nanny¡± she said happily as I dropped her back on the floor. ¡°Oh, darling. I missed you more. How¡¯ve you been?¡± I asked after pecking her cheek. Alex was also out of the car. ¡°I¡¯m fine, nanny.¡± She paused and went to Alex; embracing him as well. ¡°I missed you too, brother¡± she said, brimful with smiles and Alex pecked her hair after dropping her back on the floor. ¡°And how¡¯ve you been?¡± He asked, vacuously. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Alex. Just missed nanny a lot¡± she replied and ran back to me. I looked at Alex who also shut me a stare. Then, I quickly took my eyes away and looked back at Molly. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go in¡± I told her and she nodded and we started walking into the house again. Alex trailed behind us while the guards brought out the bags from the car. We entered into the sitting room and the first person I saw there was Carl. ¡°Heyy! Look whom we have here. The princess is back¡± he eximed as he stood up and pulled me in a hug. I reciprocated. ¡°Good morning, sir¡± I greeted with a smile and a bow. ¡°Morning, pretty. How was your stay in Korea?¡± He asked and just then, Alex came in. I paused and looked at him , then back at Carl. ¡°Uhm¡­it was great. Thanks¡± I replied quickly. ¡°Hey, Bro. Good to have you back¡± he said to Alex as he walked up to him and gave him a side hug. ¡°Yeah. Thanks¡± Alex replied and touched his forehead. ¡°Wow! They¡¯re back!¡± I heard someone say and I turned to see Daniel and Malcolm climbing down the stairs. ¡°Good morning, sirs¡± I greeted with a bow. ¡°Good morning, dear. How was your flight?¡± Malcolm asked as they entered fully into sitting room. ¡°It was fine, sir.¡± ¡°Good to have you back¡± Daniel also said with a warm smile. ¡°Thank you, sir¡± ¡°Nanny, where¡¯re the gifts I asked you for?¡± Molly asked immediately. ¡°Oh! They¡¯re with Alex. I¡¯ll give them to youter¡± I replied and she nodded. ¡°You¡­now call Alex by his name?¡± Malcolm asked and I bit my lips and looked at Alex who was uncannily staring at me. ¡°Uh¡­¡± I paused and took my eyes away and they ran into Carl who was staring and smiling at me. Oh, God! ¡°is there something wrong with it?¡± Alex asked icily and Daniel coughed. ¡°Uhm¡­Alex, you need to get ready for the flight. We¡¯ll be leaving soon¡± Daniel said and I flinched. What flight? Where¡¯re they going? Alex didn¡¯t say anything but just took the stairs. ¡°Let¡¯s go, nanny¡± Molly said and held my hand and we left the sitting room together, going upstairs to her room. When we got to the door, she stopped and asked of the gifts that were in Alex¡¯s possession and I also thought of it. How do I get them now? I can¡¯t go to his room. I don¡¯t want to. ¡°Should I go and get them myself?¡± She asked and I itched my head. ¡°Uhm¡­don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll do that¡± I told her and she went into the room while I proceeded to Alex¡¯s. I knocked on the door but didn¡¯t hear a reply until I knocked for the second time. ¡°Come in¡± I heard him say and I slowly opened the door and went in. I entered the room and met him folding some clothes on the bed. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called when he noticed I was the one. I cleared my throat and drew closer. ¡°I uhm¡­wanna get the gifts I got for Molly¡± I said and he nodded and brought out the gifts which were wrapped in a polythene. ¡°Thank you¡± I told him and tried turning around to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for a week¡± he said and I turned to look at him. What? ¡°We¡¯re leaving for a week program ¨C I and the rest of the boys¡±. He said and I nodded slowly. ¡°So¡­will you be fine?¡± He asked and I wondered what he meant by that. ¡°Uhm¡­yes. Good luck¡± I replied and hurried out of the room. When I got outside, I leaned my back on the door and took in a deep breath.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. My heart was beating so fast. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s going to be away for a week. And he¡¯s actually leaving without saying a word to me ¨C aboutst night. I closed my eyes and tried getting over It. Perhaps, it was a bad idea to had let him gain free ess to my body. Why did I even let it happen? Perhaps, I should¡¯ve learnt to control my feelings. Although, I do love him. But, I wasn¡¯t so sure if he felt the same way as well. I thought about it and it hurt me a lot. I opened my eyes and surprisingly found Carl standing and staring at me. Oh-no. He was standing at the entrance of the passage and I quickly left the door and also stood, facing him. Oh, Jeanne! I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s been staring at me the whole time, leaning on Alex¡¯s door. I stood speechless, staring at him. And he smiled, shook his head and left. * I spent the whole time in the room with Molly, giving her enough opportunities to tell me all the stories she had in mind. If only she knew my attention was so not there. I kept thinking about Alex and everything that¡¯s happened. They were eating me up and I really needed to hear something from him. * After about an hour, I heard someone knock on the door and I went to check it out. Unexpectedly, it was Carl. ¡°Uhm¡­Sir?¡± I called, still standing by the door. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± He asked and I looked into the room, then back at him. ¡°Uhm¡­nothing really. I¡¯m just with Molly¡± I replied. ¡°Okay. Well, we¡¯re about leaving. So, I thought you might want to say bye to Alex¡± he said and smiled and I twitched. Why¡¯s he smiling? And oh! They¡¯re leaving already? ¡°Uh¡­okay. I¡¯ll be there¡± I replied and expected him to leave, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°Jeanne,¡± he called and chuckled. ¡°What the hell happened between you and Alex?¡± I flinched and took my eyes to the floor. Why¡¯s he asking such question? Oh, God! ¡°S¡­Sir,¡± I stuttered and licked my chapped lips. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t get you. Nothing happened¡± I replied and he chuckled again. ¡°Really?¡± He asked with a smile and I just nodded. ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯m off. Bye¡± he said and left and I heaved a huge sigh as I closed the door and leaned my back on it. Has our attitude been that obvious that even Carl was able to notice it? I stayed in the room for a long time, feeling scared to go out and meet Alex. Then, after some time, I decided to go out and by the time I did, they were already driving away. Perfect. I stood, looking at them until they finally drove out of thepound. 51 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I dressed up and went to the studio for some verifications as requested by the officials. It was the second day since the loverboys left and I¡¯ve been feeling damm lonely since then. When I got to the studio, I noticed my pictures were all over the ce, even on the walls which wereputerised. And it was noted I was thetest lovergirl. Wow! I met with the officials I was appointed to meet and they gave me some forms to fill. Then, they also told me I was to do a duvet with the lovergirls so I¡¯ll be recognised and it was stated Imenced training that very week. I spent about an hour with them and when I came out of the office, a call came into my phone. I checked and discovered it was dad. Oh! ¡°Hello?¡± I said quickly on the phone as I stopped walking so I could hear him properly. ¡°Good morning, dad¡± I greeted tedly. ¡°Good morning, angel. How¡¯re you doing?¡± He asked in his deep masculine voice. ¡°I¡¯m fine, dad.¡± ¡°Oh, dear. Sorry for not calling on time. I heard of your sess. I saw you on TV. You¡¯ve be one of the lovergirls, right?¡± I smiled. ¡°Yes dad¡± I . replied and heughed. ¡°That¡¯s incredible. I can¡¯t believe my daughter¡¯s be a star. I love you, dear. Keep it up, okay?¡± He beamed. ¡°I will, dad. love you too¡± I replied, smiling continously. ¡°okay. I have to go now. I¡¯m in the middle of a meeting. We just went out for a minute break.¡± He said. ¡°Okay, dad. Bye¡±. And the call ended. I stared at the nk phone for a while and smiled. I wish someone like Mr Raymond was really my father. I¡¯d have been the luckiest girl on earth. This makes me wonder what my family would be like. I sighed and turned around to leave, but surprisingly, I saw Kim standing behind me, together with two of the lovergirls. ¡°Wow! Look whom we have here¡± she said with a smile as she crossed her hands. Gosh! What does she want from me. ¡°Long time, no see, Jeanne¡± she added with a fatuous grin. ¡°Kim, please, I don¡¯t want any troubles¡± I said devastated and sheughed. ¡°Wow! You now call me by my name. Isn¡¯t that incredible?¡± She asked withughter and looked back at the two girls who chuckled. ¡°And why wouldn¡¯t she? She¡¯s now one of us¡± we heard someone say and turned to see Hetty, Mia and Lea approaching us. Hetty was the one who had spoken. ¡°Hmm. And the mother bitch has arrived¡± one of the girls with Kim said. ¡°You had better watched that tongue of yours, Eva, if you don¡¯t want it cut out.¡± Hetty said with a derogatory stare. ¡°Seriously, Hetty? You¡¯re such a kill-joy. Just when I was about congratting the our new dearest lovergirl¡±:Kim said. ¡°Yeah. Just felt like giving you some advice¡± Hetty replied and Kim scoffed and drew closer to her. ¡°Are you aware you¡¯re getting on my nerves?¡± She asked with a re. ¡°Well, your highness, I don¡¯t think I was.¡± Replied Hetty with a smirk. What¡¯s wrong with Kim? ¡°Kim!¡± I called and she looked at me. Then, I moved closer to her. ¡°i don¡¯t know what exactly your problem is, but just have this in mind; simply because you¡¯re the leader of the band doesn¡¯t make you a ruler over me. And as for your congrattions, you can take it back; I don¡¯t need it¡±. And with that, I walked away with Hetty and the rest, ignoring Kim who had a ghostly expression on her face. * ¡°Oh, my God! Jeanne, when did you be so bold?¡± Hetty asked as I sat in the room with her, Mia and Lea. Seriously, I also had no idea where that boldness to stand up to Kim came from. Well, I guess it¡¯s high time I stopped being a tool for mockery. I mean, I¡¯m a star, just like she is. So I can¡¯t let her continue ridiculing me. I bent my head and smiled shyly as Hetty looked into my face. She had suggested I followed her to her apartment, together with Mia and Lea. ¡°Seriously bae, I love it. That¡¯s just the way it should be. That Kim is a she-devil and doesn¡¯t deserve a single respect¡± Mia said. ¡°Yeah. I was kind of thinking we¡¯d have to lecture you on that. But good thing you¡¯re catching up already¡± Lea also said and I smiled. I haven¡¯t gotten used to them so, I kind of feel shy around them for now. But they seem really friendly and simple. ¡°Gosh! I love the expression I had seen on Kim¡¯s face. she was looking like a ghost¡± Hetty said withughter.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°i guess she never expected that.¡± She paused and giggled, then came to sit next to me on the bed. Mia and Lea were also on the bed. ¡°So, tell me, Jen, what song do you think we should perform? You know, as your first official performance?¡± Hetty asked and I stared at the ceiling to think. ¡°Uhm¡­I have a lot of songs in mind. But¡­would Kim consent to sing along with us?¡± I replied and asked and Hetty chuckled. ¡°And who the hell cares? She can join if she wants to. It¡¯s her choice¡± she said and I shrugged. ¡°so, we¡¯ll be rehearsing within the week . and by the end of the week, the release should be out¡± she further said and I nodded. ¡°By the way, Jeanne,¡± Mia suddenly said and I turned to look at her. ¡°How was your stay in Korea with Alex?¡± She asked and my eyes beamed. Huh? ¡°Yes, Jeanne. Tell us. How did it go?¡± Lea also chipped in, enthusiastically. ¡°I heard you guys had to share the same bedroom. Oh, my gee! Did something happen?¡± ¡°Yes! Like, did he bump into you when you were dressing? Or¡­you know?¡± I looked at them in disbelieve as they talked and smiled curiously. ¡°Girls, give her a break¡± Hetty suddenly said and I heaved a sigh of relief, thinking she was saving me. ¡°But seriously, Jeanne; did something happen between you two? Did you get to touch him?¡± She aske, smiling widely and I scoffed. ¡°Nothing happened¡± I said and they gasped. ¡°Come on, Jeanne; how can you say such a thing?¡± Lea asked with a yful frown. ¡°How could you spend three days alone with Alex and nothing happened? ¡°You know, if I had been in your shoes, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d have left such an opportunity unused¡± Mia said dreamily. ¡°Oh! I wonder what¡¯s it gonna be like being in bed with someone like Alex. I¡¯m sure he must be pretty good at it¡± Lea said and giggled. ¡°Well, of course, he¡¯s a loverboy and once a yer. He¡¯s the type that damages ady¡¯s legs in bed¡± Hetty said and I folded my lips and looked at the floor. Oh, God! Why are they reminding me of these? ¡°Well, it¡¯d be an honour having my legs damaged by someone like Alex!¡± Mia said and fell on the bed,ughing. Geez! ¡°Why have you been quiet, Jeanne? Don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡±:Hetty asked and I pouted my lips. ¡°Uh¡­I um¡­I don¡¯t really have much knowledge about all these things¡± I replied and Mia and Leaughed, except for Hetty who just smiled. ¡°Are you trying to say you¡¯ve never been fu*ked?¡± Lea asked and I gasped. Holy Christ! Can you imagine how freely she said it? ¡°Hold on; Jeanne, are you a virgin?¡± Mia asked and I opened my mouth, but couldn¡¯t close them. Oh, God! I couldn¡¯t say anything and that was when Hettyughed. ¡°Jeanne¡± she called and held my hand. ¡°Forget what these twodies are saying. It isn¡¯t a crime to be a virgin. But, the thing is, now you¡¯re a star and you need to act like one. ¡°I love the way you stood up to Kim today. It was amazing. But, you need to do more. Kill off every spirt of intimidation and learn to feel free around others. Be outspoken so you don¡¯t give others the impression that you¡¯re someone that can be bullied¡±. She paused and stood up, facing me. ¡°And one more essential thing ¨C your mode of dressing. You can¡¯t go on with these funny clothes of yours. You need to look good; just like a star. ¡°So,e with me; we¡¯re going for shopping. When you¡¯ve gotten a boyfriend, you can tell him to pay me back¡± she said and before I could say a word, Mia and Lea stood up from the bed and dragged me along with them, out of the room. Oh, God! Where did I get to know thesedies from? ¡î¡î¡î¡î¡î¡î¡î Days passed and Hetty, Mia and Lea really made them enjoyable for me. We spent most of the time in the studio, rehearsing for the group song and during that space of time, I got to understand and like each of them ¨C especially Hetty. Mia was a flirt and wasn¡¯t ready to settle down with a guy. Lea was the girlfriend of a popr model, although she was having a feeling he was cheating on her. And Hetty¡­she was single and wasn¡¯t a flirt. That was why I said especially Hetty. We rehearsed the song Iposed and after a week, we recorded it and it was released. Kim and her crew didn¡¯t participate, of course, but it was a big st. The duet was a sess and it hit the Inte big! Wow! I was given a sum of 30 million dors and a brand new car by Alpha Records as a wee token. It was incredible. On Saturday, which was the day the loverboys were meant to return, I spent the time with Hetty, Mia and Lea in the room and they were drinking, celebrating to my sess. Although, I just drank a non alcoholic wine. They danced and partied and I joined them in the dancingter on. When we had be tired, we fell on the bed, breathing andughing heavily. Then, Hetty took the TV remote and changed the channel and the channel that was being yed was a video of the one of the concerts the loverboys had held in Spain where they currently went. It showed them on stage, singing and free styling with Alex taking the lead role and It was crazy how the fans were screaming and dying for them. They were all jumping and stretching out their hands, wishing the loverboys would touch them. Surprisingly, Alex while singing, lowered down a bit and was able to touch the hand of one of thedies jumping and stretching. And to ultimate surprise, when he touched her, she screamed and copsed and was quickly rushed out. What? Is this how crazy fans are? ¡°Awwn. Did you see that?¡± Hetty asked with a smile, not directing the question to any of us in particr. Geez! I can¡¯t believe this was the same guy I slept with. * I spent a long time with them and guessing I had to check up on Molly, I decided to leave. As I sat in the back seat, heading home, I thought about Alex. What If they¡¯re back? I can¡¯t imagine seeing him all the time because it brings back the memories of everything that had happened between us. Oh, God! How do I face him? I¡¯m afraid my stay in that mansion is beginning to feel impossible for me. I was in a ruminative mood the whole time until we finally got home and when we did, I noticed the loverboys were just returning. As a matter of fact, the gate which had been opened for them to drive in was still open before we drove in as well. I looked through the window and saw Alexing out of his own car, dressed in a white v ¨C neck shirt and pair of white trousers, looking so cute. Oh! How I¡¯ve missed him. If only things were different. Slowly, I opened my car door and came out of the car and the loverboys all turned to look at me. ¡°Jeanne!¡± Carl called immediately and waited for me to get close. I smiled nervously and drew closer to them. ¡°Look who¡¯s looking pretty¡± he added when I got close and he embraced me. Oh-oh. Alex was watching. ¡°Good day, sir. Wee back¡± I said to him and turned to Daniel and Malcolm who had also gotten close. Alex was still behind, counting his steps. ¡°Wee home, sirs¡± I said to Daniel and Malcolm with a bow. ¡°Jeanne,¡± Malcolm called and I looked at him. ¡°You need to get rid of this *sir* stuff, okay? You¡¯re now one of us. You can start addressing us by our names¡± he said and I just smiled and bowed. ¡°You¡¯re looking good, Jeanne¡±: Daniel said with a little smile and walked into the house. Oh! Is that so? Well, I decided to heed to Hetty¡¯s advice and change my mood of dressing and it seems it¡¯s working out. It¡¯s not like I left my body exposed or something, I just leant to dress more brightly. Malcolm waved at me and also walked in. ¡°Congrattions, Jeanne, on your sess¡± Carl said and I smiled. ¡°Thank you s¡­¡± ¡°Carl¡± he cut me off and I smiled. ¡°Thank you, Carl¡± I corrected myself and that was when Alex got close. Carl winked at me and also left, leaving just I and Alex. I bit the inside of my cheeks as Alex stood in front of me, having a tranquil expression. Oh, God! I don¡¯t know how much longer I can keep up with these. The suspense I get whenever he¡¯s close to me; it¡¯s killing. ¡°Hey,¡± he called softly and I tried to smile. ¡°Um¡­good day, sir. And wee home¡± I replied and forced myself to look at his face. Oh, my God! He had a new tattoo! Yes, on his neck, right above the first one. And¡­It was the drawing of a letter J. Huh? ¡°Jeanne,¡± he called and I gulped nervously and took my eyes to the floor. ¡°Will you be busy tonight?¡± He asked and I flinched. Why¡¯s he asking? ¡°N¡­Not really¡± I stuttered a reply and he breathed out softly. ¡°Can you go out on a date with me, please?¡± He asked and my heart skipped. What? Alex is asking me out on a date??? And he even said please! I looked at him, speechless for some time. He was staring back at me. Then, after gulping for the umpteenth time, I nodded slowly and he sighed. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll pick you up by 7. Thanks¡± he replied and walked in and as soon as he left, I held my cheeks to be sure I wasn¡¯t dreaming. Oh, my God! Did Alex really ask me out on a date? Oh, geez!!! Part 1 finale Alex¡¯s Pov: I sat nervously in the room, rethinking what I was about doing. I know you might probably be wondering why I haven¡¯t said a word to Jeanne about my feelings after deflowering her. Well, one thing is for sure; I¡¯m in love with Jeanne, but I¡¯m just scared because i don¡¯t wanna get her in trouble. If Theo gets to know I have a new lover, he¡¯s definitely going toe after her. He¡¯ll be a threat to her life. But, as it stands now, I can¡¯t control it anymore; the feelings; I can¡¯t hide them anymore. I love Jeanne and want to be with her. And that is why I¡¯vee up with an idea. Tonight, I¡¯m going to confess my feelings to her. I¡¯ll ask her to be mine. And when she agrees, we¡¯ll leave the country together. Yes; we¡¯ll elope ¨C go far away, where no one will be able to find us. I¡¯ll quit from the band and run away with her, to a far away country. The money I have already is enough to feed us for thousands of years. So, we¡¯ll be fine; get married and raise a family together, on our own. Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I intend doing. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I twirled in front of the mirror and smiled. ¡°You look good, nanny¡± Molly who was sitting behind me said and Iughed. ¡°Thank you dear.¡± I replied and added a little lip gloss on my lips. I hope I¡¯m looking good enough. I was putting on a long ck gown with an opening at the back. Then, a set of red heels and had a ck purse with me. Well, I need to look perfect. I mean, I¡¯m going on a date with Alex! Gosh! I¡¯m so nervous, though. I wonder what he¡¯s going to say to me. I just hope it gets to satisfy my curiosity. I checked the time ¨C a minute pass 7. He must be waiting for me by now. I took my purse and just then, my phone awakened with a ring. Oh! It was Megan! ¡°Hey,¡± I said on the phone as I sat back on my seat, in front of the mirror. ¡°Jeanne! Longest time¡± she said and I could sense her happy mode ¨C as always. ¡°Hi, Megan. I¡¯ve missed you¡± I replied, smiling. ¡°Yeah, I know. Sorry for not calling all these while. I¡¯ve been really busy. So¡­congrattions on your sess¡± she said and I chuckled. ¡°Thanks a lot. How have you been?¡± I asked. ¡°Well¡­I¡¯ve been fine, I guess. Anyway, don¡¯t worry about me. So¡­I just wanted to congratte you. Good luck. Maybe we can meet upter, huh?¡± She said and I nodded like she could see me. ¡°Okay, then. No problem. Thanks for calling. ¡°Bye¡± and the call ended. I smiled as I slipped the phone into my ck purse. Oh, Megan. I¡¯ve really missed her. I stood up and holding Molly¡¯s hand, we left the room together. When we got outside; I looked at Alex¡¯s door and noticed it was locked. Huh? It seems he was out already. I took Molly to her room and reminded her to stay safe till I get back. Mrs Tristan wasn¡¯t at home, but I think the loverboys were still around. After giving her a peck, I closed the door and left her room. Then, I took in a deep breath and sauntered through the sitting room, heading outside to see if Alex was there already. I opened the door of the sitting room and stepped out and¡­wow! I found him beside one of his cars. Oh, my God! He was looking so breathtaking in his all white appearance. I wonder why he loves white this much. He was backing me and I took out time to admire him from behind. Gosh! Now I¡¯ve really be so nervous. What¡¯s he gonna say to me? After staring for what seemed to be like forever, I decided to go ahead and meet him. I started walking levelly and the sound of my heels made him aware of my presence as he turned and looked at me. Wow! I caught those sparkles in his eyes. It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t end up falling before I got to where he was because the way he had been staring at me, they were indescribable. I cleared my throat a little when I got to where he was. ¡°H-hi¡± I stuttered and cleared my throat again. He didn¡¯t say anything immediately, but just stared at me for a moment. ¡°Ready?¡± He asked and I nodded. Then, he opened the front door for me and I walked in. He drove in silence for about thirty minutes and finally, he stopped the car and I figured we had gotten to our destination. He came out and opened the door for me and surprisingly, when I was abouting down, he stretched out his hand to me. I ced mine on his and came down and that was when I had a proper look around. Where was this ce? It was quiet and looked more like a garden. And It was beautiful. With Alex still holding my hand, we walked in together and that was when I confirmed it was indeed a garden ¨C a dazzling one. Since it was dark, little lights of different colors were hung all around the flowers and it gave the ce an ineffable and breathtaking view. It was amazing. Then, as we walked in, in the middle of the garden was a table for two, arranged there in it with flowers, covered tes and drinks on it. Wow! When did Alex have time to prepare all these? He took me to the table and made me sit before going to take his own seat at the other side of the table, now facing me. ¡°So¡­what would you want to eat?¡± He asked as he started opening the tes on the table. Wow! They were lots of appetising foods and berries. He was about dishing out the rice, but I stood up and tried doing it myself. ¡°Jeanne,e on. It¡¯s my treat, okay? Let me serve you¡± he stopped me and I nodded and returned to my seat. I watched him admiringly as he dished out some rice into a te for me and adding some beef on it, he passed it to me. Then, he also served himself and returned to his seat. We started eating, quietly at first. Well, I was too nervous and didn¡¯t know what to say. And him¡­He looked like someone who was lost in thoughts. ¡°So¡­what do you have to say about the band? The lovergirls?¡± He finally broke the silence and I swallowed down my mournful content before speaking up. ¡°Um¡­its nice. At least, Hetty, Mia and Lea like me, unlike Kim and the rest¡± I replied and he nods. ¡°Well, Kim has always been that way. She¡¯s always been oppressive. You just need to be careful around her.¡± He replied and I took in a deep breath and looked down at my food. We didn¡¯t say any other thing for a while and it kind of ate me up. ¡°Jeanne¡± he suddenly called. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to talk to you about¡±. Okay; now my stomach¡¯s rumbling. What does he want to talk about? Oh, God! I didn¡¯t say a word but just lifted my eyes to look at him. He stood up from his seat and approached me. Then, standing in front of me, he dipped his hand into his trouser pocket and brought out the a tiny fashionable box and my eyes beamed. ¡°Can you stand for a minute, please?¡± He asked and I gulped nervously and stood up, facing him. My heart was racing so fast. He opened the box and my sparkles shed into my eyes immediately. I looked at it and discovered it was a ne. Hah! It was pure gold! I gasped in surprise as the pendant glittered even in the darkness. What does Alex mean by this? He went to my back and fixed it on my neck. Oh, my God! It was so beautiful! I almost cried. Then, he came back and stood in front of me. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called and held my hand. My eyes were now glistening. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to say this to you. ¡°That night in Korea, when I took your innocence, i didn¡¯t take it for granted. And I did it because of how I felt about you¡±. He paused and sighed. Oh, God! What could he be talking about? ¡°I know this might be sound crazy, but¡­I love you, Jeanne; I really do. And as crazier as it may sound, I don¡¯t know how or when it happened. But I¡¯m madly in love with you already¡­and I want you to be mine.¡± He paused and ced my hand on his chest. ¡°Will you be mine, Jeanne?¡± He asked and immediately, tears streamed down my cheeks. Oh, my God! Is this a dream? Is Alex really confessing his feelings to me? Or am I hallucinating? Oh, Jesus! How did this happen? The leader of the loverboys asking me to be his. This is a dreaming true. Alex? I whimpered as the tears flowed down my cheeks. I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. ¡°Alex¡­¡± I called in a crack voice and covered my face on his chest. He rubbed my back. Then, slowly, he lifted my face from his chest and went for my lips. He kissed me twice and made our foreheads touch. ¡°Will you be mine, Jeanne?¡± He added in a whisper and I sniffed and nodded. ¡°I love you too, Alex¡± I said tearfully and he smiled and embraced me. He hugged me for a while and unlocked, holding my cheeks. ¡°Thank you, Jeanne. You don¡¯t know how much this means to me.¡± He said and I smiled ruefully. He went for my lips again and kissed me and this time around, I reciprocated. It was so divine. He ced his hands on my waist while I ced mine on his shoulders and we continued kissing. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feelings and he pressed his hands softly into my waist. Oh, God! I hope this is not a dream. I want to believe Alex¡¯s really mine now ¨C my forever crush. Just then, we heard footsteps and quickly unlocked from the kiss to see someone entering the garden. It was a boy. He walked with steady steps and passed the entrance of the garden, then stopped in the middle of it, facing us. He was putting on a ck trouser and a brown jacket and looked extremely handsome. Wait! What the hell? Oh, my God!Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Am I dreaming or something? It¡¯s Theo!!! Theo!!! The lost loverboy! Standing right in front of me! What the hell? Alex¡¯s hands fell from my waist and I looked at him to see a total different look in his eyes; a look of fright. His hands were shaking. I looked back at Theo and he sighed and took a step closer. ¡°Hello, Alex¡± he said with a smile. Part 2 intro Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Alex¡¯s hands fell from my body as he moved back, his eyes still wide open, staring at Theo. Theo sighed and took a step forward ¡°Not even an hug from an old friend?¡± He asked coldly and took his eyes to me. Oh, God! He¡¯s staring at me! ¡°Um¡­good evening, sir¡± I stuttered nervously. I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly felt so scared. Maybe it was because of the stories I¡¯ve heard about him. And considering Alex¡¯s reaction right now, it could only mean one thing; there was a problem. ¡°Good evening, Jeanne. Nice meeting you¡± he said with a cursory smile and gave me a cranky look. He was dressed in a ck trouser and a ck shirt which was covered with a brown jacket and a pair of ck sneakers. His hair was dark and curled and the left part of it flopped across his left eye. He had tiny pink lips and looked really handsome. Now I understand why people found it difficult choosing between him and Alex. Oh, God! I still can¡¯t believe Theo¡¯s back and standing In front of me! But why¡¯s he here? He let out a deep sigh and walked closer to the table. He took a ss of wine from the table and emptied it into his mouth. Then, he exhaled and took his gaze back to Alex. ¡°Okay, Alex. I think I¡¯ll leave you guys to enjoy your date. Guess we¡¯ll talkter¡± he said and giving him a hard stare, he turned around and left. I kept staring at him as he walked away and couldn¡¯t be seen anymore. Then, I turned back and looked at Alex who was now staring at the floor, breathing heavily. ¡°Alex¡­¡± I called, but he didn¡¯t even look into my face. ¡°Alex¡± I called again and held his hand, but he still didn¡¯t look at me. Oh, God! What could possibly be going on? ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±:he finally said as he withdrew his hands from mine and started walking away. I stood and stared at him from behind, not knowing what to do or say. Why do I have a strange feeling about Theo¡¯s return? And why did he show up on our date? So many thoughts kept shing through my mind and it made me really restless. Sluggishly, I started trailing behind and walked to the car where he sat quietly, staring through the window. I sat beside him and looked at him, but he wouldn¡¯t look back at me. He was definitely troubled. I also turned and stared the opposite direction as he started the car, taking off on a high speed. * Immediately we got home, he came out of the room and went into his room and that was it; I didn¡¯t get to see him again. The loverboys were not at home when we got there and it was kind of a relief to me because I wasn¡¯t ready to answer much questions. I stood beside Alex¡¯s locked room for a long time, wishing he¡¯d open up. But I even felt scared knocking. I found it difficult falling asleep that night as the whole thing kept shing through my mind. Iid upwards on the bed and thought about it. I remembered when Carl had told me something about Theo being cold hearted and trust me, I could sense it, even from the way i heard him speak today. And the other fact¡­about being the one responsible for the deaths of Alex¡¯s girlfriends¡­ No; I don¡¯t want to think about that. I just don¡¯t want to. I can¡¯t believe my first date night got ruined and my new boyfriend wouldn¡¯t even talk to me. I woke up prettyte the next morning and noticed I was having a slight headache.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Well, I guess it was because I didn¡¯t sleep well the previous night. I just kept thinking and thinking and didn¡¯t even realise when I fell asleep. I felt a little weak when I recalled everything that happened ¨C Theo¡¯s unheralded return and Alex¡¯s sudden change of character. I just hope nothing goes wrong. I went into the bathroom and after brushing my teeth, I left to check up on Molly ¨C or let me say Alex. I knocked on his door severally, but got no reply. Then, I tried opening it but discovered it was locked. ¡°He¡¯s not at home¡± I heard someone say and turned to see Carling towards me. ¡°Oh¡± was all I could say as I left the door. I felt kind of disappointed. ¡°He left this morning¡± he further said as he stood in front of me. ¡°Really? Did he say where he was headed?¡± I asked but he shook his head and I sighed. ¡°Gosh! Why¡¯s all these happening now? Where did he go these early without saying a word to me? ¡°is everything okay?¡± Carl asked, clearly noticing my perturbed look. I ced my hands on my waist and took in a deep breath. ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡± I finally said and he flinched. ¡°O¡­kay. so what¡¯s the problem?¡± He asked and drew nearer and I took in a deep breath again. Just saying it out was making me feel scared. ¡°Last night,¡± I started slowly. Alex took me out on a date. And¡­Theo showed up.¡± ¡°What???¡± He gasped, patently shocked. He scoffed and looked behind, then back at me. ¡°What the hell did you say?¡± He asked in a whispering-like tone. ¡°Theo, Carl. Theo showed up. He came to us when we were togetherst night¡± I replied impatiently. My fears were increasing as a result of his own reaction as well. ¡°Okay; what did he say?¡± He asked, still in a. a low tone. ¡°He um¡­nothing. He just said hi to us and left¡± I replied and he sighed. ¡®Wow! This is crazy¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Theo¡¯s back.¡± We didn¡¯t say any other thing immediately as we both let the brooding silence step in. ¡°You need to be careful, Jeanne. Theo¡¯s return might not be genuine, especially with the fact you¡¯ve be close to Alex. Although, I know we¡¯re not sure of the fact he¡¯s behind the murders, but then¡­¡±.. He paused and sighed. ¡°You just need to be careful. Okay?¡± He asked and tapped me on the shoulders and I sighed and nodded despondently. But seriously, I was worried. I looked at the time; it was almost 11am. I needed to get ready so I could meet the lover girls in the studio. Alex¡¯s Pov: I walked into the garden and met him sitting there, backing me. I walked in with bleary eyes, my whole head spinning. I had so many thoughts running through my mind. Why did he have to return now? Why now? Why couldn¡¯t he just wait for me to elope with Jeanne before he showed up? I stopped behind him and stared at him for a while. I knew he was aware of my presence, but didn¡¯t want to turn around. ¡°Theo¡± I called lowly and he titled his head before standing up. ¡°hey¡± he called with a smile as he turned to face me. He brought out a cigarette and lit it and stuck it in his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m d you asked to see me. Why didn¡¯t youe around with our girlfriend?¡± He asked as he puffed out smoke from his cigarette. ¡°Theo please¡± I said weakly. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt Jeanne.¡± He bent his head andughed. ¡°Those were the same words I said to you four years ago. Do you remember?¡± He asked, his voiceing out hard. ¡°What happened to a Olivia wasn¡¯t my fault¡­¡± ¡°Of course, it was!¡¯ He interrupted me raucously. Anger was beginning to eat him up. He turned and backed me and smoked profusely from his cigarette. ¡°She meant the world to me, yet you took her away from me. And now, you want me to let you stay happy?¡± He said with a scoff and I weakly fell in my knees. ¡°Theo, please¡± I said ruefully. ¡°if you take Jeanne away from me, I won¡¯t be able to survive it. I promise, I¡¯ll die¡±. He turned around and looked at me in surprise as I stayed on my knees. ¡°Wow!¡± He eximed. Isn¡¯t this incredible? This is the first time Alexander is kneeling in front of someone.¡± He paused and squatted in front of me. I just bent my head and wept. I couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Thisdy must be really special to you, isn¡¯t she?¡± He asked with a smile. ¡°The otherdies I killed, you only liked them. But, this Jeanne of a girl, you love her. Isn¡¯t this what we call true love?¡± Heughed and stood up and smoked from his cigarette again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alex; since you love her this much, I won¡¯t kill her¡± he said and I lifted my eyes to look at him, anxiety eating me up. My eyes were almost bulging out. He smiled and started walking away. ¡°Theo!¡± I quickly stood on my feet and called. Then, he stopped, but didn¡¯t turn around to look at me. ¡°You.. you won¡¯t hurt her?¡± I asked and heard him scoff. ¡°I won¡¯t kill her¡± he replied and walked left. I remained standing, staring into space, my heart thumping fast. ¡°no. Theo was upto something. I don¡¯t trust him. I need to get Jeanne. We need to leave the country immediately. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: After spending a long time with Hetty, Mia and Lea in the studio, I decided to go home, hoping I¡¯d see Alex. I was missing him already. I sat in the car and operated my phone as the driver took off. I checked if there was any message from Alex, but disappointedly there wasn¡¯t. I wish I get to see at home so I could spend some time with him. After operating my phone for a long while, I leaned my back and closed my eyes, but not long after, the car screeched to a halt and I opened my eyes to see what was going on. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked the driver who opened the door and came out. He bent and checked the car and came to the window where I sat. ¡°it¡¯s a t tyre, ma¡¯am¡± he said and I flinched. ¡°A t tyre?¡± I repeated and groused. What the heck? Why a t tyre now? Immediately, a ck van drove in a full speed and stopped in front of our car and before I knew what was happening, boys with guns came out of the van and shot the driver on the arm. Whaaaat? My phone fell from my hands and before I knew it, they came to the car, opened the door and brought me out. I screamed. ¡°No! Let go of me!¡± I said at the top of my voice as they held me roughly and immediately, they covered a napkin over my nose and I suddenly had the cessation to sleep and I dozed off. 54 Alex¡¯s pov: I ran out of the house and looked around. Where the hell was Jeanne. I just got home but couldn¡¯t find her here. The loverboys were not at home, but after calling each of them, Carl told me she had said something about going to the studio. So, I called Hetty, but she told me she already left the studio a while ago. So, where the hell was she? I stood outside and buried my face in my palms. Oh, God! Please don¡¯t tell me Theo¡¯s gotten her already. Please don¡¯t. I leaned on the car, frustrated, not knowing what to do. Not long after, a text came into my phone and I checked and discovered it was from her. Ha! Thank goodness. I quickly opened the message and read the content: ¡°Meet me at green alders. It¡¯s important¡±. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I slowly opened my eyes and felt myself lying on the floor. I touched my head which was feeling very hot and tried recalling what had happened. I recalled some men shooting at my driver, then bringing me out of the car and making me fall asleep in their arms . I tried sitting up when I recalled it and when I did, I saw a boy standing by the door, just staring at my direction. Immediately he noticed I was awake, he opened the door and left the room. I looked around and noticed I was in a room ¨C a beautiful room. There was even a bed, but I wasid on the floor. I weakly stood on my feet and went to the door and tried opening it, but noticed It was locked. Why am I here? Who brought me here? Oh, God! I knocked and knocked on the door, but there was no reply. ¡°Hello? Anyone there? Please, open up¡± I cried, but there was still no reply. I turned and backed the door, panting. I couldn¡¯t even find my bag. There was no way I could get my phone to make a call. I hurried to the window and looked through it. God! The floor was far from me and that only meant I was kept at the upper part of the building. I couldn¡¯t find anyone there except for some cars that were parked there. Just then; I heard the door opening and I snappily turned to see who it was and¡­It was Theo! What! Theo? He walked in alone, holding a paper in his hands and I looked at him, gobsmacked. Did¡­did Theo actually bring me here? He was dressed in a ckther trouser and jacket and he walked in silently and sat on a seat that faced the bed. ¡°S¡­Sir Theo;¡± I called, surprised. ¡°You brought me here?¡± I was too transfixed with shock to even move from the window. He breathed out softly and brought out his phone, making a call. ¡°Yes. Put it on¡± he said on the phone and immediately, the t screen TV in the room turned on. What? It was Alex! Like¡­a live video of Alex standing all alone in the middle of a garden. What is going on? He stood at a spot and it seemed he was waiting for someone because he kept looking around. ¡°i used your phone and texted him to meet you there¡± Theo said and I turned to look at him. ¡°So, right now, he¡¯s there. And my men¡¯s at the top of the building, ready to shoot him¡±. My heart skipped and my eyes flew wide open in shock. I gasped and looked at Alex on the screen. Oh, my God! He has no idea he¡¯s being videoed and targeted. Theo made a call again. ¡°Do it¡± he said on the phone and I wondered what he meant. Then, the flowers moved from Alex to some flowers behind him and in my very eyes, I saw a bullet enter one of the flowers. Oh, my God! They shot at it and It seemed to be a silent gunshot because Alex didn¡¯t even turn around. I shrieked and covered my mouth with my palms. ¡°Please, stop it. Don¡¯t hurt him. Why doing this?¡± I asked with trepidation and he sighed. ¡°At this point,¡± he said calmly. ¡°Alex¡¯s life and death is in your hands¡±. My heart was thumping fast. Why¡¯s Theo doing all these? I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s trying to kill Alex. What does he want from me? I looked at Alex on the screen and sniffed. He has no idea his life was in danger. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± I asked fearfully and he breathed out a sigh and leaned his back on the chair where he sat. ¡°I want you, Jeanne, to be mine¡± he said and I felt a loud bang in my head. Oh, God! No! What is he talking about? I scoffed as my heart ached and I looked at him. ¡°S¡­Sir¡­¡± ¡°I want you to break up with Alex ande to me. You¡¯ll be my girlfriend and live here with me and you¡¯ll do everything I say and want and I can do anything I want with you. You¡¯ll neverin or object and my orders are the only things you¡¯ll live on¡±. He paused and held out the paper he was holding. ¡°Here¡¯s our agreement slip. Sign it and save Alex¡± he added. I felt my blood running cold and I weakly fell on my knees. No; this is not happening. This can¡¯t be happening. He can¡¯t ask me to do this. I can¡¯t leave Alex. Oh, God, no! This is a dream. Please. I closed my eyes and wept. What is happening? How can Theo ask me to do such a thing? I don¡¯t want to leave Alex. I can¡¯t do without him. ¡°Sign it , Jeanne¡± he said icily.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten all day¡±. I ced my palms together and knelt, facing him. ¡°Please,¡± I whimpered. ¡°I can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t leave Alex. I beg of you¡±. He smiled and leaned back on his chair and made a call with his phone again. ¡°Kill him¡± he said and I gasped. 55 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°Kill him¡± he said and I gasped. ¡°No! Please, no. I¡¯ll do it. Please don¡¯t hurt him!¡± I cried and crawled on my knees to where he was and he signalled me not to touch him. The phone was still on his ears and calmly, he said: ¡°Wait for my orders¡±. Then, he dropped the line. ¡°Sign it before I change my mind¡± he said to me, stretching out the paper. More tears streamed down my cheeks as I thought about what I was about doing. How can I breakup with Alex? How can I leave him? I just got into a rtionship with him, yet, I¡¯m going to leave him already? And how can I live with someone like Theo? Someone as cold hearted as he is?C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. And what does he want to achieve from all these? Is he trying to make Alex jealous or what? Oh, God! What do I do? How do I get out of this? I can¡¯t leave Alex. I love him too much. But, if I don¡¯t, Theo¡¯s going to kill him. I bent my head and wept bitterly. The tears kept strolling down. ¡°You have just five seconds to sign this slip¡± he said and threw the paper at me, together with a pen. Then, he started the countdown. ¡°5¡­4¡± I tearfully picked up the paper and the pen and a tear from my left eye dropped on it. ¡°3¡­2¡± Oh, God! No! Just when he was about calling thest figure, I ced the pen on the paper and signed it. Oh, God! I signed it! I signed the agreement slip to break up with Alex and bes Theo¡¯s girlfriend. Why does this have to happen to me? Theo smiled and collected the paper from me. ¡°Good job¡± he said with a smirk,; staring satisfactorily at it. ¡°Now, I want you to go on and breakup with Alex. Tell him you don¡¯t love him anymore and wish to be with me. Tell him it was a terrible mistake getting into a rtionship with him. Let him know how stupid he is. And don¡¯t even think of doing anything tricky because, trust me, I¡¯m definitely going to find out and when I do, you should know you¡¯re dead¡±. He paused and leaned closer to me. ¡°Is that understood?¡± He asked but I couldn¡¯t reply as I just bent my head in tears. Then, the next thing I felt was a hard p on my cheek that made me fall to the floor. What? ¡°I said¡­is that understood?¡± He asked again and I looked up at him in shock. Is this what he ns on doing to me? I bent my head and tried controlling my tears. ¡°Y¡­Yes¡± I replied in a cracking voice and he smiled and stood up. ¡°You have thirty minutes to do so and get back here. One of my drivers will apany you and bring you back. And remember everything I want you to say to him. Trust me; you don¡¯t wanna get me upset. Now, get up and follow me.¡± He said fiercely and I weakly stood on my feet. He started walking out of the room and I followed him behind and after taking the stairs, we came to an enormous sitting room and we walked pass it and finally got outside. The house was massive; but my pathetic state wouldn¡¯t let me admire it at that moment. My vision was blur and bleary. I didn¡¯t even know where he was taking me, not until we got to the parking lot where different cars were parked and I saw about three boys there. ¡°You¡± Theo said, pointing to one of them. ¡°Take her to the loverboys mansion and return her in thirty minutes. If it goes beyond thirty minutes, don¡¯t bothering back¡± he said and the boy he was talking to, bowed and opened the door for me and I slowly walked in and next, we took off. I kept crying at the back seat as the pains of what I was about doing kept niggling at me. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be leaving Alex; I¡¯ll be breaking his heart. How¡¯s he going to feel about it? Oh, God! And for how long will I be staying with Theo? What will he do to me during that period? It¡¯s not up to an hour and he pped me already. And what did he mean by saying he can do whatever he wants with me? And I¡¯ll do whatever he wants? Why does such misfortune have to be fall me? Oh, God! Why me? Theo¡¯s Pov: I stood and watched satisfactorily as the car drove Jeanne away. I suddenly felt more angry and eager. I couldn¡¯t wait for her to return and start living with me so I could make her life a living hell. I¡¯ve seen her truly and differently Alex loves her and I¡¯ve decided to make her death different from the others. I¡¯ve decided to make her death slow and agonising with Alex watching every bit of it. It still won¡¯t be enough to get back to him for what he did to me. So, I¡¯m gonna use Jeanne to pieces his heart. I¡¯ll make her gogo through unbearable pains and be my ve and her dear Alex won¡¯t be able to help. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: The driver parked and waited for me outside the mansion while I went In. As I sauntered in, sorrowfully, I noticed the loverboys weren¡¯t at home and it kind of made me feel relieved. But where was Alex? I entered the quiet sitting room and looked around and memories of when I first stepped in shed back in my head. I remembered when he had returned with the rest of the loverboys and felt surprised seeing me here. I remembered when he asked what I was doing here ¨C that anger in his eyes, yet cute to me. I recalled everything that¡¯s happened and it made me shed more tears. I couldn¡¯t find Molly or Mrs Tristan around, so I just decided to go to my room and I get my things. I entered the room morosefully and started bringing my clothes out of the wardrobe. I kept all the clothes and shoes on the bed and opened my luggage. Then, I sat on the edge of the bed and began arranging the clothes into the luggage. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I thought of everything. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m living -leaving the same ce I¡¯ve always wanted to belong. I remembered all the memories I shared with Alex and they hurt me more. Why does this have to happen just when my dreams of being with him wereing true? ¡°Nanny?¡± I heard a tiny familiar voice call and I turned to see Molly standing by the door. Oh, no. I sniffed and looked at her as she scuttled in. Oh, God! Why does she have toe in now? ¡°Nanny¡± she called as she finally got to where I was and stood in front of me. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you¡±. She paused and looked at the clothes and bag. I didn¡¯t even know what to say to the poor kid. ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± She asked and I scoffed and held her hand, drawing her close to me. ¡°Baby¡± I called and brushed the front part of her hair behind her ears. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, okay? I just need to go somewhere. But, I¡¯ll be back¡± I replied, fighting back the tears. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell her the truth. I couldn¡¯t tell her I was leaving. ¡°But¡­are you going with your clothes?¡± She asked and I sniffed again and nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡­just need to give them out to someone¡± I lied again. ¡°When will you being back? It¡¯s getting dark¡±: she said and I smiled ruefully and embraced her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll be back, okay?¡± I said as I patted her back and she also wrapped her hand around me. Then, we unlocked from the hug afterwards and she sat on the bed and watched me out in the rest of the clothes. But I didn¡¯t want her to watch me leave. So, I took her to her room and made her lie on the bed. ¡°Do you want me to sing you a song?¡± I asked with a feigned smile as I looked into her face. ¡°Yes, nanny.. Please do¡± she replied happily and I smiled told her to close her eyes and she did. Then, I began singing one of my written songs and by the time I was done, she was already asleep. I smiled and pecked her head. That has always been her weakness. I covered her with the duvet and turned off the bright lights. I can¡¯t believe this might be thest time I¡¯ll be doing this. I dried my eyes and finally left the room. I walked slowly as I rolled my bag along with me. I kept taking my eyes around the house, thinking of everything I was leaving behind. I walked past the sitting room and when I opened the door and passed through the exit, I met face to face with Alex who was justing in. Oh, God! He stopped on seeing me and looked surprised. Oh, my God! How do I face him now? 56 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: We stood, staring at each other, speechless for a while. He was undoubtedly confused at the way he had seen me ¨C with my luggage. ¡°Jeanne, I¡¯ve¡­I¡¯ve been looking for you. I waited for you at the garden, but you didn¡¯t show up. I¡­I tried calling you as well, but your line wasn¡¯t going through¡±. He paused and drew closer. ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± He finally asked and I felt my heart breaking into two. Oh, God! Is this really happening? ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± ¡°Alex,¡± I interrupted him and sniffed. His eyes exined he was overly curious. ¡°I¡¯m leaving¡± I released the bombshell and stared at the floor. I couldn¡¯t afford to look into his eyes. For a moment, he was silent; but the next moment, he scoffed. ¡°Leaving?¡± He repeated grimly. ¡°I.. I don¡¯t get you. What do you mean you¡¯re leaving?¡± I was trying so hard not to shed a tear. How can I do this? Leave the same guy I¡¯ve always wanted to be with? Why should Theo be this cold hearted? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alex; but it¡¯s not working out ¨C this¡­this rtionship ¨C it¡¯s not working out. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve hurt you by this. But¡­I¡¯m going to stay with Theo from now on. Forgive me, Alex¡± I said tearfully and rolled my luggage. He kept mute, staring at me as I rolled my luggage to where he was. But , when I was about walking pass him, he held my hand. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called in a crack tone. I stopped and stood backing him, my hand still in his. Oh, God! I couldn¡¯t even look at him. Then, he hugged me from behind and that was when I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears anymore. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± He asked ruefully, still holding me. I bent my head and wept. ¡°You can¡¯t leave me, Jeanne. Please, don¡¯t listen to anything they say to you. You can¡¯t leave me¡± he added morosefully and it was obvious he was already crying. Oh, God! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m making Alex cry. What am I doing? ¡°Alex¡± I called tearfully and touched his hands that held me. I don¡¯t want to do this. But, I¡¯m scared of Theo. He¡¯s threatened to kill Alex. And I won¡¯t be able to take it if something were to happen to Alex and I knew there was a way I could¡¯ve prevented it. We stayed that way for some time, just holding each other without saying a word. But, I have to go. Theo has warned me not to exceed 30 minutes and I¡¯m scared of what his reaction would be if I disobey him. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be living with someone like him. What have I done to deserve this? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alex. But, I have to go. Please, don¡¯t stop me¡± I said as I forcefully removed his hands from mine, disengaging from the hug. ¡°Jeanne, please¡­¡± he called, but I tilted my head and slowly went for my luggage. Oh, Alex; I wish I could tell you the truth. But I¡¯m scared. I was about lifting my luggage when I heard someone call: ¡°Nanny?¡± What? I swiftly turned and found Molly standing by the doorway, tears rolling down her cheeks. What the hell is she doing here? Shouldn¡¯t she be asleep in her room? With whimpers; she walked from the doorway and drew closer to me. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± She asked tearfully. ¡°You nevering back? But you told me you¡¯d be back. You told me you just wanted to give your clothes to someone. Were you lying to me?¡± My heart ached as I busted into tears, uncontrobly. No; I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I might just slump. I took my luggage and was about running off when Alex said something that stopped me. ¡°He¡¯s making you do this, right?¡± He asked and I stopped; but didn¡¯t turn to look at him. ¡°He¡¯s¡­he¡¯s forcing you into this?¡± He added and I sniffed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± was all I could say as I finally ran off with my luggage. *** I sat in the back seat and continued crying profusely as the driver drove me back to Theo¡¯s ce. I felt so much pains and wanted all these to be a dream. Oh, Alex; I¡¯m sorry for doing this. And I wish things could change so we could be together again. But for now, I need to do this for your safety. That¡¯s just how much I love you. And I hope you¡¯ll be able to wait for me until I get rid of Theo. I cried throughout the drive until we finally got to our destination and I had to stop the tears since I was going to face Theo. Gosh! I was so scared of him. How am I going to cope with living with someone like him? Carl was right when he had told me he was responsible for the deaths of Alex¡¯s girlfriends. And he was also right when he had told me he had be cold hearted. Truly, I have seen how cold hearted he was and it¡¯s making me scared to even breath around him. But; since he really was responsible for the deaths of Alex¡¯s past girlfriends, then why didn¡¯t he kill me as well? Or¡­could it be possible he just wants to give me a greater punishment by using me as a revenge tool against Alex? But, what really transpired between him and Alex that turned him this way? And why does it have to be this unforgivable? No matter what, I¡¯ll try my best to get rid of Theo, so I can go back to Alex. After parking in front of the house, I opened the door and came out of the car and the driver helped me with my luggage from the boot. I was so scared as I rolled my luggage into the house; so many thoughts kept shing through my mind. What and what does Theo have in store for me? If he¡¯s really using me as a revenge tool, what punishments would he have in mind for me? Why do I have a feeling I¡¯ll be going through hell? I entered into the breezy sitting room and found him sitting on the couch, watching the TV with a ss of wine in his hand. I stopped by the door and suddenly felt like running out since I had a feeling I was walking into hell. I stood speechless for some time, but not until he broke the silence. ¡°I said 30 minutes¡± he said without looking at me.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you know what the time is?¡± I gulped nervously and entered fully into the house with my bag. I stood behind the couch where he sat and stared at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry. Alex wasn¡¯t around when I arrived. I had to wait for him¡± I replied anxiously. He didn¡¯t say anything for a while and levelly, he stood up and signalled me to follow him and I did. We took the stairs and arrived at a door which he opened and asked me to go in and I did. He also came in with me and it made me really really nervous. No; no matter what he¡¯s willing to do to me, I¡¯m never going to let him take advantage of me. Alex is the first person to pass through my legs, and if God helps us to ovee all these and be together, I want him to be the only person that¡¯d ever do what he did. ¡°This will be your room for now¡± he said coldly. ¡°But remember, Jeanne; you live only on my orders. So, you only eat when I want you to; you only sleep when I want you to. You don¡¯t leave the house without my permission. And even when I permit you to, you must never spend a second above the time frame I give to you. ¡°you know you vited tonight¡¯s own, but I¡¯m only letting it go because it¡¯s your first time. But the next time it happens, you won¡¯t like my reaction. Is that understood?¡± He asked and I nodded perfunctorily. Tears were already building up in my eyes. What sort of conditions are these? Next, he dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out a¡­what??? A pocket knife! I gasped and moved backwards and he followed me until I got to the wall where I became stuck. I looked at the knife which he opened and pointed towards me and my fears increased. He drew very close to me and since I was stuck to the wall, I couldn¡¯t move. What¡¯s he doing? ¡°I wonder why you had to fall for someone like Alex¡± he said lowly as he made the tip of the knife touch my face. ¡°I understand he¡¯s rich, handsome and all that; but you didn¡¯t look deeper to see the evil side of him¡±. He paused and moved the knife from my head down to my jaw. My heart was beating heavily. But¡­what was he talking about? ¡°Well, none of that is important anymore, because the fact remains; you fell in love with him and that¡¯s something you gonna have to pay for.¡± I closed my eyes and whimpered as he took the knife back to my face again and pressed it a little harder against my skin. Oh, my God! I felt a cut there. What does he want with me? ¡°What if I decide to make your face disgusting?¡± He spoke almost in a whisper and my heart pounded. Oh, God! Please. ¡°What if I decide to make holes in your face with this and make you ugly? What would Alex do? Seeing his pretty Jeanne bing something else? Hm? Mine wasn¡¯t that pretty, afterall¡±. I shut my eyes as a tear came rolling down. I was so scared. I just felt I was standing right in front of the devil. He took the knife from my chest and made it touch my chest. He used the tip to punch a hole in the middle of my shirt and I winced. Then, in a soft breath, he whispered into my ears: ¡°Take off your clothes, Jeanne¡±. 57 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I gasped as conniption gripped me. My breathing had be tensed. What was he talking about? I looked at the knife which he pointed to my chest and felt so scared. He moved the knife from my chest and moved it up to my face. ¡°Did you hear what I said?¡± He asked, making me feel his breath on my face. My eyes were already glistening. ¡°I¡­I¡± I stuttered and gulped nervously. He chuckled and turned around, backing me. I suddenly heaved. ¡°Has Alex been down there before?¡± He asked, still backing me and I shivered, not knowing what to say. Why¡¯s he asking such question? Immediately, he turned around and pped me with the back of his palm and I felt a little cut on my lips. What? ¡°When I ask a question, you don¡¯t keep silent¡± he said huskily and I wept. Why¡¯s he doing this to me? He came close to me and I had no idea what he was about doing as a call that came into his phone stopped him. He paused and brought the phone out of his pocket and that was when I realised it was actually my phone. He was still with my phone. I nced at the screen and discovered it was Carl calling. Oh, God! He¡¯s probably been told of my leaving. Theo ended the call and turned off the phone. ¡°You won¡¯t be receiving any calls for now¡± he said and I nodded forcefully. I didn¡¯t want him to hit me again. He sighed and brushed his fingers into his hair. Then, he turned again, backing me me. ¡°You can go to bed for now. I might change my mind¡± he stated and flounced out of the room and I fell on the floor, weakly, bursting into more tears. I huddled my arms and legs together, weeping profusely. The pains were excruciating. Why do I have to pay for the sins of something I know nothing about? Why can¡¯t Theo just let bygones be bygones? Why does he have to take out his anger on me? I cried for a long time, rethinking my quandary. It was hurting a lot. I needed a way out of this hellhound I¡¯ve gotten into. I opened my eyes, feeling very cold and that was when I realised I was lying on the floor. Oh, my! I had fallen asleep on the floor. I stood up, feeling very stressed, dizzy and tired. My eyes felt so hot and I couldn¡¯t exin why. It was probably because I¡¯ve been crying the whole night. I felt little cramps around my abdomen and felt like throwing up, but didn¡¯t. Oh, please; don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m about falling sick; not in this condition. I sat on the bed and rested my head in my palms for a while. We were having a meeting that morning at Alpha Records ¨C all the lovergirls. And I guess I¡¯m gonna have to tell Theo about it since he¡¯s said he¡¯s the only one that can permit my leaving the house. God! I feel so scared facing him. What if he decides to do something nasty. God, please; save me from him. I stood up from the bed and sauntered to the bed, counting my steps.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I tried opening the door, but noticed it was locked. what? Did Theo really lock me in here? Gosh! I left the door and went back to the bed, sitting tiredly on it. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m being treated this way. It feels just like I¡¯m being kidnapped. Not long after, I heard the knob turning and the door opened afterwards with Theoing in. I sprang on my feet immediately, take abacked by his entrance. I just wish it¡¯d be possible not to see him during my stay here. ¡°G¡­Good morning, sir¡± I stuttered, keeping my gaze on the floor. I couldn¡¯t afford to look into those dark eyes of his. ¡°You¡¯re having a meeting at Alpha Records, right?¡± He asked and I posed. How did he get to know about it? ¡°Yes¡± I replied immediately, before he¡¯d get angry and hit me. ¡°Well you can get ready and go. But, you have just an hour and 30 minutes to spend over there. Even if they aren¡¯t done with the meeting, get back here. If it goes a second beyond an hour and 30 minutes¡­you¡¯d wish you were dead.¡± He said grumpily and saying that, he left the room. I sighed and touched my head. I felt like slumping. This was so not funny. I can¡¯t believe this guy¡¯s bent on making my life a living hell for me. I went into the bathroom and after brushing and taking my bath, I took out some clothes and changed into a short red gown and pair of blue shoes. I brushed my hair in front of the mirror and did a very light make up- just a pink lipstick and mascara. I was only trying to look a bit good cause of my status. When I was done, I took my red handbag and left the room. This time around, he left the door open. I came out of the room and took my eyes around. That was when I could notice the beauty of the house. It was massive and pretty. I took the stairs and went down to the sitting room and there I met Theo sitting on the couch. I reduced my pace when I got to where he was and he turned and shot me a stare. ¡°You won¡¯t be eating till you return¡± he said and I nodded and he stared away. Then, I started towards the door and left. ¡î¡î¡î One of his drivers had taken me to the institute and when I got there, I felt so reluctant going out of the car. I hope the news of my resignation from the lover boy¡¯s mansion hadn¡¯t spread out yet. I came out of the car and walked into the building and all the people kept smiling and waving at me. I¡¯ve almost forgotten I¡¯ve be a model. I wonder why Theo had to show up now. I entered into the elevator and headed for the fourth floor where the meeting was taking ce. All eyes were on me as I came out of the elevator and without any reluctance, I headed straight for the meeting hall. When I got into the hall, I discovered I was the only lovergirl that was yet to arrive as I found every other person there already. Two women in suits were standing in front of the lovergirls and they all looked at me as I walked in. ¡°Miss Jeanne¡± one of them called with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re finally here. We¡¯ve been waiting for you¡± she said and I tried to brighten up a bit. ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am. Sorry, I¡¯mte¡± I replied frazzled as I took a seat behind the rest of the girls. Hetty was staring keenly at me and after staring for a while, she took her eyes away, back to the stage. Kim and her crew just turned and red at mea for a short time and also stared away. well, they were the least of my problems at this moment. ¡°Okay¡± the woman on stage continued. ¡°Since we¡¯re finallyplete, I guess we can proceed with the meeting.¡± She paused and looked into a piece of paper in her hand. I nced at the time. I was having just one more hour to spare. I hope I get to meet up. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to personally inform you of thepany¡¯s 50th anniversary party which would being up this Thursday. Although, some of you might have heard the information already, I just wanted to inform you personally. So, brace yourselves up for it.¡± She paused and adjusted the specs on her eyes. ¡°Secondly, I¡¯d like to inform you of this year¡¯s ratings in the band¡­¡± She kept talking for sometime and it didn¡¯t really catch my attention because I was upied with something else. I kept thinking of how miserable my life was going to be in the hands of Theo. It¡¯d have been a good idea to perhaps, tell the police about it, since Theo was threatening Alex¡¯s life. But, I felt scared. I mean, I have have no idea what transpired between both of them and I also have no idea what Alex¡¯s offence could have been. What if it¡¯s something that might get him into trouble if the police gets to know about it? I don¡¯t want to put him in danger. But, what could it be? And why was Theo saying something about the evil side of him? No; the short time I spent with Alex has made me aware of the kind of person he is. Although, he¡¯s a little grumpy and rude, I know he can¡¯t be evil. But I really feel bad for him. I wish I can exin things to him, but I¡¯m scared. What if Theo finds out? He seems to be aware of almost everything. I¡¯m scared of what he might do to me or Alex if he gets to know I vited his rules. And I hope Alex doesn¡¯t take any drastic decision yet so he doesn¡¯t get to offend Theo. I¡¯m just too scared of that guy. I mean, I¡¯ve seen the devil in him. Oh, God! I hope all this gets to end soon. Finally, the woman on stage said something that gripped my attention. ¡°it¡¯s time to chose a new leader of the band. So, there¡¯s going to a contest as soon as¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Kim shrieked, interrupting the woman. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about? What do you mean it¡¯s time for another contest?¡± She asked, standing on her feet. Wow! ¡°Please, ma¡¯am, I need you to calm down¡­¡± ¡°What the hell do you mean calm down? What¡¯s the need for a new leader?¡± She rasped. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but ording to the calendar, a new leader¡¯s to be selected at this time¡± the woman replied and she scoffed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s gibberish. I don¡¯t give a damn about the calendar. There¡¯s going to be¡­¡± ¡°Kim!¡± Hetty called and she stopped talking. ¡°Have you lost your senses? How can you speak so disrespectfully to someone like her?¡± She asked and Kim red up. ¡°Really? I¡¯m being disrespectful? I think you need some lessons, Hetty, because you¡¯re really getting on my nerves.¡± ¡°Kim!¡± The other woman on suit called and stood on her feet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Can¡¯t you respect our presence here? Listen, if you¡¯re not ready for this, you can as well leave the band¡±. Kim still looked Infuriated, but Eva tapped her and she angrily returned to her seat. Gosh! This Kim is something else. The other woman on suit also took her seat and the one on stage took in a deep breath before proceeding. ¡°So,¡± she said. ¡°The contest will be starting as soon as possible and as a matter of fact, it¡¯ll bemencing on Friday, after the anniversary party. ¡°So, like we normally do it, you¡¯re all going to contest as well. We¡¯ve sent out notice already and you¡¯ll be singing in front of arge crowd when it¡¯s time. After each performance, which would be aired live, the people would be asked to vote and when they do, the lovergirl with the lowest votes for that night would be out of the contest. And that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be until the very best is left standing. ¡°So, I¡¯d suggest you all brace up yourselves from now on. Are there any questions?¡± She said in conclusion, but the entire ce was dead silent. Wow! I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s going to be a contest for a new leader of the band. ¡°You¡¯re gonna receive further informations as time goes on. And¡­¡± She diverted into other topics and after a while, the meeting came to a close. Hah! Finally. ¡°Thank you all for your time. Enjoy the rest of your day¡± she said in a smile and left with the other woman in suit. ¡°This is crazy¡± Kim said angrily as she stood up with her crew and left. I checked the time and discovered I had less than 20 minutes left to get home. Please, I don¡¯t want to get into any trouble with Theo. Immediately, Hetty walked up to me. Mia and Lea were still seated at the front, talking to themselves. ¡°Jeanne¡± Hetty called as she got to where I was and sat close to me. ¡°Hi¡± I said with a perfunctory smile, hoping she wouldn¡¯t notice my doleful look. ¡°Jeanne, what¡¯s up with you? I¡¯ve been trying to reach you for some time now. Where¡¯s your phone?¡± She asked and I itched the back of my nape. ¡°Um¡­I¡­It slipped from my hands and fell on the floor and as a result, the screen got broken. So¡­¡± ¡°What happened to your lips?¡± She asked and that was when I remembered I had gotten a little cut from the p Theo had given mest night. ¡°Uh¡­its nothing. Just a little scratch. Don¡¯t bother about it¡± I said with a smile, but she still looked insatiated. Oh, God! I need to head home. ¡°O¡­kay. why don¡¯t we hang out together?¡± She asked and I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I have to hurry home right away. There¡¯s something important I need to catch up with¡± I replied and she flinched a little. ¡°Jeanne, are you sure you¡¯re okay? You look kind of pale¡± she said and I tried dissembling my nervouity with a smile. ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m totally fine¡±. Just then, a call came into her phone and I felt so relieved. I stood up immediately and signalled her I was leaving before she¡¯d pick the call. She signalled me to hold on as she picked the call but I also signaled her I needed to be on my way and I left afterwards. Oh, God! I hate this; I hate everything! I walked into the elevator and finally allowed my tears to pour since I was alone. why does such misfortune have to be fall me at this time? Oh, God help me to get out of this predicament. As the elevator was aboutnding, I decided to clean off my tears and when the door opened, I came out of it. I wonder what awaits me at home. I walked out of the elevator and identally bumped into someone who was carrying a pile of files. It was a young prettydy and the files she held fell from her hands to the floor. Oh, Jeanne. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡± I said apologetically as I bent to help her with the files. ¡°it¡¯s okay, ma¡¯am¡± she replied as we finally picked the files together and I gave the ones I was holding to her. Oh! There was a piece of paper on the floor which had fallen off from one of the files. But, I think she had seen it. Then, why didn¡¯t she pick it up? She looked at me and started heading to the elevator and I was muddled. I bent and picked the paper from the floor and turned back to her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you forgot this¡± I told her with the paper in my hand. But the elevator closed up immediately, with her staring uncannily at me. I opened the paper to have a look at its content to see if it was something of little relevance. I checked it out and my eyes dted at what I had seen. In it was boldly written: ¡°Miss Jeanne, I know everything about your past. If you wanna know the truth, meet up with me at the garden behind the building in 5 minutes¡±. I gasped as my lips were wide agaped. What? Is this for real? I looked at the time, I had just fifteen minutes left to get home. If I meet up with thisdy, I¡¯m definitely going to get homete, viting Theo¡¯s rule. Oh, God! What do I do? I¡¯ve just seen someone who knows my past! Something I¡¯ve been looking for my entire life. Is this for real? I can¡¯t let go of this opportunity. 58 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I ran into the garden and looked around; it waspletely empty, except for a gardener watering some of the flowers. I looked at the time and Gosh! I¡¯m sote. And where¡¯s thedy? It¡¯s more than five minutes already. Why can¡¯t I find her yet? I stood impatiently and nervously and kept looking around. Oh, God! I¡¯m definitely going to get homete. I wonder what Theo¡¯s going to do to me. I waited for close to ten minutes, but the strangedy did not show up. What could possibly be happening? Where was she? Or, was she just toiling with me? But, I don¡¯t think so. How else did she know I actually had no idea of my past? It only meant she was someone that knows me. But, why isn¡¯t she here yet? Or, did she change her mind? I checked the time again and this time around, I knew for sure I was dead. I sniffed and wiped a tear that rolled down my cheek. She had suddenly given me so much hope. Why did she have to change all of a sudden? Why did she have to toil with my feelings? Huh? I looked around, but there was still no glimpse of her. Then, weakly and dejectedly, I turned around and started walking away. I felt so much pains. Just when I felt I was already close to my wishes¡­why does this keep happening to me? I was so doomed. I can¡¯t believe I missed thedy and still ended up viting Theo¡¯s rule. what do I do now? I got to the facade of the building and there I met the driver already waiting for me. I felt so scared going home. But, if I don¡¯t, a greater punishment awaits me. I¡¯m so scared. I got into the car and the driver took off immediately. I wasn¡¯t even having my phone with me to perhaps, call for help. And even if I were to call for help, who would it be? Theo has warned me not to tell anyone about it. He¡¯s so cold hearted. I kept thinking of my predicaments at the back seat and after a while; we finally arrived home. Oh, God! I felt reluctanting out of the car, but the driver came out and opened the door for me and I had to go out as well. A tear strolled down my cheek as I held my bag and started sauntering into the house. I felt like running away, but couldn¡¯t. I got to the door and knocked on it, but got no reply. After knocking for the third time, i pushed the door open and went in, my heart beating like a party drum. The sitting room was breezy and empty and I couldn¡¯t find him there. I walked in slowly and wondered where he might be. I suddenly wished he wouldn¡¯t be at home. ¡°How long did i say you could stay in the studio?¡± I heard his voice and swiftly turned to see him climbing down the stairs. Oh, God! He was holding a ss of drink in his hand and walked at a slow pace. I gulped nervously and moved back a bit. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± ¡°How long did I say you could spend in the studio?¡± He interrupted me, picking his words. I bent my head and replied; ¡°An hour and thirty minutes¡±. He climbed down the stairs into the sitting room and started approaching me. My heart was beating so loud that I could hear it like a speaker. ¡°And how long did you spend?¡± He asked as he drew near to me. ¡°The¡­The meeting took long. I¡¯m sorry¡± I stuttered. my hands were already heating up. ¡°What were my instructions if the meeting exceeded that time?¡± He asked. I bent my head and sniffed. I just couldn¡¯t help it. Then, immediately, he pped me and I was forced to move back. ¡°Were you trying to see Alex? Huh!¡± He yelled as he pped me again and I shrieked and fell on the floor. My bag fell from my hands as tears poured out from my eyes. He came close and held my hair roughly, dragging me up with it. I felt so much pains. ¡°Theo, please, I¡¯m sorry¡± I cried, not realising I was calling him by just his name. Still holding my hair, he punched me on my tummy and I felt a sharp pain there and screamed, falling back on the floor. I should¡¯ve known he¡¯s always been looking for a slightest opportunity to beat me up. He held my tummy tight and cried in pains. Then, he came back to me on the floor and held me up by the hair again, taking me upstairs this time around. Carl¡¯s Pov: Gosh! Everything¡¯s such a mess. I knew from the very start that Theo¡¯s return was never going to be of any good. I stood in the sitting room, watching Mrs Tristan trying to beg Molly to take her drugs. Yes, she¡¯s actually being running a little temperature for some time now and it was obviously a result of Jeanne¡¯s absence. Molly has been quiet and wouldn¡¯t eat or talk to anyone and neither has Alex. He wouldn¡¯t even leave his room or open up to anyone, not to talk of eating. The whole thing¡¯s just too crazy. After trying without sess, Mrs Tristan left Molly and came up to me. ¡°What the hell happened to Jeanne, Carl?¡± She asked, cing her hands on her waist. I sighed and shook my head. ¡°I have no idea, aunt¡± I replied tiredly. ¡°And why¡¯s everyone giving me that same reply? How can she just leave the house like that? And I¡¯ve been trying to reach her, but to no avail¡± she groused bitterly. Well, I knew she was with Theo, but couldn¡¯t tell her about it. It¡¯s not something she can get involved with.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, aunt. We¡¯ll look into the matter¡± I said forlornly. ¡°Well, you better do, Carl. I¡¯m getting scared already. Just take a look at my kids¡±. She brushed her hands into her hair and walked away, exasperated. I bent my head and sighed. We really need to do something about this. I need to see Theo. Kim¡¯s Pov: I sat angrily in the car with mum as she kept driving and talking; more like cautioning me and adding to my problem. Gosh; I was so angry. I mean, how can they think of choosing a new leader? It¡¯s so annoying and I can¡¯t take it. ¡°I was so surprised when I heard how rude you acted at the meeting today, Kim. I mean, how could you even think of raising your voice on such high personalities?¡± She queried and I rolled my eyes and tucked my hair behind my ears. ¡°What had gotten into you, Kim?¡± She asked. ¡°They¡¯re being unfair, mum. Why do they have to chose a newdy when I¡¯m still here?¡± ¡°So,, are you meant to be the leader for ever? Huh? They¡¯ve gotten a time table and they¡¯re working with it. Why did you have to pull up such an attitude? What if you had gotten suspended or worst?¡± I crossed my hands and leaned my back on the car seat, staring through the window. No matter what they do, I¡¯ll never be dethroned and it¡¯s a promise I¡¯m willing to keep with my life. I¡¯ll always be the leader and will never be under someone. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Kim; you need to change from these attitude of yours.¡± Mum continued. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s very possible you can still get to win this part of it again¡­¡± She was still talking when suddenly, she screeched to a halt and I flinched. ¡°Mum?¡± I called, wondering why she stopped in such manner, in the middle of the road. I noticed her eyes were on the road. Then, I saw a very advanced woman crossing the road. ¡°Ma¡¯am Sally!¡± Mum eximed and quickly moved the car away from the road, turning off the ignition. What¡¯s going on? ¡°It¡¯s Anna¡¯s neighbour.¡± She said hastily and jumped out of the car. Huh? Anna¡¯s neighbour? Isn¡¯t that the samedy mum has been looking for? The one with her child? I opened the door and also came out of the car, going after mum who had already met up with the old woman. ¡°Ma¡¯am Sally!¡± Mum called as she got to where she was and the woman stopped to look at her. ¡°Ma¡¯am Sally; do¡­do you remember me? It¡¯s me; Lisa¡± mum said and the woman stared into her face, keenly. I just stood by, watching. ¡°Oh! You do look familiar to me. Aren¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°Anna¡¯s friend¡±: mum interrupted her with a smile, but I could tell it was a nervous smile. ¡°I was a very close friend to Anna back then. She was your neighbour, remember?¡± ¡°Oh! Now, I remember. You were that young prettydy, huh? What happened to you?¡± The old woman asked and mum sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, ma¡¯am. But, I really need your help. Do you know what happened to Anna? I¡¯ve been looking for her for years now¡±. She said. ¡°Anna? Of course, she left the old apartment. You won¡¯t be able to find her there¡± the woman replied and mum turned and looked at me. ¡°Um¡­do you know where she moved to?¡± Mum asked and the woman ached her brows. ¡°Oh! Well, I do know where she lives..¡± 59 Kim¡¯s Pov: Mum¡¯s eyes beamed as she listened curiously to the woman. But¡­does she really know where Anna lives? ¡°I do know where she lives.¡± She said. ¡°I mean, when she parked out from the house that got burnt, I stayed in touch with her and knew of her new location. But, not anymore because sometime ago, I went to her new apartment to check up on her, but couldn¡¯t find her there anymore. She moved out and Ipletely have no idea where she¡¯s staying right now.¡± Mum huffed and itched her head, overly disappointed. So, she doesn¡¯t even know where she¡¯s staying presently? ¡°But¡­but, ma¡¯am Sally; do you um.. remember if she was having a little girl with her?¡± Mum asked. ¡°Oh! That little girl. She was your baby, right?¡± The woman asked and mum nodded immediately. ¡°Well, to be sincere with you, Lisa, you never should¡¯ve left that baby behind for Anna. I mean, she went through hell in the hands of that woman.¡± Mum¡¯s curiosity had already increased, just like mine. What was she talking about? ¡°First, there was a fire outbreak in Anna¡¯s house which burnt down the house and that was the reason she moved out. And during the fire outbreak, it affected the poor baby who had been locked in a room and before Anna could get to her, it already burnt a part of her, creating a scar on her face.¡± The woman said and paused to perhaps, give mum a break to shock over it. But, what? The baby had a scar on her face? ¡°A.. A¡­A scar?¡± Mum floundered helplessly. ¡°Yes. And permit to say she became ugly as a result of it. ¡°She grew up with it and received a lot of bullying from her peer mates and Anna didn¡¯t do anything to help matters. She kept treating the little girl like a ve and didn¡¯t care about her. ¡°Each time I went visiting, it was because I wanted to see if there was a way I could convince Anna to change. But she wouldn¡¯t listen. She turned into a flirt and paid no attention to the kid. And one day, i went back to her to pay her a visit, but unfortunately, I was told she had relocated and I have no idea where.¡± She said in conclusion. Tears were already rolling down mum¡¯s cheeks as she covered her lips with her palm. ¡°My baby¡± she whimpered bitterly. I drew closer and ced my hand on her shoulders. ¡°Mum¡± I called softly, but she didn¡¯t look at me. ¡°How could Anna be so cruel? She promised she¡¯d take good care of her. How could she do such a thing to my daughter?¡± She said tearfully and the woman also patted her on the shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry dear. I understand how you feel. Don¡¯t worry, I promise to ask around for her and as soon as I get the slightest information on her whereabouts, I promise to tell you about it¡± she said but mum kept crying and next, she huffed her. I sighed and itched my forehead. This is quite crazy. So, my sister actually had a scar? Jeanne¡¯s Pov: It was Monday morning and I sat in front of the mirror, primping myself up for school. I stared at my pathetic image in the mirror that reflected back at me. I had a lot of bruises on ¨C a cut on my forehead, on my lips and behind my neck ¨C and I felt a lot of pains. I really don¡¯t wanna show up in school in such manner because it¡¯d definitely arise suspicions, but Theo has already made it clear to me i wouldn¡¯t be missing sses. And to make it worst, he wasing along to school. I really don¡¯t know what his reasons are for wanting to go back to school; but I have a feeling he¡¯s trying to get back at Alex by showing up with me. Oh, God! I really pray and hope he doesn¡¯t show up in school today. I wouldn¡¯t want him to see all these bruises on my face. I don¡¯t know how he¡¯d react towards it. Alex¡¯s Pov: I climbed down the stairs to the sitting room and Immediately mum noticed me, she stood up from the dining where she was seated and rushed to me. ¡°Alex!¡± She called and tried holding my hands, but I resisted. ¡°T¡­Thank goodness you¡¯ve finally left your room. You got me worried, Alex¡±. I touched my forehead and walked past her, headed for the door. ¡°A¡­Alex¡± she stuttered my name. ¡°I have somewhere to go, mum¡± I cut her off and walked out of the house. I went out to the lot and before I got there, my driver already opened one of the cars for me and I got In, sitting at the back seat.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Take me to Alpha High¡± I told the driver who had also been already seated at the front seat and he nodded and took off. Two extra cars followed us behind. I looked through the window as we drove along the road. I kept thinking of Jeanne. I needed to see her. How was she? What could Theo possibly be doing with her? I really hope he¡¯s just keeping her there to make me jealous. I hope he hasn¡¯t done any other thing to her. I¡¯m so sorry, Jeanne; that you had to go through this. This has always been my fears. but, I promise you, it¡¯s all going to be over soon. An expected call came Into my phone and I received it with relieve. ¡°Good morning, sir Alex¡± he said on the phone. ¡°What¡¯s the update?¡± I asked, wanting him to go straight to the point. ¡°With the little informations we¡¯ve gathered so far, she goes by the name Pen Williams and she was one of the agents of an illegal corporation called Wywapp. But, as it stands, the organisation had to move away from its original location and right now, we¡¯re still making research to discover their new location¡± he replied and I groaned and touched my hair. ¡°And how long is that gonna take?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡­we¡¯re working on it, sir and as soon as we have the slightest information on it, we¡¯ll let you know. It won¡¯t take long¡± he replied and I ended the call and held the phone angrily in my hands. Pen! Pen! Pen! I can¡¯t wait to find that bitch. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Theo had driven with the car with I sitting at the front seat with him. I looked through the window and stared at the umpteen students that filled the whole ce. What would their reaction be when they get to see Theo? And worst of all, with me. And thinking of the bruises on my face¡­gosh! He parked the car by the side of the school and unlocked the doors. But, just when I was about opening mine, he gripped my hand in a hurtful way. ¡°Should incase Alex shows up, I wouldn¡¯t want you to give as little as a stare to him. Is that understood?¡± He said huskily and I nodded immediately. Then, he let go of my hand and we came out of the car together. He was dressed in an exquisite way and looked really handsome. I can¡¯t imagine what the student¡¯s reactions would be. If only they knew the devil in him. He brushed his fingers into his hair as we stood together and immediately, all eyes turned on us. Oh, God! We started walking into the building together and the angsty on the student¡¯s faces became clear. Ahhhhh! Oh, my God! It¡¯s Theo!!! Whaaaaat? Theo! Lover boy Theo is back? Oh, my God! Is this a dream? I¡¯m staring at Theo! OMG Theo and Jeanne??? Theo¡¯s back! They kept screaming and talking and very soon, it pulled up arge crowd which started taking unlimited pictures and records with their phones. Theo didn¡¯t react to any of them and I wondered where he was taking me. The crowd kept increasing as more students kept being attracted. Well, Theo¡¯s presence was strange and unexpected to them, the same way it has been for me. But halfway, we ran into someone that made Theo and I stop walking. Oh, my God! Are you kidding me? Alex! What¡¯s he doing here? I thought he only shows up in school on Tuesdays? Why¡¯s he here today? No, no, no. Alex can¡¯t see me like this. What do I do? He¡¯s already standing in front of us! Alex¡¯s Pov: I was also attracted by the crowd and rumours about Theo being in school ¨C with Jeanne and I didn¡¯t hesitate to go to them. I just wanted to see her. Luckily, I ran into them and they stopped walking. But¡­hold on; is this Jeanne? Like¡­what the hell happened to her face? I stood, gobsmacked, staring at her. I could see the fear in her eyes. Did¡­Did Theo actually¡­ No; it¡¯s not possible. What has Theo being doing to her? ¡°Hey, Alex¡± he called in a tone of sadism, but I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off Jeanne. I felt my heart tearing apart. Has Theo beingying his hands on her? Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Fear was written all over me. Why did we have to bump into Alex? I never wanted him to see me this way. Theo has warned me not to stare at him, but I couldn¡¯t help it. His eyes were ming. ¡°Hey, Alex¡± Theo called with a smirk and I bent my head and sniffed. The students were still around, probably wondering what was happening or what was going to happen. Alex turned around and sank his fingers into his hair. Then, in one swift grunt, he turned back to face us. ¡°You animal!¡± He snarled and bounced on Theo, punching him to the floor. All the students gasped. Oh, my God! What is he doing? 60 Alex¡¯s Pov: I think I¡¯ve had enough. I¡¯ve endured more than I can. I don¡¯t deny the fact that I¡¯ve wronged Theo in a bad way, but,ying his hands on Jeanne¡­no; it¡¯s not something I can cope with. I can¡¯t bear it, not this time around. I punched him and he fell on the floor and I jumped on him immediately, still punching him in the face. The students were screaming, but I didn¡¯t care. And none of them would dare interfere. This was between Me and Theo. I held his cors and lifted him up, pinning him to the wall. ¡°You told me you wouldn¡¯t hurt her¡± I growled at him, but in a way the students couldn¡¯t hear us. He chuckled with blooding out from his lips. ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t kill her¡± he said and I punched him again. Heughed; but I could tell he was angry. ¡°you monster; how dare you?¡± I said angrily; holding his cors tightly and roughly. My head was heating up. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do about it, Alex. She¡¯s mine now. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been wandering; have you been down there before? Down those pretty legs of hers? If so, then I guess you¡¯re as lucky as I am cause she¡¯s so sweet. You know, it¡¯s quite interesting when she moans my name in bed, begging me to stop¡± he whispered into my ears and my whole systems vibrated. With an angrier force, I punched him again but didn¡¯t let him fall to the floor as I held him roughly by the cors. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to . control this anger anymore. Heughed and used his index finger to clean off a part of the bloodstain on his lips. He looked at it and smiled. ¡°Go on, Alex; hit me more. But, you can be sure of this ¨C I¡¯ll make her feel thrice the pain¡± he said and my eyes glinted. I didn¡¯t even know what else to do to him and weakly, they fell from his cors. ¡°Alex! What the hell¡¯s going on here?¡± The principal called as he hurried to where we were with some securities. I ignored them and looked around; where was Jeanne? I couldn¡¯t find her anymore. I need to get to her immediately. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Hetty forced me to sit in the car and then, she hurried to the driver¡¯s seat and also sat, next to me after making sure the hard covered doors were locked. I kept crying the whole time. ¡°Now, Jeanne; can you tell me what the hell¡¯s going on?¡± She asked impatiently, but I couldn¡¯t speak at that moment as a result of the tears I was shedding. The whole thing was just too hurtful. I can¡¯t imagine going back to Theo after what Alex did to him. He¡¯s definitely going to kill me. Hetty had dragged me away in the course of the fight and brought me here to her car, sensing I was involved in the cause of the fight. ¡°Crying will do you no good, Jeanne. Speak up. What the heck is happening?¡± She asked in a high tone and I covered my face with my palm and wept more. How do I exin it to her? How do I exin it to anyone? ¡°I¡¯m¡­dying¡­Hetty¡± I stuttered tearfully, more tears rushing down like rainfall. She took my palms into his. ¡°Jeannee on; I¡¯m here for you. Say something¡±. she said in an unfeigned perturbed voice, but I couldn¡¯t even pull myself together. The whole ce seemed to be turning around and I just felt like giving up. I felt like dying. My breathing became weak and slow. ¡°Jeanne!¡± Hetty called, but this time around, she sounded very far. I leaned my back and head on the car seat and the next thing that happened was a ckout. ¡°Jeanne!¡± * * * I opened my eyes and found myself lying on a bed. I looked around and saw Hetty sitting in front of me, staring at me. I was in a hospital. ¡°Jeanne¡± she called the moment she noticed I was awake and stood up from her seat. I grunted a little and tried sitting up and she supported me. I still felt a little weak; apanied with headache and back pain. ¡°How¡­how¡¯re you feeling?¡± She asked as she sat close to me on the bed. She looked really disturbed. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine¡± I replied and tried recalling what had happened. Oh, God! Theo. ¡°Did¡­did you bring me here?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah, of course. You passed out in the car.¡± She replied and I touched my hair. I needed to get back to Theo. He might probably be looking for me already. ¡°Jeanne¡± she called and held my hand, but I tried not to look at her. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Tell me; what¡¯s happening?¡± I sniffed as tears formed up in my eyes. Just thinking about it was more than a heartbreak already. ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± she called again since I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­its Theo.¡± I finally said, my voice whimpering as I spoke. ¡°He¡¯s¡­he¡¯s ckmailing me. He threatened to kill Alex if I don¡¯t do as he says. He forced me to break up with Alex ande to him¡±. I said tearfully and she winced. ¡°Break up with him?¡± She asked, perplexed and I nodded. ¡°Alex and I¡­We were dating. He asked me out and I epted. But that was the night Theo showed up and everything changed¡± I exined with tears still running down my cheeks like rainfall. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± She eximed, taking abacked by the whole thing. ¡°Jeanne! You¡­You mean you¡¯ve been suffering in the hands of Theo to protect Alex?¡± She asked and I nodded tearfully. ¡°Does Alex know about this?¡± She asked and I shook my head. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. But, I¡¯m scared, Hetty. Theo¡¯s making me go through hell. I don¡¯t know what else to do¡± I whimpered and she drew close and embraced me. She rubbed my back as I cried on her shoulders. ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± she called, pathetically, still embracing me. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡± I kept snivelling and felt so scared. My whole life was shattered. I need to . go back to Theo. The consequences might be worst if I stay longer. And I don¡¯t want him to hurt Alex. Immediately, the door opened and the doctor walked in and Hetty and I disentangled from the hug. I dried my tears as he came closer to us, holding a piece of paper. ¡°Doctor¡± Hetty called and turned to face him. ¡°Is she free to leave now?¡± She asked. ¡°Um¡­actually,¡± the doctor paused and looked at me. ¡°ma¡¯am Jeanne; actually, I carried out a general test on you and discovered your stress level is really high. You need a lot of rest, ma¡¯am.¡± I bent my head pathetically. Who wouldn¡¯t be stressed out in such condition? ¡°And¡­I also discovered something quite interesting.¡± He said and I lifted my eyes to look at him. He paused and cleared his throat. ¡°if you wouldn¡¯t mind, can we talk privately in the office, please?¡± He said and I looked at Hetty who also shot me a stare. What could he possibly have to say to me in private? Hetty gave me a prodding look to go with him and I looked back at him. ¡°Okay¡±. I said with a sniff and Hetty supported me to stand from the bed. I stood up and followed the doctor out of the room and we got to his office together. Oh, God! I really need to hurry up and get back to Theo. The doctor ushered me to sit and also took his, on the other side of the table. ¡°Ma¡¯am Jeanne¡± he called and looked into the paper in his hand. ¡°In the course of the test, I discovered something else.¡± Now, I was bing curious. What could it be? ¡°When was thest time you saw your flow?¡± He asked and I flinched. Why¡¯s he interested in it? I paused and think. ¡°I¡­I think it wasst month¡± I replied, still being confused. ¡°Um¡­when¡¯s it supposed to be due for this month?¡± He asked and I huffed. ¡°Umst week, I guess¡±.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. But, thinking about it; I was yet to see my flow for the month. He sighed and looked at me. Okay; what is happening? ¡°Ma¡¯am Jeanne,¡± he called and I felt my heart thumping. ¡°ording to the test, you¡¯re pregnant¡± he said and I felt a loud bang in my head. What? 61 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°You¡¯re pregnant¡± the doctor¡¯s words resounded in my head and I left my mouth wide open, unable to close it. I couldn¡¯t even blink my eyes anymore, but just kept them dted, staring nonplussed at the doctor who seemed to be speaking in a strangenguage. What¡­what is he talking about? What does he mean pregnant? Who¡¯s pregnant? ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡± he called when he noticed I was blenched. ¡°D¡­D¡­Doctor, I don¡¯t¡­understand¡± I floundered and he exhaled and handed the paper to me. ¡°The results are right there, ma¡¯am. You can take a look at it¡± he said as he fixed the paper into my hands. I moved my eyes to the paper and looked at it. Oh, my God! The pregnancy box was ticked positive. Oh, God! No. Is this a dream? A tear dropped from my eyes to the paper as I looked at it with disbelieve. I was pregnant? For¡­For Alex? Oh, my God!C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I bent my head and wept. How did this happen? Was it a result of the intercourse we had in Korea? But¡­It was just once. Oh, God! I remembered he¡­he had released in me. Could it be the reason? I¡¯m really pregnant? ¡°Are¡­are you alright, ma¡¯am?¡± The doctor asked, cing his hand on mine. How can I be? How do I cope with this under my present condition? I¡­I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m pregnant¡­pregnant for the almighty Alex¡­The same guy who¡¯s life is in danger? How do I live with this in the hands of Theo? With all the maltreatments he makes me go through? How do I cope? And¡­The baby; am I just going to keep it a secret? For how long? If I tell Alex about it, he might do something crazy to get me away from Theo, which is also going to endanger his life and affect I and the baby. But, what do I do? I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m carrying a baby in me. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m about to be a mother. Oh, Jeanne! The doctor stood up came to where I was, wrapping his hands around my shoulders. ¡°I know how you feel, ma¡¯am¡± he said sympathetically . ¡°With someone of your recent status, it¡¯s really gotta hurt a lot. If you want, you can go for a termination¡±. I lifted my head but didn¡¯t look at him. What? Kill my own baby? Alex¡¯s baby? What¡¯s he gonna do if he ever gets to find out? And how can I bring myself to kill my own flesh and blood? I looked at the paper again and wept bitterly. I don¡¯t know; most women rejoice at the hearing of such news; why does my own case have to be different? No wonder I¡¯ve been getting those recent symptoms. Oh, God! What do I do now? Why did this happen? ¡°Ma¡¯am¡± the doctor called again and weakly, I stood up from my seat. I folded the paper and inserted it in my trouser pocket and wiped my tears afterwards, but more tears kept streaming down. ¡°I can¡¯t do it¡± I whimpered and the doctor scoffed. ¡°But, ma¡¯am; you know who you are. Do you really want to be a mother?¡± He asked and I wept more. I couldn¡¯t say any other thing and tracing my steps, I started walking to the door. The doctor kept looking at me, undoubtedly surprised. When I got to the door, I stopped and looked at him. ¡°Please doctor; don¡¯t tell anyone about this¡± I said tearfully and wiping my face again, I opened the door and walked out of the room. I met Hetty walking towards me when I got out of the room and I tried as much as possible to control my emotions. ¡°Hey¡± she called when she got to where I was and I sniffed. I tried to smile, but couldn¡¯t. ¡°Are you okay¡± she asked and I nodded. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± She asked. I took in a deep breath and touched my head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. He just wants me to have enough rest because, it might start affecting me if I don¡¯t¡± I replied and she looked at me with dissatisfaction. I couldn¡¯t bear to tell her about it. How can I? ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked and I nodded. ¡°Um¡­I need to be on my way now¡± I told her and she flinched. ¡°What? You wanna go back to Theo?¡± She asked with an rming stare. ¡°He¡­He should be looking for me already. I don¡¯t want any more troubles¡± I said and she scoffed. ¡°But Jeanne, you can¡¯t go back to that guy; not after what you¡¯ve told me¡­¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have a choice!¡± I found myself yelling at her and I busted into tears afterwards. ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± she called and hugged me. I wept on her shoulders and unlocked from the hug. ¡°I¡­I need to go.¡± I stuttered, cleaning my eyes. ¡°Um¡­at least, let me drop you off¡± she suggested. ¡°No. If Theo gets to know I brought you close to the house; he¡¯s definitely going to be mad at me because he¡­he¡¯ll sense I told you about it¡± I said with sniffs. ¡°But Jeanne¡­¡± ¡°I need to go, Hetty. Please, don¡¯t tell anyone about this¡± I said and hurried away, releasing more tears. I hope she doesn¡¯t follow me. Hetty¡¯s Pov: Oh, my God! I can¡¯t believe Jeanne is pregnant. I mean, of course, I¡¯m aware of it. I was standing by the door and had overheard the doctor telling her about it. I was thinking she¡¯d tell me, but she didn¡¯t. How¡¯s she going to cope with it living with someone like Theo? And who could be responsible for it? She told me she was dating Alex before Theo showed up. And¡­Alex is the reason she¡¯s undergoing all these totures from Theo. Could it be possible she¡¯s pregnant for him? Of course, it is! Hah! But Jeanne is really pregnant. This is incredible. How did she let it happen? But, one thing¡¯s for sure; if she goes back to Theo in that condition, the baby¡¯s life will definitely be in danger and so will her life. I need to tell Alex about it. 62 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I felt so scared as I entered into the house; like, my entire body was vibrating. I couldn¡¯t get over the shock of being pregnant, yet, I still had Theo to worry about. I knew Alex would definitely been angry if he gets to know Theo was maltreating me. But, now he ended up pouring out his anger on Theo, I wonder what his reaction would be. I¡¯m so scared.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. I don¡¯t know how much pains I¡¯d be able to endure under this condition. I entered into the sitting room and found him there, drinking and operating his phone. I gulped nervously as I walked in and he turned to look at me and that increased my fears. ¡°Where have you been?¡± He asked in that cold voice of his. I swallowed hard and sniffed. ¡°I¡­¡± I paused and coughed a little. ¡°I slumped and¡­Hetty helped me to the hospital. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to take long. I¡­I just woke up now and¡­started hurrying home immediately¡± I replied nervously, wishing he¡¯d be convinced. He scoffed and stood up and I knew what was going to happen. Oh, God! ¡°Really?¡± He asked and I nodded tearfully. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m a fool? Huh!¡± He rasped and came towards me and immediately, I started running away. Yes, I had to. I took the stairs and he followed me and I increased my pace until I got to my room and sessfully ran in, locking the door immediately. I leaned on th door and wept as I felt his presence outside the door as well. ¡°Jeanne!¡± He roared and hit the door and I shivered. ¡°Are you stupid? Open up immediately!¡± I sat on the floor and cried out my eyes. Life¡¯s really unfair to me. Isn¡¯t it best if I just give up already? But, my baby¡­why am I so stranded? How did this happen to me? Theo¡¯s Pov: I groaned as I stood outside Jeanne¡¯s door. Thisdy¡¯s really a bitch. I can¡¯t believe she had the guts to lock herself in the room. And I don¡¯t have a spare key; damn it! Alex is a fool forying his hands on me and I want him to see the repercussions on Jeanne. I stood angrily for a while and not long after, my phone vibrated with a ring. I brought it out from my pocket and discovered it was Carl calling. What? Alex¡¯s Pov: I sat at the bar, staring at Carl, Daniel and Malcolm who were also staring at me. We were the only ones there. I seriously have no idea why they called me here. Carl had pleaded with me toe, telling me it was of great importance and I had to ept. But, we¡¯ve been here for close to thirty minutes, yet they still hadn¡¯t said a word. ¡°Okay, what the heck is this meeting all about? Cause, I have more important things to do¡±: I said impatiently and Carl sighed. ¡°Just hold on, Alex. Please¡­¡± He was still speaking when someone else entered and I turned to see who it as. What? Theo??? I sprang on my feet immediately. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± I snapped at Carl and the rest. ¡°Alex, please; just calm down, okay¡­¡± Malcolm tried speaking. ¡°What do you mean calm down? Did you really call me here for this?¡± Theo scoffed as he stood in front of us. ¡°When you told me you wanted to see me, you didn¡¯t tell me Alex was involved¡±:he said to Carl who was also on his feet. ¡°Please guys, try to be matured, okay? Let¡¯s just sit and talk¡± Daniel said in an appealing tone, but I couldn¡¯t be satisfied. Why the hell would they make me meet with Theo? Carl ced his hand on my shoulder and signalled me to sit and after taking in a deep breath, I swallowed down my anger and returned to my seat. Theo remained standing, but Carl also signalled him to sit and he did. Now what? ¡°Alex, Theo¡± Daniel started. ¡°We need to talk¡±. ¡°Well, I¡¯d suggest you¡¯re fast about that, because I have somewhere else to go¡± Theo said derogatorily and it angered me to the guts. ¡°What ever happened, Theo?¡± Carl cut in and the whole ce became silent. ¡°I mean, we were so perfect together. We were not even friends, but brothers. ¡°I remember how we¡¯d sing together, dance together, eat together, share the same bed, have fun. You were the kindest person I knew back then. Everything was so perfect. So, what happened?¡± There was a short silence, then Theo broke it up. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right¡± he said unruffedly, looking at me. ¡°It was so perfect, before he ruined it¡±. ¡°I didn¡¯t ruin a thing, okay? So, I¡¯d suggest you point your dirty using finger elsewhere¡± I said angrily. ¡°Alex, please¡­¡± ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m done trying to convince this son of a bitch. He crossed the limits the very day heid his filthy hands on Jeanne¡± I vibrated and thumped my hand on on the table. The whole thing was just too annoying. ¡°we didn¡¯t call for this meeting so we could go on with further arguments. We called so we could resurrect peace in the band¡± Malcolm said. ¡°The only way to resurrect peace is to bring back my girlfriend, but that¡¯s impossible because the animal already killed her¡± Theo rasped and I got on my feet. ¡°I didn¡¯t fu*king killed her. And she wasn¡¯t your girlfriend!¡± I snarled and he also stood on his feet. ¡°Yeah, but you know I had ns for her¡­¡± ¡°And you also know in didn¡¯t have a problem with that, Theo! I supported you in every possible way, but you¡¯ve been stupid enough not to realise the circumstances changed and it wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± ¡°Of course, it was! You took her away!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s because they wanted her and I had no other choice. I had to give her away!¡± ¡°But, you should have thought about my feelings! You shouldve listened to my pleas and considered my tears. I begged you, Alex! You knew I loved her!¡± ¡°And I loved my mum as well!¡± We both went silent and I sank my fingers into my hair. The loverboys were stunned, watching speechless. My heart was burning up and so was Theo¡¯s. ¡°Listen to me, Theo¡± I said, going closer to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened to Olivia, I swear, if there had been any other option, I¡¯d have taken it, even if it meant my life because I cared about your happiness. ¡°You¡¯ve taken two lives for it already and I endured, but this time around¡­Jeanne¡­she¡¯s different. And if you do anything crazy to her, I swear with my father¡¯s grave, I¡¯ll never forgive you and I wouldn¡¯t mind spending a lifetime in jail just to make sure you die by my hands¡±. And after saying that, I grabbed my car keys from the table and scurried off. The loverboys were probably too shocked to even call me back and I didn¡¯t care. I left the building and went out to where my cars were parked. My guards hurriedly opened the door for me, but I went to the driver¡¯s seat instead and told them I wanted to drive alone. I just didn¡¯t want anyone around me. I turned on the ignition and scorched off on a high speed. I was so furious and felt driving at that moment might help. Why did they have to make me see Theo tonight? It only brought up the anger in me again. I know what I did was wrong; I know he was hurt, but it wasn¡¯t also my fault. Besides, haven¡¯t he had enough vengeance already? He killed Natalie, then Crystal. Isn¡¯t that enough already? I¡¯m done trying to convince him. I¡¯m done begging him. Now, it¡¯s man to man and I¡¯m gonna y the game the way he wants it to go. I won¡¯t let him ride over me again. My phone began ringing and guessing it was probably one of the loverboys, I ignored it. But, it kept ringing and being frustrated, I brought it out from my pocket and discovered it was Hetty. What? Why the hell is she calling me? I picked the call just when it was about ringing to an end. ¡°Alex¡± she called when I didn¡¯t say anything after picking the call. ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± I asked, impatiently. ¡°Alex, where re you? We need to talk¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m listening¡±. I was still driving. ¡°We need to meet up Alex, please. It¡¯s important¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hetty, but I don¡¯t have time for that right now.¡± I replied huskily. I really didn¡¯t want to see anyone at this moment. ¡°Alex¡­¡± ¡°Bye¡± I cut her off and was about ending the call when she suddenly called Jeanne¡¯s name. ¡°Its about Jeanne¡± she said and I fixed the phone back on my ear. ¡°What about her?¡± I asked, suddenly picking interest. She dallied a little before speaking up. ¡°Jeanne¡­She um¡­she¡¯s pregnant, Alex¡± she said and I screeched the car to a halt immediately, right in the middle of the road; my eyes glistening. ¡°What?¡± 63 Alex¡¯s Pov: ¡°She¡¯s pregnant, Alex¡± Hetty¡¯s words resounded in my head and they left a string of bewilderment in me. What¡­what the hell did she just say? ¡°Alex?¡± She called as I kept quiet, my eyes were bulging out. Different horns of cars filled my ears and that was when I realised I was still on the middle of the road and so many cars were held up because of it. Still holding the phone in one hand, I used the other to drive to the other side of the road, parking by it. ¡°What did you say, Hetty? Wh¡­Who¡¯s pregnant?¡± I asked, still having a feeling it was a dream. ¡°You heard me, Alex; it¡¯s Jeanne. I just found out about it today, but she¡¯s trying to keep it to herself¡± she replied and I scoffed. What the heck is she talking about? Jeanne¡¯s pregnant? For¡­For who? ¡°Alex!¡± She called, breaking the silence that ensued. I just remained quiet, staring like a bloated goat. I couldn¡¯t even think anymore. Jeanne¡­Jeanne¡¯s pregnant? How on earth? Is this an illusion or something? ¡°I¡¯m telling you this, Alex; because you need to save her. She¡¯s going through hell in the hands of Theo and I¡¯m scared she might not survive it if she continues with it in that condition¡± Hetty said and I brushed my fingers into my hair. ¡°Hetty,¡± i called, trying to control the sound of my voice. ¡°Did¡­Did she say who it belonged to? The¡­The baby?¡± Somehow, I felt a little scared asking. ¡°I told you, Alex; she¡¯s keeping the whole thing to herself. I only got to know because I overhead the doctor telling her about it. But¡­she told me you guys were dating before Theo showed up. So¡­I was thinking you um¡­maybe, you know?¡± She didn¡¯tplete the statement and I heaved and ced my head on the sterling. Oh, God! Is this really happening? Could Jeanne be pregnant¡­For. me? Although, Theo had said some stupid stuff about having s*x with her, but¡­even if he was telling the truth, there¡¯s no way Jeanne could be pregnant for him because he just showed up less than a week ago. And Jeanne and I¡­We had s*x a long time ago and I was actually the one who disvi*gined her. She doesn¡¯t look a flirt to me. Could it be possible I¡¯m really responsible for the baby? ¡°Alex?¡± Hetty called; but I couldn¡¯t say a word. I suddenly couldn¡¯t find my tongue anymore. ¡°Alex please, say something. Jeanne really needs your help right now. She might end up dead in the hands of Theo. Or¡­aren¡¯t you the father of the baby? Is she pregnant for someone else?¡± I left my head on the sterling, trying to get over the shock, but couldn¡¯t.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Jeanne¡¯s pregnant. How did this happen? Oh, God! How¡¯s she feeling about it? How will she able to cope with it? What do I do now? I need to talk to her. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I woke up the next morning and realised Theo didn¡¯t beat me like he threatened to the previous day. After locking myself up in the room, I saw him driving out of the house and I used that opportunity to hurry to the kitchen and find myself something to eat. Then, when I was done, I went back to the room and locked myself up and that was it. I slept off and woke up this morning and realised I had been able to escape Theo¡¯s brutality. Oh, God! I¡¯m supposed to go to school today. What do I do? I stood up from the bed and walked over to the mirror in the bathroom, staring at my image. I turned my face from left to right and opened my shirt, staring at my tummy. I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯m pregnant; I¡¯m carrying a baby in me. How do I go about it now? For how long will I conceal the truth? Pregnancy isn¡¯t something that can be hidden for long. But¡­Alex, how can I tell him about it? What would be his reaction? What if he¡¯s not ready to settle down yet? Then, I¡¯d just be forcing this on him. But, what would be his reaction? I kind of feel scared to know. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m carrying Alexander¡¯s baby in my womb. The World¡¯s Alex. And dad¡­what would he say when he gets to know about it? Oh, Jeanne! I should have been more careful. I shouldve taken some pills after the intercourse. They just never urred to me. I heard a knock on the door and quickly left the mirror, my whole body vibrating already. I knew it was Theo. He knocked on the door again, but I was too scared to reply. Then, I heard the knob turning and my heart skipped. What? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s gotten a spare key! I stood dumbfounded and watched as the door finally opened and he walked in. Oh, goodness! His eyes were dark as ever and portrayed anger. ¡°Are you trying to toil with me, Jeanne?¡± He asked but I couldn¡¯t say a word. God, no,. no . Please, don¡¯t let him do this. He walked to where I was and that was when I could find what to say. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry, Theo. Please, forgive me¡± I said with conniption and he chuckled. ¡°Really? Forgive? Well, guess what, Jeanne; I don¡¯t know what that means¡±. He drew closer to me and touched my neck and it sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Today, you¡¯re gonna be doing something special for me.¡± He whispered into my ears. ¡°So, get dressed. We¡¯re leaving for school immediately¡± he added and walked out of the room and I gasped. Oh, God! What could he have in mind? I felt so scared, but couldn¡¯t do anything about it. I hurriedly showered and dressed up so I don¡¯t get Theo angry. I really don¡¯t want to do anything that¡¯d make him hurt me or my baby. I dressed really simple this time around and when I was done, I made use of a t footwear. I heard pregnant women weren¡¯t supposed to wear something high. Oh, God! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m now referring to myself as a pregnant woman. I left the room and went out to the sitting room and there I found Theo, already dressed up. I wonder what he has in mind for me today. What if something that endangers my life or something? I¡¯m really so scared now. When he noticed I was done, he stood up and started walking out and nobody told me to follow him. I followed him to the parking lot where he made use of a pink car, but this time around, he asked one of his drivers to do the driving. I sat beside him at the back seat and felt really ufortable. What if he just decides to turn and hit me? And worst on my tummy? I really don¡¯t know what to do in this condition. I¡¯m so scared for the safety of I and my baby. I know if I tell Alex about it, he¡¯s definitely going to do everything possible to get me away from Theo, but it¡¯d also endanger his life and mine because Theo¡¯s capable of doing anything. I really don¡¯t know why this baby decided toe now. I wonder if he or she is aware of the fact that I¡¯m going through a lot of pains for his father. I still find the whole thing funny. So, in a short time, I¡¯d start having baby bumps and all that? Then, my tummy will be very big and I¡¯ll give birth to an infant, breastfeed and nurture him or her till she grows up and starts addressing me as ¡°mum?¡±. Oh, Jeanne! I still can¡¯t believe this. We got to Alpha High and it took my mind back to the danger that was before me. I came out of the car with Theo and as expected, all eyes turned on us. I suddenly remembered today was tuesday and Alex was likely to show up for Mr Leonard¡¯s ss. Oh, my! What if he enters another fist fight with Theo? Theo and I started walking into the building and it was clear the entire students around were talking about us. They might probably be saying I¡¯m lucky, but they have no idea I¡¯m going through hell in the hands of the devil. I suddenly noticed Theo wasn¡¯t taking me to ss, but somewhere else in the building. Okay, what does he think I¡¯m doing? I¡¯m still wondering that special thing he wants me to do for him. But, not long after, Hetty showed up from nowhere and it got me nonplussed. What does she have to say? She shouldn¡¯t do a thing that¡¯d implicate me in front of Theo. She was holding a stic cup of drink. ¡°Hey, Jeanne!¡± She called with a broad smile but I couldn¡¯t even smile back at her. Theo¡¯s warned me not to speak to anyone here in school without his permission and he hasn¡¯t permitted me to speak to Hetty yet. She took her eyes to Theo who was staring at her. ¡°Um¡­hi, Theo¡± she said in more like a whisper. Was she scared to talk to him or what? ¡°Long time¡± she added. ¡°Yeah¡± was Theo¡¯s vacuous reply. Then, she looked back at me. ¡°Um¡­Jeanne, I was thinking you might want to hang out with me¡­¡± ¡°She can¡¯t¡± Theo cut her off coldly and she sighed. ¡°Okay then. See youter¡± she said and tried walking away. But, as she walked pass me, the drink she held suddenly slipped from her hand and emptied on my body. What??? ¡°Oh, my God! I¡¯m so sorry, Jeanne¡± she said immediately and tried wiping it off, but it was useless. My entire shirt was stained. Why wasn¡¯t she careful? ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Jeanne. Maybe you should make use of the restroom. I¡¯m sorry¡± she said apologetically and walked away. Oh, God! I turned and looked at Theo. I wonder if he¡¯d let me make use of the restroom; or he¡¯d prefer I keep. keep going around like this. ¡°You have three minutes to do that and meet up behind the bookstore¡± he said without looking at me and tried walking away, but suddenly stopped and looked back at me. ¡°Just three minutes, Jeanne. Don¡¯t do something crazy because I¡¯d definitely find out¡± he said and I nodded and he walked away. Then, I took off immediately, going straight to the restroom. I just pray I don¡¯t exceed the time. I got there and noticed It was really empty. Well, they¡¯re all in ss already. I went to the washbasin and taking a napkin, I soaked it with water and started brushing off the stain from my shirt. I wonder why Hetty wasn¡¯t careful. I lifted my head to look at myself in the mirror and to my greatest surprise, I saw Alex standing behind me, by the door. What? I flinched and quickly turned to look at him and my heart skipped when I confirmed it was real. What¡­what is he doing here? How does he know I¡¯m here? What does he have in mind? ¡°A¡­Alex?¡± I stuttered his name. Oh, God! I¡¯m pregnant for this guy. I wish I could tell him about it; tell him his baby was inside of me. He moved from the door and started walking closer to me. Oh! How I wanted to hug him and kiss him and tell him he was about to be a father. But¡­Theo; I need to go back to him. I don¡¯t want to get into trouble with him. Alex didn¡¯t say a word as he drew closer to me and stood very close in front of me. I couldn¡¯t even move. Then, he lifted his hand and used it to brush my front hair aside. His touch on my skin felt so cold. I kept looking into his eyes as he looked into mine. ¡°Stay still, Jeanne¡± he said softly to me and I wondered what he meant. Then suddenly, he brought out a napkin from his pocket and before I could realise what was going on, he covered it over my nose and I found myself struggling. Whaat? What is he doing??? ¡°Alex¡­¡± I said in a muffled breath but he didn¡¯t stop. And immediately, I dozed off and fell asleep in his arms. 64 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I opened my eyes and felt myself lying on something big andfy. It was a bed. I turned and ced my hand on my forehead, trying to recall what had happened. Hah! Alex! I gasped and opened my eyes fully, sitting up. Surprisingly, I found him sitting on a couch in front of me, just staring at me. Oh, God! Did Alex really bring me here? Why? How? Theo! I¡¯m dead. ¡°Alex?¡± I called, staring at him, gobsmacked. He didn¡¯t say anything immediately as he just kept staring at me and I left the bed and stood up. ¡°Did¡­Did you bring me here, Alex?¡± I asked, fear resounding in my voice . Then, that was when he stood up, but he didn¡¯te close to me. ¡°We need to talk, Jeanne¡± he started in a serious tone and my ears started itching already. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±:he asked bluntly and I swear, my hearts stopped beating. What??? I gasped and shrugged backwards,pletely taken abacked. What the hell is he saying? How can he ask me such a question? Who¡­who gave him such idea? ¡°Talk to me, Jeanne¡¯ he said insistently and I stuttered for words. ¡°I¡­I¡­you¡­I don¡¯t¡­¡± I floundered, but couldn¡¯t think of the right sentence to construct. Could it be possible he knows about it already? But how? ¡°Is it true? Are you really pregnant? Or, is it a lie?¡± He persuaded and I bent my head, not knowing what to say anymore. Oh, God! How did Alex get to know about it? I didn¡¯t tell anyone. But¡­The doctor¡­I told him not to tell anyone about it. Could it be possible he betrayed me and told Alex? But, how did Alex get to meet with the doctor? What really happened? ¡°Jeanne¡± he called calmly now and starteding towards me. I bent my head and whimpered as he got to where I was and ced his both hands on my shoulders, facing me. ¡°is it true?¡± He asked again and this time around, I nodded. Although I wasn¡¯t looking at his face, I heard him sigh. His hands were still on me. ¡°Who¡¯s responsible for it, Jeanne?¡± He asked and I was forced to look up at him. How can he even ask such a question? He¡¯s the first guy to cross my legs and he knows it. He made me bleed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­its you, Alex¡± I replied nervously, looking into his eyes. Then, he moved his hands from my shoulders to my cheeks. ¡°Really?¡± He asked with a scoff. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡± Tears came up to my eyes immediately as I thought of everything that was going to happen now. I know Alex wouldn¡¯t want me to go back to Theo, but I really need to. I can¡¯t believe I ended up telling him the truth now. What¡¯s going to happen? He pulled me to himself and embraced me and I covered my face on his chest. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡± He asked, still embracing me. ¡°Huh?¡± Oh, Alex; how I want this tost forever. But¡­ ¡°Alex¡± I called and disentangled from the hug. He looked me in the eyes. ¡°I¡­I need to go, Alex¡± I said ruefully and he scoffed. ¡°And what are you talking about? Where do you wanna go?¡± He asked, giving me a look like I was joking or something. ¡°I need to¡­¡± ¡°You wanna go back to Theo? To that monster?!¡± He half yelled and I bent my head and sobbed. ¡°Please Alex,¡± I said tearfully. ¡°if I don¡¯t, he¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Kill me?¡± He interpted and chuckled. ¡°Are you kidding me, Jeanne? You really wanna go back to him because he threatened to kill me? That¡¯s nonsense! I¡¯m not letting you and my baby spend one more second with that monster; not while I¡¯m still breathing¡±. He spoke with so much anger and it brought more tears to my eyes. Oh, God! This is what I¡¯ve been afraid of. This is the reason I never wanted to tell him the truth. I knew it¡¯d have repercussions. I sniffed and held his hand. ¡°Alex, you don¡¯t understand. If I don¡¯t go back to him, he¡¯s going to kill you. Alex please¡± I cried. ¡°it¡¯s my life Jeanne and I¡¯m telling you not to worry about it . He won¡¯t do a thing, okay? ¡°I mean,e on; do you really expect me to just sit back and watch you go through pains in the hands of that devil? I¡¯ve endured enough, but not any more. I¡¯m already working on our visas and in few days time, we¡¯ll be out of the country. For now, you¡¯ll be staying here until everything¡¯s worked out. Do you understand?¡± He said rather exasperated but it couldn¡¯t give me enoughfort. I know Theo; he¡¯s capable of doing anything. He might hurt Alex. ¡°Alex please¡­¡± I whimpered and he huffed and withdrew his hands from mine. Then, he started towards the door and I watched helplessly. ¡°I hope you¡¯re aware I now have a responsibility to take care of. So, I¡¯m not gonna sit back and watch you and my baby walk into hell¡± he said by the door and walked out. I ambled to the door immediately and tried opening it, but it was locked. Oh, God! Did he really lock me in? I sat on the floor and wept. Oh, Alex! I understand you¡¯re only trying to protect me; but I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared of what Theo might do. I won¡¯t be able to bear it if something were to happen to you under my watch. What do I do now? Theo¡¯s Pov: ¡°What do you mean you couldn¡¯t find her?¡± I said angrily to the bunch of foolish guards that stood in front of me.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, sir; but we¡¯ve searched the entire school premises and asked a lot of students if anyone of them had seen her around, but none of them did¡± one of the guards replied and I groaned and kicked the wall. ¡°Jeanne!!!¡± I yelled and pushed a table beside me, falling all it¡¯s contents to the floor. Where the hell was she? I can¡¯t believe she had the nerves to rub away from me after all I¡¯ve done to her. I swear, I¡¯m going to kill her if I set my eyes on her. Hold on; Hetty! Yes! She had spilled drink on her and that was the reason she went to the restroom and didn¡¯t return after that. That bitch! She definitely has something to do with this. How dare she? She should¡¯ve learnt to avoid other people¡¯s businesses; especially the one that concerns me. If really she knows something about this, I¡¯m going to make her wish she never knew Jeanne. I reached for my phone and made a call. Alex¡¯s Pov: I left the house after locking Jeanne up in the room. Well, I had to. I mean, I had a feeling she might want to run away at that moment. I went for some shopping afterwards. First, I bought a lot of clothes, shoes and jewelries for Jeanne since the previous ones were trapped with Theo. After making sure I got more than enough clothes for her, I went ahead to get some foods, snacks, more drinks and fruits ¨C yeah, lot of fruits. I heard women in her condition needs things like that. When I was done, I returned to the ce where I had kept her, making sure my guards didn¡¯t follow me. The house where I brought her was more like a bungalow and it was the only ce I could think of hiding her at that moment because nobody was aware I owned such house. Theo knows of all the mansions I have in the country and I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯d check it out to know if Jeanne was there. So, that was why I had to bring her somewhere far and quiet This way, it was better. And very soon, we¡¯ll be leaving the country together. I entered into the house and went to the room where she was kept and when I got in, I found her fast asleep on the bed. Hm. Sleeping beauty. I smiled and sat on the bed and stared into her face as she slept so soundly and innocently. She was so beautiful and I could imagine what the baby would be like. So, she really risked her life for mine by going through hell in the hands of Theo? I still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s pregnant for me. So, that intercourse in Korea really did have a result? I had thought she¡¯d take some pills after it or something. Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m having any regrets about it. I promise to take care of her and the baby and make sure they live the best life on earth. I just hope I get rid of Theo soon enough. After watching her for a long time, I left so I could get ready the food she was going to eat when she wakes up. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I woke up on the bed and after yawning and itching my eyes, I sat up and noticed two trays of assorted foods and fruits were kept on the bed. Huh? Did Alex do this? I looked at the food and confirmed they were really rich and delectable. Oh, my! I can¡¯t remember thest time I ate something good since I started eating with Theo. And thinking of it, I was starving. So, not waiting for whoever it was that kept the food there, I began eating like a hungry lion, eating randomly from one te to another and one type of fruit to another. Goodness! I¡¯ve almost forgotten the taste of all these. The door opened not long after with Alexing in and my jaws dropped. As if someone tapped me, I stopped eating. ¡°Hey¡± he called as he walked closer to me and sat on the bed, facing me. Unexinable, I suddenly felt shy around him. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± He asked and all I could do was nod. I continued eating but this time around, I ate slowly. Alex didn¡¯t say a word immediately and I could tell he was staring at me and it made me really nervous. And why wasn¡¯t he eating yet? ¡°Sorry for locking you up¡± hetter said. ¡°i promise not to do it again. But, I want you to promise you¡¯re never going to leave, Jeanne¡±. I lifted my eyes to stare at him. ¡°Please, Jeanne; promise me¡± he repeated with a soft look in his eyes and I was helpless. ¡°I promise¡± I replied and he sighed with a little smile. So, I¡¯ll really be staying all alone with him for sometime? ¡°Um¡­aren¡¯t you eating?¡± I decided to ask and he smiled cutely. ¡°Watching you and the baby eat is enough for me¡± he said and I felt my cheeks turning red. Gosh! I was forced to smile. He took a strawberry from the fruits tray and dipped it into a te of milk and fed it to me. I blushed immediately. Oh, Alex; please, don¡¯t corrupt me. ¡°can I ask you a question, Jeanne?¡± He said and I looked at him and nodded. What could he have in mind? ¡°During your stay with Theo¡±, he began, ¡°Did he ever have s*x with you?¡± 65 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I looked at him in surprise as he stared back at me. Why¡¯s he asking such question? Oh, my! Did he think Theo would¡¯ve taken advantage of me? ¡°He didn¡¯t¡± I replied and he smiled and looked down at the food. Then; he began eating. ¡°By the way,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be having a surprise for you tomorrow¡±. Oh! What surprise could it be? ¡°Okay¡± I told him and we continued eating. ¡°Um¡­Alex,¡± I called after a brief since and he looked at me. ¡°How did you get to know I was pregnant?¡± I asked and he smiled. ¡°Oh! Well, Hetty told me about it¡± he replied and I flinched. ¡°Huh? She¡­she did?¡± ¡°Yeah. She told me she had overheard the doctor telling you about it in the hospital¡±. Oh, my God! So, she had been eavesdropping? And she knows I¡¯m pregnant? Oh, God! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jeanne; she¡¯s a nice person, okay? She promised toe over tomorrow or next¡± Alex said and I just nodded lightly. I had really wanted this pregnancy stuff to be a secret. We went on eating and didn¡¯t say much to each other again and bit by bit, my tension around him began to ease. But, I still couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Theo. I¡¯m sure he must be looking for me by now and I¡¯m really scared of his reaction if he gets to find me. I hope Alex¡¯s ns of leaving the country works out sooner thatter. When we were done eating, Alex cleared up the ce, even when I insisted on doing it. He said he didn¡¯t want me to stress myself in any way. Then, he suggested we watched some movies together, but in the process, I slept off. Gosh! Why am I always so dizzy these days? #Next_morning . I woke up, feeling really really refreshed and strong. Wow! Indeed the doctor was right; I really needed a good rest. I checked the bed and noticed Alex wasn¡¯t on it with me. Where was he? I sluggishly stood up and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I haven¡¯t even had time to go round the house. I brushed my teeth and before going back to the bedroom, I looked myself in the mirror and stared at my tummy. I smiled and walked out of the room, returning to the bedroom. But when I got there, I still couldn¡¯t find Alex. Huh? Where was he? I decided to go out of the room and when I did, I saw a long passage and took it and it led me to the sitting room and there I found Alex in the dining. ¡°Hey¡± he called as he nced at me and took his eyes back to what he was doing. He was setting breakfast. I breathed out and walked closer to him. But, he looked dressed up, like he was going out or something. ¡°Good morning¡± I greeted with a shy smile and he came close and pecked me. ¡°How was your night?¡± He asked and I smiled, blushing from the peck. ¡°Um¡­It was okay¡± was my reply. Wow! I still can¡¯t believe loverboy Alex was all mine. I wish I could hug him from behind and kiss him. But¡­hell no, I don¡¯t have such guts yet. He rounded up what he was doing on the dining and looked at the gold watch on his wrist. ¡°Uh¡­Jeanne, I¡¯m so sorry, but I need to leave right now. I¡¯m already 5 minuteste for amercial advert and my manager might kill me if I miss this as well. ¡°But, don¡¯t worry, I promise to be back within the twinkle of an eye, okay? And I¡¯ll being along with the surprise I said I had for you. ¡°You can make use of this for now¡± he said and handed me one of his expensive phones. ¡°There¡¯s aptop in the room with lots of interesting games, musics and videos and in case you¡¯re not interested in them, you can make use of the TV channels. ¡°There re lots of foods in the kitchen and warmer and enough fruits and drinks in the refrigerator as well and I¡¯ll be getting more on my way back. Just do whatever it is you want and feel free, okay? I¡¯ll be back pretty soon¡± he said without a pause and it almost made meugh. I nodded and he smiled and kissed me. Oh, my gee! On my lips. I reciprocated the kiss and kind of wished it wouldn¡¯t have to end. His phone started ringing immediately and it broke the kiss. ¡°Yes? I¡¯m on my way, Franco¡± he said on the phone as he grabbed his car keys from the dining table. He gave me a peck again and mouthed a ¡®bye¡¯ before running out the door. I quickly went to the window and stared at him as he entered into his car and started off. I smiled. Oh, God! Please, keep him safe for me. I kept watching as he drove out of the premises which had no gate and after a while, I returned to the dining and had breakfast. * Feeling bored even after ying numerous games and watching funny videos, I slept off and by the time I woke up, that was when Alex returned. I heard the sound of his car driving in and quickly rushed out to wee him. I was stilling out of the house when he parked the car and surprisingly, I saw someone elseing out of the seat next to the driver¡¯s. It was a little girl. Whaaat? It was Molly! ¡°Nanny!!!¡± She screamed at the top of her voice as she left the car door open and ran towards me as fast as her legs could carry her. Oh, my gee! ¡°Baby!!!¡± I called ecstatically as I didn¡¯t wait for her to get to where I was, but also ran to her and opened my arms wide for her and she jumped in. ¡°Oh, my God! Baby!¡± I cried and twirled her round In my arms. She giggled and kissed my cheek. Alex was alreadying out of the car. ¡°I missed you, nanny. I thought I was never going to see you again¡±: she said happily as she embraced me, still in my arms. I smiled and kissed her hair. Oh, Alex; so this was the surprise he was talking about? ¡°I missed you too, angel¡±:I told her, almost tearfully. Alex was smiling as he got to where we were and carried Molly down from my shoulders. ¡°Hey, hey, hey; I didn¡¯t bring you here so you could stress her, okay?¡± He said to her. ¡°Huh? What are you talking about, Alex? Let me go¡± Molly groused as she Fred her hands from his and came to me. Iughed and carried her up again. ¡°I¡¯m her baby, okay?¡± She said boastfully in my arms. ¡°Oh, really? Well, sooner thanter, someone else is gonna rece you¡± Alex said and my eyes beamed. Molly flinched. ¡°Huh?¡± She expressed and looked at me. ¡°Nanny, are you going to be someone else¡¯s nanny?¡± She asked and Iughed. ¡°it¡¯s not nanny, Molly; but something sweeter than nanny¡± Alex replied and the confusion on her face increased. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby; no one¡¯s going to take your position in my heart, okay?¡± I told her and she nodded and hugged me. I looked at Alex and smiled and he started walking into the house and I followed with Molly. Like he had said, he brought more foods and fruits and we ate together. Gosh! It was so much fun. Molly wouldn¡¯t spend a second without me as she followed me to the kitchen, the garden and even the toilet ¨C although, she had to wait outside the door. She kept telling me different stories of her ssmates and how she bullied some of the stubborn ones in school and she felt so proud telling me. She kept talking and talking until my ears began itching, although I enjoyed it. I really missed her. Alex didn¡¯t really have time for us as he kept making numerous calls and making use of different systems. Gosh! I think I¡¯ll just have to start getting used to this. Molly and I spent the whole time together until it was dark and when Alex talked about taking her home, she refused, saying she was going to spend the night there with me. Knowing he couldn¡¯t change her mind, he left her alone with me and went out to the balcony to have some quiet time while doing whatever it is he was doing. So, Molly and I stayed in the bedroom. ¡°Why did you ever leave, nanny?¡± She suddenly asked as sheid on the bed while I sat and faced her. We could both look into our faces. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby; I just needed to take care of something important¡± I replied, bruising her hair with my palm. ¡°You know, I fell sick when you left, nanny. I really missed you. Hope you won¡¯t be leaving again?¡± She asked and I smiled wistfully. ¡°Tell me a story, nanny¡± she said after a brief silence. ¡°Oh, dear; I don¡¯t really have a story in mind. But, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll think about one and tell you tomorrow¡± I replied. ¡°Okay; sing me a song¡± she said and I sighed. I knew she was going to ask for that. I cleared my throat and began singing one of my written songs, knowing she¡¯d fall asleep at anytime. That has always been her weak point. Surprisingly, when I was done with the first song, she was still awake. Hm. Look who¡¯s in for a challenge. ¡°Sing me more, nanny¡± she said and I smiled and continued with another song. But, by the time I was done with the second song, she was already asleep. Iughed to myself. I knew she wouldn¡¯tst. I covered her up with the duvet and went into the bathroom to shower afterwards. I stood under the cold water and enjoyed it¡¯s coldness on my body. I suddenly thought of my future with Alex. Do we really have a future together? Will everything work out? Oh, God! I really pray it does, because I don¡¯t want to lose this baby and Alex. After spending a long time in the shower, I tied a white towel around my body and returned to the bedroom and there I found Alex on the bed, operating two of his phones at this same time. Geez! But¡­where was Molly? She wasn¡¯t on the bed anymore. ¡°Um Alex, where¡¯s Molly?¡± I asked, still standing by the door of the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ve taken her to a separate room¡± he replied without looking at me. Huh? But why? We could¡¯ve shared the bed. I walked past him to the wardrobe so I could get something light to wear. Fortunately, he already bought some clothes for me that¡¯d take me till we leave the country. There were two night gowns ¨C red and ck ¨C and I was trying to decide on the right one to wear when suddenly, I felt a hand hold me from behind. Huh? Then, I noticed it was Alex. He hugged me, wrapping his hands around my waist and making them touch my belly. I was still backing him.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He trailed his hand from my belly upto my chest and touched my bo*bs and it made me shiver. Oh, God! Then, he kissed my neck and moved his hands from my bo*bs to the tip of the towel and loosened it ¨C just the tip ¨C he didn¡¯t let it fall off. Then, he kissed my neck again, bringing his lips close to my ears. ¡°May I?¡± He spoke softly into my ears, still holding the tip of the towel. I swear, my heart stopped beating. Oh, Alex! Does he want to make the baby two? 66 Jeanne¡¯s Pov:Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He kissed my neck again and left me really speechless. Then, without asking for any other permission, he loosened the towel from my body. Whaaat??? Oh, my God! I shivered as he moved his hands over my bare tummy, up to my chest and pressed my bo*bs. Then, he turned my face slightly and kissed me from the side. Oh, God! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m standing stark na*ed in front of Alex. I could feel his hard d*ck press against my bare buttocks and it made my whole systems vibrate. Then, he took his hands from my bre*st and moved them down¡­ I gasped and held his hands and he chuckled and kissed my neck again. Next, he carried me up in a bridal style and took me to the bed and my nervousity increased. Are we really going to do this again? Heid me on the bed and the fact that he could see my entire body really got me cringing. He came in between my legs and kissed me so passionately that I had to reciprocate, forgetting the fact I was feeling ashamed. I wrapped my hands around his shoulders and enjoyed the kiss and in the meanwhile, he used his hands to carass my bo*bs and it made me moan. Suddenly, a call came into his phone and it made him break the kiss. What the heck? He sighed as he took the phone from the bed and answered it, but he was still on top of me. ¡°Hello, Franco?¡± He called blearily and kissed me softly. ¡°Yeah¡­I know¡± He brought his face close and su*ked from the nipple of my left bre*st. Oh, God! I closed my eyes and moaned in ecstasy as he kept pressing and su*king from it. ¡°He did¡­¡± he lifted his lips and said into the phone and took them to the bre*st again. Then, he stopped and sighed, dipping his hands into his hair. ¡°Come on, Franco. Can I just call you back, please?¡± He said frustrated, and shook his head, bringing them to . my lips and kissing me again. ¡°I¡¯ve told you; Makie¡¯s a frustrated being. He¡¯s just trying to gain attention. Whatever he said was a lie¡± he said as he lifted my hands and ced them on his shirt. At first, I was confused, but then, I got to know he wanted me to unbutton his shirt. Oh, Alex! This guy¡¯s corrupting me. Feeling really really shy, I started unbuttoning the shirt from the top downwards as he continued with the call he was making. ¡°What? He did?¡± He said, bemused on the phone and I finally unbuttoned the shirt and his bare tattoo chest was now exposed. Wow! I wonder how he was able to draw so many tattoos on his body. He made me pull off the shirtpletely from his body and then he made me rub his bare chest with my hands. Gosh! This guy¡¯s really turning me into something else. Next, he moved my hands to his belt, expecting me to unhook it. Holy Mary!!! I gasped and withdrew my hands immediately and heughed with his head on my shoulders. Heughed dryly, forgetting he was still on a call. ¡°Oh, sorry; yeah, yeah; I can hear you¡± he said on the phone when he got to realise. Then, he lifted his face again and kissed me, giving my lips little bites. With the phone in his left hand; he moved the right hand down to my legs and touched my¡­Oh, God! I gripped him tight as I felt him pushing in two fingers at a time. ¡°Alex¡­¡± I moaned and he widened his eyes and quickly brought out the hand, using it to cover it my mouth. Oh! The caller must¡¯ve overheard me. ¡°Please, Franco; it¡¯s¡­its no one. I¡¯m just watching a movie¡± he said with a deep breath and removed his hand from my mouth. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s um¡­A female program. I mean, a female¡¯s the one presenting the program¡± he said and smiled, bringing his head to my bo*bs and su*king them again. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not the one, Franco. She¡¯s just calling someone who¡¯s my namesake. ¡°Yeah¡­In the program¡±. He chuckled and sent his hand to my vag*na again. He inserted two fingers and started kissing me immediately. Oh, God! I felt like moaning out loud, but couldn¡¯t, since he was kissing me. So, I just moaned into his lips. Indeed, this guy was really a flirt. He kept moving the fingers in and out while kissing me and it hurt a lot, but the kiss was there tofort me and stop me from screaming. Then, I overheard the caller calling his name on the phone; probably because he¡¯s been quiet for a while. Then, Alex unlocked from the kiss and brought out his fingers. ¡°Please Franco, I¡¯ll call you back; I swear¡± he said and ended the call immediately. Hm. I guess now he¡¯s ready to devour me. His both hands were now free and he used them to press my both bre*sts and su*k from them. ¡°You can¡¯t even take off my belt, huh?¡± He asked in a sweet smile and kissed my lips. He kissed me for a long time and brought his head downwards, kissing my tummy. Immediately, his phone began ringing again and to my surprise, he grabbed the phone from the bed and threw it away, making it hit hard against the wall and crashing to the floor. Oh, my God! He came came close and kissed me again, this time around, a little roughly. Then, he unhooked his belt and that was when my heart started ying party drums. He took off his trousers and I tried not to look. Then; he came in between my legs again and kissed me while pressing my bo*bs like he wanted it to produce something. After kissing me enough, he went on his knees and lifted my legs upwards, almost making them touch my face. Whaaaaaaat? Oh, God! I wish I could disappear. He inserted his d*ck into my pu*sy which was now facing heaven and I shrieked as he started thrusting in and out. Oh, God! It still hurt like hell, but not like the first time. I closed my eyes and moaned as his sizeable d*ck kept going in and out of me and it sent shivers down my spine. At a point, he rolled the tip of my clit with his thumb and I didn¡¯t realise when I shouted: ¡°Dad!¡± Oh, God! This is heaven. I couldn¡¯t even look into his face as he kept thrusting faster and deeper and he left me in all moans. The sweetness was driving me crazy. Where did Alex learn this from? After a while, he came out from me and I actually thought it was over; but he stood me up from the bed and made me to kneel, backing him. I ced my both hands on the bed for support and that was when I realised it was what they called ¡®dog style¡¯. Oh, Jesus! He entered into me from behind and started moving harder than he¡¯s ever moved and my moans increased. He grabbed my bre*sts as he rode me to heaven and the sweetness couldn¡¯t even let me open my eyes. I kept moaning his names and they almost turned into screams. He rode me from behind for a long time and released inside me and that was when he pulled out, falling on the bed. I also fell immediately and he pulled me close to himself and he covered our bodies with the duvet. Oh, God! My legs ¨C in between ¨C they were hurting like crazy. Oh, God! Alex. I was kind of panting, but it subsided after a short time and Alex, also regaining his strength, made me ce my head on his chest while he wrapped his hands around my shoulders. Then, he brought his lips close to mine and kissed me. He took in a deep breath and we remained quiet for some time, my head still on his shoulders. Gosh! I guess I¡¯m gonna have to start getting used to his s*x lifestyle. I can¡¯t believe he almost damaged my p¡­sy. ¡°The baby¡­. what sex do you want it to be? Is it a male or female?¡± He broke the silence and I swallowed hard. ¡°Um¡­a girl¡± I replied. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± I smiled lightly. ¡°Well, I just love little girls¡± I replied and he chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯d prefer a boy, but even if it bes a girl, I¡¯ll be okay with it¡± He said and I smiled. ¡°You know, when the babyes, I¡¯d want him to have your eyes.¡± He said and I couldn¡¯t help but blush. ¡°Really?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah. You have the best eyes, Jeanne and I love it. You know, that look you give when you¡¯re nervous about something; the look in your eyes ¨C it makes me wannaugh. ¡°And when you¡¯re sad, it can make anyone do anything just to make you happy¡± he said and I was forced tough. Gosh. ¡°So, tell me;¡± he continued. ¡°What would you want our baby to take from me?¡± I chuckled and licked my lips. ¡°Well¡­first of all, I wouldn¡¯t want him to take over your grumpy attitude¡± I said and heughed. ¡°What? I¡¯m not grumpy¡± he eximed. ¡°You are, Alex; rude; grumpy and annoying. ¡°The first day I arrived at the mansion as Molly¡¯s nanny, and you had returned with the rest of the lover boys and asked me why I was there, seriously, I felt like entering into the ground. You were so scary and I had been scared you were going to hurt me. At that time, I couldn¡¯t even breathe when I was around you. Although, I was crushing on you, I was still scared of you¡±. I expounded. He smiled and kissed my hair. ¡°Sorry for making you scared back then¡± he said in a serene tone. ¡°So,¡± he continued. ¡°is that the only thing you gate about me?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes. And as for the things I¡¯d want the baby to inherit from you are your charms, cuteness, voice and dance skills¡± I replied and he chuckled. ¡°Wow! Really? You love all that about me?¡± He asked and I nodded. Then, heuded and pecked me on the hair again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jeanne; very soon, all our worries will be over and I promise to give you and my kids the best life on earth¡±. He said in that sweet tone of his and my cheeks turned red immediately. He brought his face close and kissed me on the lips ¨C a tempestuous snogging kiss. ¡°I love you¡± he said in a soft breath. ¡°I love you too¡± I replied andid my head back on his chest. 67 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: My sound sleep was disrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the door. I sluggishly opened my eyes and found Alex still lying beside me on the bed and I think he was also been awoken by the knock. Huh? But, who¡¯s knocking? ¡°Nanny?¡± I heard Molly call. She was the one knocking. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± She asked and started pushing the door open and Alex and I gasped. Whaaat? We were still naked! ¡°Baby!¡± ¡°No, Molly; don¡¯te in¡± Alex said immediately and she stopped opening the door. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± She asked, still holding the door. ¡°Um¡­because we¡¯re praying¡± Alex replied and I covered my mouth so I don¡¯t end upughing.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Praying?¡± She repeated. ¡°Then, let me join you¡± she said and started pushing the door again and I almost screamed. ¡°Stop it, Molly; the prayer isn¡¯t for kids, okay? It¡¯s just for adults¡± Alex said and I chucked. ¡°What are you talking about, Alex? My teacher told me it¡¯s good to pray together as a family¡± Molly said but didn¡¯t open the door. ¡°And your teacher¡¯s air! Now, just go to the sitting room and wait. We¡¯ll join you shortly. Okay?¡± Alex said and we didn¡¯t hear anything from her as she hurt closed the door and Probably left. Geez! I can¡¯t believe I almost had an heart attack. Alexughed and I also did. ¡°That was crazy¡± I said. ¡°Yeah¡± he muttered and held my cheeks, kissing me. ¡°Good morning¡± I said when he broke the kiss. ¡°yeah. How was your night?¡± ¡°Great¡±. He smiled and looked at the floor where his phone was broken. ¡°Damn. I can¡¯t believe I did this¡± he groused as he took his trouser from the floor and started putting it on. I just chuckled. Well, I guess you were possessed by the spirit that takes over you when you¡¯re horny. Since I wasn¡¯t putting on clothes before the intercourse; I couldn¡¯t get any of my clothes around to put on. The duvet was just the only thing covering my body. Alex wore his trousers and went to where the phone was, picking it up from the floor. Wow! The screen was really damaged. I guess thousands of people would¡¯ve tried to reach him yesterday. He shook his head and opened the phone, bringing out his simcard. And after doing that, he slided the phone on the floor, making it more damaged. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, feeling surprised. ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s condemned¡± he replied, opening a drawer in the room and bringing out a smaller phone. Although, it was beautiful, but the previous one was far more ssic and beautiful. ¡°Huh? But, you could¡¯ve easily taken it for repair¡± I said with a grouch ¡°And what¡¯s the need for a repair? I¡¯ll just get a new er in the day¡± he shrugged and replied and I scoffed. Well, I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. His type are fond of spending money excessively. He inserted the sim into the smaller phone he took and immediately, tons of messages started shing in. Bing! I knew it. ¡°Oh¡± he mouthed, going through the phone. ¡°I almost forgot. Today¡¯s the anniversary party of Alpha Records. I¡¯m supposed to meet up with the rest of the loverboys for a quick rehearsal¡± he said and I rolled my eyes. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s going to leave the house again. ¡°Come on¡± he dropped the phone and said. ¡°You need to take a bath¡±. He stood and came to where I was, and tried carrying me up from the bed. What? When I¡¯m naked? He chuckled when I resisted. ¡°Seriously, Jeanne?¡± He asked. ¡°Last night, you were screaming my name when I was riding you to heaven. Were you putting on a garment back then?¡± He asked and I gasped, opening my mouth in shock. What? Heughed and tried carrying me again and already feeling helpless, I allowed him to. He carried me in a bridal style while I wrapped my hand around his shoulders for support. I stared at his tattoo chest and felt like kissing them. But, awwn. I¡¯m not upto that stage yet. He adjusted me in his arms and it made my bre*st touch his chest. Oh, God! Then, we entered into the bathroom and got to the bathtub, but before putting me in, he paused and su*ked from my left bre*st. Oh, goodness! I closed my eyes and tightened my grip around his shoulders as he tickled and bit my nipple The sensation became might that I had to scream ¨C a light scream, though. Then, he stopped and I opened my eyes and looked into his face to see him smiling. Oh, God! Where did this guye from? Heid me in the bathtub and filled it up with soapy water and finally, the water was able to cover up my nak*dness. He pecked my hair before walking out and I sighed when he did. Oh, my God! Seriously, Alex just turned me on with what he did. I stayed in the water for some time and took a proper bath. My legs actually hurt, but not as much as the first time. We¡¯ll, I guess pretty soon, I¡¯ll be used to it. * * When I was done bathing, I came out of the tub and took another towel, tying it round my body. Then, I proceeded to the bedroom and luckily ¨C if I might to say ¨C Alex wasn¡¯t in. Well, I¡¯m pretty sure something else might happen if he sees me trying to undress again. I quickly rushed to the wardrobe and took out something light and simple to wear ¨C a blue short and ck off shoulder top. . I applied a little cream and without touching my hair, I left the room so I could look for Molly. I went into the sitting room and luckily found her there, watching a movie. ¡°Baby¡± I called, catching her attention. She turned and her eyes beamed on seeing me. ¡°Nanny!¡± She called and ran to me, embracing me. ¡°Are you done praying?¡± She asked and Iughed and replied yes. Oh! She couldn¡¯t even go to school today because she slept yet. I guess she¡¯d have to be leaving today. Just then, I saw Alexing out of a corner with a tray in his hands. On the tray was a big jar of hot tea and loaf of bread together with a te of fried eggs. And surprisingly, his phone was there as well. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know and I¡¯m so sorry¡± he said and I understood he was on a call. Geez! ¡°Okay, fine; I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes¡± he said as he got to the dining and ced the tray on the table. He said some other things and finally ended the call. He took in a deep breath ¡°Come on, Jeanne; hurry up and have breakfast. You can¡¯t go hungry¡± he said and even before I reacted, Molly left me and went to the dinning. ¡°Wow! This looks good¡± she said as she picked at the eggs. I smiled. But, hold on; when did Alex learn to prepare eggs? His phone started ringing immediately and he scuttled off, going to the bedroom. I shook my head and joined Molly in the dining. I wonder why they¡¯re always calling and stressing him this way. I mean; I realise he¡¯s the leader of the most popr band in the world, but they should know he¡¯s also my boyfriend. Molly and I began eating and after a while, he came out of the room, fully dressed up. Gosh! This guy¡¯s just too handsome. He was putting on a white pair of trousers and a white shirt which had the first two buttons opened, exposing a little of his tattoo chest. Then, he wore a long gold chain that fell into the open space of the shirt, making it soooo. God! I didn¡¯t even realise I had been staring dreamily at him the whole time. ¡°is there something wrong?¡± He asked when he got to the dining and I shrugged out of my thoughts; taking my eyes away from him to the food. ¡°Uh¡­nothing¡± I replied and gulped in a little quantity of tea. What am I even doing? He¡¯s all mine. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I have to leave; but I promise to be back before going for the party in the evening.¡± He said hurriedly. ¡°Won¡¯t you be having breakfast?¡± I asked and he touched his forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely eat at the institute. The most important thing is getting there first¡± he replied and I nodded and faced my food. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hetty will be here soon and she¡¯ll be keeping youpany. ¡°And Molly; make sure you take very good care of her, okay? Don¡¯t stress her out and avoid jumping on her tummy¡± he said and Molly pulled a confused face and looked at him. ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t I jump on her tummy?¡± She asked with a crumpled look. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because there¡¯s something in it; okay? And jumping on it might damage it¡± Alex replied, making my cheeks turn red. ¡°Something? Something like what? I thought food was the only thing in a person¡¯s tummy?¡± She asked. Gosh! This girl¡¯s too inquisitive. ¡°Well, it is food, Molly; bud it¡¯s a special kind of food because only a man gets to prepare it¡±. ¡°Huh? How can a man get to prepare food in a woman¡¯s tummy?¡± She asked curiously, dropping her cutleries. Christ! ¡°Um¡­its a very interesting process, actually. At first, the man makes the woman happy; thenter on, he starts going in and out, making her scream.¡± Whaaat? Alex! ¡°he makes her scream?¡± Molly asked and I gasped immediately. ¡°He¡¯s just lieing; baby. Forget about him¡± I told her and gave Alex an ¡®I¡¯ll kill you¡¯ look and heughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Molly, when you grow up, a boy¡¯s also gonna prepare a food in your tummy. Alex said as he hurried ti where I was, kissed me and ran out of the house before I¡¯d scold him. ¡°Nanny, is that true?¡± Molly asked immediately and Iughed. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, baby; he¡¯s just pulling your legs¡± I told her as I brushed her hair behind her ears and she nodded and continued and eating. Gosh! Alex¡¯s such a spoilt brat. I hope he doesn¡¯t transfer that attitude to me baby. I shook my head and smiled, recalling all that¡¯s happened between us. Aren¡¯t I just lucky to have someone like him? Not long after, I heard my phone ringing from the room and quickly went to check it out. Oh! Alex¡¯s sim was still in it, so it might probably be his call. I checked the caller and discovered it wasn¡¯t saved on the phone. So, it was a strange call. I didn¡¯t feel like answering it; but it called for the third time and I decided to receive it. But, I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Alex¡± the caller said from the other line and my jaws dropped at once. Oh, God! No! My hands shook with the phone in it as I narrowed my eyes around. That voice; I could recognise it from anywhere! ¡°You son of a bitch! Say something. Where the hell is Jeanne?!¡± He yelled on the phone and a tear escaped my eyes. Theo! 68 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: A tear escaped my eyes as I heard him speak on the phone. He¡¯s still looking for me; I knew it. I quickly ended the call and turned off the phone. I felt so scared. What if he finds me? Or hurt Alex? I have a feeling he might do something crazy if he gets me. I sniffed and wiped my eyes. I couldn¡¯t help it. I dropped the phone on the bed and left the room, going back to the dining. Molly and I continued eating and I tried not to let her notice my sober mood. When we were done, we watched some movies in the sitting room. But not long after, I heard the sound of a car driving in and I suddenly felt scared. I sprang on my feet and starred through the windows and I discovered it was a strange car. Oh, God! I kept staring anxiously until the door opened and the driver came out. Hah! It was Hetty! Oh, goodness! I ced my hand on my chest and took a deep breath. I had been so scared to the guts. I left the window and went to the door so I could wee her in. I opened the door and came face to face with her, about knocking. ¡°Heyyyy¡± she called in excitement when she saw me and I smiled and embraced her. She had some polythene bags with her. ¡°Hi, Hetty¡± I reciprocated as we hugged. ¡°I was just about Knocking, you know? I missed you, Jeanne¡± she said with a yful frown as we disentangled from the hug. ¡°Awwn. And I missed you too. Please,e in¡±. I led her into the house and ushered her to a sit. ¡°Hi, Hetty¡± Molly said with a smile. ¡°Wow! Look whom we have here. Little princess; how¡¯re you?¡± Hetty asked while taking a seat. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡±. She touched her cheek and I sat next to her ¨C Molly. ¡°Wee, Hetty. By the way, how did you get to know this ce?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh! Alex showed it to me before he um¡­you know? Adopted you¡± she replied and I chuckled. ¡°Yeah. Adopted.¡± I repeated and sheughed. ¡°So, how¡¯re you, Jeanne? How have you been faring?¡± She asked after a brief pause. ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine, I guess¡±. ¡°Um Molly,¡± she called and Molly looked at her. ¡°Can you get me a cold bottle of water from the fridge?¡± ¡°Okay¡± Molly replied and stood up, walking out of the room. Then, Hetty adjusted to face me. ¡°How¡¯s the baby?¡± She asked and I sighed. ¡°Hopefully, it¡¯s fine.¡± I replied. ¡°So¡­you¡¯re really keeping it, huh?¡± ¡°Of course! I don¡¯t really have a choice¡±. She paused and didn¡¯t say anything for a while. ¡°When did it even happen, jen? I mean, the intercourse. I never thought someone like you and Alex could¡­you know?¡± She asked and I bent my head. ¡°It happened in Korea. It¡¯s a long story¡± I replied, batting myshes. ¡°Oh! But, why didn¡¯t you take some pills after that? It could¡¯ve prevented this¡± she said and I sighed. ¡°i know. It¡­It just didn¡¯t ur to me at that time¡±. ¡°Yeah¡­you were still a newbie¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Well, at least, it¡¯s a good thing it¡¯s for someone like Alex. A million girls are out there praying to be in your shoes ¨C including me¡±. I looked at her in surprise and sheughed. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is this; you¡¯re really really lucky it¡¯s someone like Alex. Even if you don¡¯t continue with the lover girls, he can make you greater than us. He has the power to and we¡¯ll all be bowing to you¡± she expounded and I smiled. Is that for real? ¡°But, Theo¡­I must admit, that guy¡¯s something else¡± she said and my fears resumed. Oh, God! Why did she have to mention his name? ¡°Have you tried asking Alex what really transpired between him and Theo?¡± She asked. ¡°Y¡­Yeah. but, thest time I did, he got really angry and warned me not to bring it up again¡± I replied, fear beginning to eat me up already. ¡°Wow! That sounds serious¡± she said and paused. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll all be over soon. And I trust Alex; as long as you¡¯re carrying his baby, he¡¯ll do anything to keep you safe¡± she added and I sighed with despondency. Can that be of help? Molly came in immediately with the bottle of water. ¡°Oh! Thanks dear¡± Hetty said as she collected the water from her. ¡°Um¡­by the way, Jeanne; I got you some gifts.¡± She said and handed the polythene bags she was holding to me and I collected it and had a look. Wow! They were clothes and jewelries. ¡°Thanks¡± I beamed, still looking into the bag. She opened the water and sipped from it. ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m sorry, Jeanne, I won¡¯t be able to stay long. I need to get ready for the party. But, I promise to be back by tomorrow¡± she said and I was about saying something when a call suddenly came into her phone. ¡°Seriously?¡± She scoffed and rolled her eyes before picking the call. ¡°Come on, Mark; I¡¯ve told you to stop calling me. ¡°Yeah and I said I¡¯m not interested. ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t ever call me again. I¡¯m damn serious¡± she said and ended the call, slipping it into her bag. I was watching in amusement. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± I asked, folding my hands and she rolled her eyes and replied: ¡®Mark¡±. ¡°Hold on; like, Mark Tiffany?¡± I asked and she nodded. ¡°What? You mean that model? Oh, my gee; are you kidding me? Why are you speaking that way to him?¡± I asked, surprised. I mean, he was a popr model and I¡¯m kind of surprised Hetty¡¯s avoiding his calls. ¡°Well, he¡¯s been pestering me for some time, telling me shit about liking me; but I can¡¯t be stupid enough to go for someone like him. He¡¯s a flirt.¡± She said with a grimace and I scoffed. ¡°Wow! Seriously? Well, I thought he was someone great¡± I said. ¡°Yeah, you thought. ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯re hiding from Theo, I guess you won¡¯t be able to attend the party; but don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s gonna be aired live, so, you can still watch it from home. Okay?¡± She said with a smile and I nod. then, she stood up with her bag. ¡°Gotta leave. Make sure you take good care of yourself, okay?¡± She said as I stood up with her. ¡°Bye Hetty¡± Molly said with a wave and Hetty went close and pecked her on the hair. ¡°Bye, pretty. See youter¡±. I followed her out of the house and she hugged me before going into the car. I smiled and watched as she drove away. Oh, Hetty; I¡¯ve really missed her. I shook my head and went into the house, feeling really really dizzy. So, I left Molly to watch some movies while I went into the bedroom to get some sleep. I slept for hours and when I finally woke up, I discovered Alex was back and was already getting ready for the party. ¡°Hello, sleeping beauty¡± he called when he noticed I was awake. He was standing in front of the mirror, brushing his hair. I itched my eyes and sat up. ¡°when did you get back?¡± I asked, feeling surprised and heughed. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ve been sleeping. You were actually sleeping like a log of wood¡± he replied and I rolled my eyes. Well, it isn¡¯t really my fault. ¡°So¡­you¡¯re leaving already?¡± I asked and he nodded, still looking into the mirror. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I promise not to stay long. As soon as we¡¯re done with our presentations, I¡¯ll leave right away¡± he replied and I sighed. This is crazy. I can¡¯t even have enough of his time anymore. I stood up from the bed and went to stand very close to him. ¡°Alex¡± I called and he turned from the mirror to look at me. ¡°Um¡­While you were away,. Theo called¡± I said and his eyes drooped. ¡°What? H¡­How?¡± He inquired. ¡°Through the phone you had given me. He was initially calling you and had no idea I was the one with the phone. He¡­He sounded very angry, Alex; and he was asking you to tell him where I was. It seems he¡¯s suspecting you already¡± I said with a worried look. Just talking about it makes me scared to the guts. Alex groaned and touched his forehead. ¡°That son of a bitch¡± he muttered angrily. ¡°Alex¡± I called and held his hand.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m really scared. Don¡¯t you think you should avoid going to the party?¡± I asked and he scoffed. ¡°Noway. I can¡¯t miss it and definitely not for that son of a bitch¡± he said angrily and I sighed. ¡°Please Alex, I just want you to be careful. I wouldn¡¯t know what to do if¡­¡± He cut me off by cing his index finger on my lips. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, Jeanne; I promise I¡¯ll be fine. And everything will be okay. Just stay strong for me, okay?¡± He said and I nodded perfunctorily. But I was still so scared. Then, he kissed me and I reciprocated and it kind of eased me a little. He made our foreheads touch as he kissed me again and this time around, he sent his hands to my buttocks, pressing them lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything for me?¡± He asked in a sweet smile and I chucked and pushed him . away. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. And don¡¯te close to me¡± I told him and hurried out the door. Gosh! This guy¡¯s such a jerk. Hetty¡¯s Pov: I walked into my car, fully prepared for the party already. Mia and Lea were on their way as well and we had all agreed to meet there. I sat at the backseat while the driver took off. I suddenly thought of Jeanne. She¡¯s really lucky to have someone like Alex and I hope everything works out fine for her. I know Alex; he¡¯s going to make her the envy of all thedies in the country. I¡¯m pretty sure Theo¡¯s the only thing obstructing him. To be sincere, I¡¯ve been crushing and dreaming on Alex for a long time, but since he¡¯s with Jeanne, I equally have no problem with it. They¡¯re right for each other. I smiled, staring through the window and a text came into my phone not long after. Geez! It was from Mark. This guy¡¯s damn so annoying. *I really like you, Hetty, and I want to have to myself. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re proving repulsive, but I promise you, sooner than you think, you¡¯ll be mine. See you at the party* I rolled my eyes after reading the message. So, he¡¯s gonnae to the party? Well, I thought as much. He¡¯s a popr dreamy model, but the problem is, he¡¯s a flirt. He always wants to sleep with anything under a skirt and I can¡¯t believe he actually found interest in me. He must be crazy to think he can use and dump me like the other girls. Suddenly, the car stopped moving and I took my eyes from the phone to look at the driver. Why did he stop? And¡­I noticed we were in a different ce. ¡°Josh¡± I called his name. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you stop the car?¡± I asked and noticed his hands were shaking on the sterling. Then, he slowly turned and looked at me and I could see fear in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am Hetty; they¡­they took me my little girl¡± he stuttered and I became confused. What¡¯s he talking about? Immediately, he brought out something that looked like a gun and pointed it at me. It brought out a green light, pointing at me. Conniption gripped me immediately. ¡°Josh!¡± I called in fear, and he pulled what looked like the trigger at me and I passed out. 69 Kim¡¯s Pov: The party was booming with life as I walked in with my crew ¨C all looking dashing. Dignitaries filled the whole ce, but the first person I saw that caught my attention was Theo. He was dressed in all ck and looked really handsome. Well, I¡¯ve always had a difficult time choosing between him and Alex. But, I think Alex is cool. ¡°Wow! Take a look at Theo¡± Eva said from behind and i shot her a stare and turned back to Theo. We walked up to a table where I took a ss of drink and began sipping from it. My friends surrounded me. ¡°Hold on, girls¡± I said after a pause. ¡± have you noticed Jeanne has been a bit scarce for sometime now?¡± They all looked at me. ¡°Really?¡± Joyce asked. ¡°Yeah. I mean, haven¡¯t you noticed? She doesn¡¯t show up at the studio anymore, she hasn¡¯t been in school, and she¡¯s not even here at the party¡± I replied and Caroline breathed out an ¡°Oh¡±. ¡°Well, maybe she¡¯s sick or something¡± Alina said. ¡°Yeah, maybe. But don¡¯t you think the officials should have done something about that by now?¡± I asked and they kept silent and looked at me. ¡°Well, thepetition¡¯s starting tomorrow? She¡¯s definitely bound toe¡± Eva said and I rolled my eyes. ¡°They¡¯re just wasting their time with the contest. I¡¯m still going to be the leader¡± I said with a smirk. Well, of course, I¡¯m proud of it. ¡°Seriously? You sound so sure¡± Caroline said with a scoff and I red at her. ¡°Well, of course; or do you have a problem with that?¡± I asked, folding my hands and sheughed. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t, Kim; but I just want you to know the position¡¯s open for everyone.¡± She replied. Hold on; what¡¯s thisdy trying to say? I was about saying something to her when Eva tapped me. ¡°Alex!¡± She said in a low gasp and I turned to see Alex walking in, looking as cute as ever. Gosh! I¡¯m really confused. Alex and Theo; who¡¯s hotter? Alex¡¯s Pov: I walked into the massive hall and looked around for the rest of the lover boys. Paparazzi trieding to me, but I waved them aside because I wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk. The performances would be starting anytime soon and I needed to meet with the loverboys so we could get ready for it because as soon we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll be leaving. I need to go back to Jeanne. I went to the bar to get a cold drink first and while I was there, someone came up to me ¨C Theo. Hmph. So, he actually came to the party? I shot him a stare and took my eyes to the waiter at the counter, trying to ignore his presence. ¡°Hey¡± he called and I scoffed and looked at him. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± I asked and he made a grin. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I see anyone here aside you¡± he replied and I chuckled and shook my head. ¡°You don¡¯t wanna get on my bad side, Alex; where¡¯s Jeanne?¡± He asked coldly. ¡°Have you tried checking beneath my hair? Maybe she¡¯s down there¡± I replied with a smirk and watched him fume. He scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake. And if I confirm you really took her, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it¡± he said angrily and I turned to look at him. ¡°And the next time you threaten me, I¡¯ll make sure that¡¯d be yourst¡± I told him, also sounding angry. If not for the fact that paparazzi was all over, I¡¯d have smacked him in the face already.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He was about saying something when something like a text came into his phone and I noticed he smiled after going through it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alex; we¡¯ll see who wins the game¡± he said and walked out. Hetty¡¯s Pov: I opened my eye lids and felt a little headache. I tried touching my forehead and discovered my hands were tied. What? What¡¯s going on? Where am I? I opened my eyes properly and that was when I discovered I was in a dark room and I was tied to a chair. What? Why am I here?. who brought me here? Oh, my God! Josh! I can remember he had shot at me, but it wasn¡¯t a gun; it just made me pass out. Oh, God! Who could be behind this? Why am I here? ¡°Hello?¡± I called and my voice echoed in the quiet room. ¡°Anyone there? Get me out of here!¡± I said at the top of my voice but nothing happened. Fear was beginning to eat me up. I tried loosening my hands but couldn¡¯t. They were tied to the back of the chair and my legs were tied as well. There was no way I could free myself. Suddenly, the door opened and two boys walked in. One was holding a gun while the other was¡­what??? Theo??? My eyes opened wide in surprise as he walked in with the other boy whoter stood at a distance. What the heck? Is this a dream or what? Is¡­is Theo behind this? He squatted in front of me while I starred at him, gobsmacked. ¡°T¡­Theo?¡± I called with shock resounding in my voice. His dark eyes were staring into mine. ¡°Hey¡± he called in a whispering tone. ¡°Surprised to see me?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Did¡­did you actually bring me here?¡± I asked and he smirked. Okay; this guy¡¯s crazy. ¡°What re you doing, Theo?¡± I asked and he took in a deep breath. ¡°You see, Hetty; what I want is very simple. Give it to me and we can all go home; but if you make me repeat myself, I swear, you¡¯re not gonna like the consequences¡± he said In a cold voice. And what is he talking about? ¡°Where¡¯s Jeanne?¡± He asked and it made my heart skip. What? Why¡¯s he asking such question? Oh, my God! ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡± He asked calmly and I tried not to make my nervousity obvious. ¡°Theo¡­¡± ¡°Where the fu*k is she?¡± He said raucously and I was startled. Why am I seeing a beast in front of me instead of Theo? ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. How can you ask me such a question? We¡­We don¡¯t live together¡± I replied, wishing I didn¡¯t have to stutter. ¡°you spilled drink on her that day in school and suggested she goes to the restroom to clean it off. And when she did, that was thest time I saw her. So, where the hell is she?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Theo! Just let me go¡± I yelled and realised I had been to loud. He scoffed and bent his head. ¡°You¡¯ve just made the worst mistake of your life, Hetty, by making me repeat myself¡± he said in a low tone and I flinched. What¡¯s he talking about? ¡°Theo¡­let me out of here. This is crazy; stop it¡± I said but he ignored me and looked at the other boy in the room who started walking towards him. ¡°They¡¯re definitely going to look for me¡± I told him. ¡°When they notice my absence, they¡¯ll get suspicious and they¡¯ll look for me. And by the time they do, you¡¯ll be sorry you hurt me because you¡¯ll be cooling your ass in jail¡±. The boy came to him and handed something to him. What the hell? It looked like a¡­wait; it was a taser. What? It¡¯s an electric shocker weapon that should only be found with the police. What¡¯s Theo trying to do? ¡°You see, Hetty¡± he said , while looking at the taser. ¡°You¡¯re free to sue me to court if you want to, but that¡¯d only be when you¡¯ll have even the slightest proof against me¡±. I kept staring at him and next, he activated the taser and ced it on my legs and I screamed as it electrified me. ¡°Theo!!!¡± I cried and he stopped, still holding it in hands. oh, my God! What¡¯s going on? How can Theo think of doing such a thing to me? Now I understand what he meant by saying if I¡¯d get the slightest proof against him. Using the taser, I¡¯d only feel excruciating pains, but there would be no mark on my body to signify I was abused. Oh, God! No. Don¡¯t let this happen to me. ¡°Where¡¯s she, Hetty?¡± He asked and it made me shiver. My anxiety suddenly increased. ¡°Theo, please¡­¡± He cut me off by cing it on my legs again and I screamed out my lungs again in agony. The pains drove me wild and crazy as I felt I was being electrocuted to death. Oh, God! Theo! He didn¡¯t stop as I kept screaming but finally stopped when I promised to tell him. ¡°Just stop it, please¡± I cried when he stopped. It hurt so much. I bent my head and wept bitterly. I couldn¡¯t take this anymore. ¡°You have two seconds to spill it out, Hetty¡± he said and pointed the taser towards my legs. ¡°I was only trying to be of help¡± I said tearfully. ¡°I was only trying to help her, Theo. She¡¯s gone through a lot already¡±. He sighed and touched his hair. He brought the taser to my legs again and I shrieked. ¡°Please, don¡¯t! Stop it¡± I cried and he paused. ¡°Just let her be, Theo, please. You can¡¯t put all your anger on her.¡±. ¡°Hetty¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s pregnant, Theo¡± I cut in but couldn¡¯t lift my eyes to see the look in his face. I heard him scoff and stood on his feet. Oh, God! Am I doing the right thing? ¡°What¡­what did you just say?¡± He asked, nonplussed and I whimpered. ¡°You heard me, Theo. She¡¯s pregnant¡± I replied tearfully. 70 Hetty¡¯s Pov: I bent my head and snivelled as Theo remained quiet for sometime. I had no other choice. I had to tell him about Jeanne¡¯s pregnancy, hoping it¡¯ll calm him down. ¡°it¡¯s for Alex, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked, backing me and I nodded, although he couldn¡¯t see me. Then, in one swift turn, he squatted in front of me and ced the taser on my legs again. I screamed in excruciating. ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡± He yelled but my screams were still louder than his. What¡¯s he doing??? ¡°Spill it out!¡± He roared and I couldn¡¯t bear the pains anymore. ¡°In a farm house at Mickings Street!¡± I said amidst my screams and tears and he stopped. Oh, God! Did I really spill it out? He was breathing heavily as he remained squatting in front of me. ¡°Where exactly?¡± He asked but the tears I began shedding at that moment wouldn¡¯t let me speak. ¡°Where, Hetty!¡± He yelled at me and I was forced to speak. ¡°Behind the street, Theo. It¡¯s the only house around the area¡± I replied tearfully and he stood up. ¡°For your sake, Hetty, I hope you¡¯re telling the truth¡± he said and brought out his phone. Oh, Hetty; what have I done? I can¡¯t believe I spilled the truth; I exposed Jeanne¡¯s hideout. What will Theo do to her now? I bent my head and wept. I shouldn¡¯t have done this. I should have tried to endure the pains; but I couldn¡¯t. It¡¯s not my fault. Oh, Theo; I¡¯ll hate you forever if anything happens to Jeanne. When he was done doing whatever it is he was doing with his phone, he came back to me again. ¡°Thanks for the info, Hetty;¡± he spoke calmly. ¡°If you had done this right from the start, there wouldn¡¯t be any need for further consequences.¡± I sniffed and looked at him. What¡¯s he talking about? ¡°I told you, right? If I had to repeat myself, you wouldn¡¯t like the consequences¡± He paused and smiled. I was beginning to hyperventte. What further consequences is he talking about? ¡°A friend of mine wants to see you¡± he said and immediately, the door opened and¡­Holy Christ! Mark came in. What??? What¡¯s he doing here? Is he a friend to Theo? He smiled as he walked in and came to where I was with Theo. My eyes were wide open, staring at him. what¡¯s going on? ¡°Hello Hetty¡± he called as he stood in front of me. I could feel my lungs drying up. Theo brought out a syringe and injected it in me and I felt weak instantly. Oh, God? What¡¯s happening? ¡°Mark?¡± I called in a faint voice; finding the whole thing hard to believe. Theo stood up with a smirk. ¡°Enjoy your night¡± he said and started walking away. No, no, don¡¯t tell me. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I, Hetty? I always get what I want¡± mark said and started untieing me. Fear ran through me as I suddenly had a hitch on what was about happening. ¡°Theo, please! Don¡¯t do this to me¡± I cried and he stopped by the door where he already was, turning to look at me. ¡°Next time, avoid anything that concerns me¡± he said in a cold voice and walked out. Oh, God! Mark seeded in untieing me, but I was too weak to even raise an arm. He carried me up and took me to the bed and that was when I realised there had actually been a bed behind me. ¡°Mark¡­¡± I called as heid me on the bed. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this; listen to me¡­¡± He didn¡¯t say anything as he started having his way with me. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I sat all alone in the house feeling really really bored and lonely. Molly was no longer with me; Alex had taken her home on his way to the party. And Alex¡­he was yet to return. I stayed in the sitting room and watched some movies which really didn¡¯t interest me and after a while, I heard the sound of a car driving in. I smiled and sprang on my feet and quickly went to check it out and as expected, it was Alex. I stood there at the balcony and watched him as he came out of the car with some polythene bags and started walking towards me. ¡°Hey¡± he called and I went to embrace him. I wrapped my hands around him and embraced him so tight.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Thank goodness he returned. I had been so scared. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re back¡± I said, beaming wit smiles and he pecked my hair. ¡°Sorry, I stayed long. Here; got you some stuff¡± he said, showing the polythene to me and I smiled and tried collecting them from him, but he refused, preferring to hold them for me. ¡°Come on; let¡¯s go inside¡± he said and I nodded and followed him into the house. ¡°So, how¡¯ve you been?¡± He asked as we walked into the kitchen . ¡°Bored¡± I replied with a smile and he chuckled. He opened the polythene and in it were sorts of fruits, snacks, beef and all that. Gees! ¡°But, you know we still have more food at home, Alex. I haven¡¯t even consumed them yet, and you¡¯re bringing me. They¡¯re definitely going to get spoilt¡± I said with a pout. ¡°Well; if they get spoilt, we¡¯re just gonna dump them and get more¡± he replied and I shook my head. What a caring boy¡­friend. He suddenly wrapped his hands around my waist and kissed me. I wrapped mine around his shoulders and reciprocated the kiss. He pressed his fingers into my waist and it made me giggle. Then, he unlocked from the kiss, smiling and I kind of wished he didn¡¯t have to stop. He carried me up and made me sit on the kitchen counter and stood in between my legs. He took out some grapes from the bag and started feeding me like I was a baby. ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to do this, Alex. I can feed m¡­¡± ¡°Shh¡± he cut me off. ¡°it¡¯s for my baby¡± he said and my cheeks turned red immediately. He brought out a banana and after peeling off the back, he proffered it to me and I took a bite. Hm. I tried eating from it again, but as I took my lips close, he withdrew it from me. ¡°What?¡± I asked, wondering why he was depriving me of something I badly wanted to eat. ¡°To get it, do something nice¡± he said and I arched my brows. ¡°Something nice like what?¡± I asked. ¡°Kiss me¡± he replied and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Fine¡±. I closed my eyes and kissed him, but he didn¡¯t reciprocate. When I was done, he fed the banana to me and I ate with relish. He bent to my tummy, cing his head on it. ¡°Do you think the baby can hear me?¡± He asked, his head still resting on it. Iughed. ¡°Maybe¡± I replied, tucking my hair behind my ear. ¡°Is it kicking yet?¡± He asked and Iughed harder. ¡°Of course, not, Alex. It¡¯s less than a month old. Movement starts properly in the third trimester¡± I replied and he quickly lifted his head to look at me. ¡°What¡¯s trimester? And how did you get to know something like that?¡± He asked and I covered my face with my palm. Heughed and hugged me. ¡°Our visas will be ready by tomorrow¡± he said and I opened my face to look at him. What? ¡°Are¡­are you serious?¡± I asked and he nodded and kissed me. Oh, my gee! ¡°I love you, Jeanne, and I¡¯m d to have someone like you¡± he said and I blushed. Shouldn¡¯t I be the one d to have someone like him? We ced our foreheads together and kissed again. Oh, Alex; if only you knew how I want this tost. When he broke the kiss, he took his face to my chest and kissed my bo*bs even with my shirt on. I giggled and lifted up his face. He smiled and kissed my neck. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should be somewhere else?¡± He whispered into my ears and I widened my eyes. ¡°Somewhere like what?¡± I asked, trying not tough. ¡°Come on, let me show you¡± he replied and carried me in a bridal style and Iughed. ¡°Drop me down, Alex; let me go!¡± I said as he took me out of the kitchen and he shut my lips with a kiss. #Next_morning . I opened my eyes and found myself still lying na*ed on the bed under the duvet and I was the only one there. Where was Alex? I took my clothes from the floor and after putting them on, i went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I was done, I walked out of the room so I could look for Alex and after checking the sitting room and other ces, I finally found him in the garden outside. Hm. Prince charming. He was picking some flowers and backing me and since he obviously wasn¡¯t aware of my presence, I tiptoed to where he was and embraced him from behind. He titter when I did. ¡°You¡¯re so not a good surpriser¡± he said as he turned to face me and I furrowed my brows at him. ¡°How?¡± I asked and he chuckled and held my waist. ¡°Well, instead of hugging me, you should have gone for a kiss instead. And even if you want to hug me, you do it by holding my waist, not my shoulders¡± he said and I scoffed and rolled my eyes. That¡¯s outrageous. Well, I guess I should take some lessons from an expert. ¡°So, how was your night?¡± He asked, still holding my waist. ¡°Well, what do you think? You consumed half of it¡± I replied and heughed. ¡°By the way, was Hetty at the partyst night?¡± I suddenly asked and he clicked his tongue. ¡°Oh¡­That¡¯s true. I almost forgot; she didn¡¯t show up¡± he replied. I knew it. When I had watched a little part of the party on TVst night, I couldn¡¯t find her. ¡°But why?¡± I asked. It¡¯s unusual for her to skip the party. She couldn¡¯t even spend enough time with me because of it. Alex brought out his phone and called her line, but it wasn¡¯t going through. ¡°Maybe you should try calling Mia or Lea¡± I suggested but he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t have their contacts¡± he replied and made another call. It was Carl. ¡°Hello? Yeah, can you hear me? ¡°I want you to do to me a favour, Carl. Can you check up on Hetty, please? ¡°She just crossed my mind. She didn¡¯t show up at the partyst night and her line isn¡¯t going through. ¡°You don¡¯t have their contacts? ¡°Well, maybe you should go to her ce or something. Just help me out, please. ¡°Sure. Thanks¡± And he ended the call. Gosh! I suddenly feel nervous. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Jeanne; maybe something came up.¡± Alex told me, probably noticing how nervous I had be. I managed a faux smile and he kissed me. Immediately, a ck van drove into thepound and Alex and I disentangled from the hold. Huh? Who could it be? I¡¯m sure Alex isn¡¯t expecting anyone. ¡°Alex?¡± I called, looking at the van, but Alex didn¡¯t say a word as he also kept staring. The door opened with the van¡¯s ignition still on and some boys came out. Oh, my God! No! This is a dream. It¡¯s not happening. Theo!!! 71 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: my feet wobbled as I starred at Theo and the boys who had directed their gazes to us. Oh, God! We were out in the open! Alex gripped my hand, but before we could make a move, Theo brought out a gun and shot him. Whaaaaaaaat? ¡°Nooooo!¡± I screamed at the top of my voice as I saw Alex sliding to the floor in blood. God, no no no no. ¡°Alex!!!¡± I screamed in fright and tears and fell on my knees beside him on the floor. What¡¯s Theo doing? His hand was on the bleeding side of his stomach and I watch him struggle. Christ! Theo starteding towards me with the rest of the boys. ¡°Alex! Please, look at me; I beg of you. Stay with me. God!¡± I wept bitterly as also ced my hand on the bleeding side. How could Theo do such a thing? How can he be this heartless? ¡°Je¡­Jeanne¡± Alex called my name with great difficulty and it brought more tears to my eyes.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Oh, God! What do I do? Theo came to where I was and held me roughly by the hair, showing my face to Alex. ¡°What re you gonna do now, huh?¡± He asked with a snigger to Alex. I sobbed and held his hand on my hair. ¡°Theo please, stop this¡± I whimpered and he chuckled. ¡°Really?¡± He dragged me up by the hair and handed me to two of the boys who started taking me away. God, no. ¡°No! Alex! Please, stop it! Alex!!! Let me go. Theo, please¡± I kept crying and screaming as the boys took me to the van while Theo remained standing there with Alex. ¡°Theo, please! I¡¯m begging you. Have mercy!¡± The boys seeded in taking me to the van and immediately they pushed me in, they sedated me and I dozed off. Carl¡¯s Pov: I drove in my car to Hetty¡¯s apartment so I could check up on her like Alex requested. I was also kind of curious as to why she didn¡¯t show up at the party yesterday. I drove into her quiet estate and when I got to the gate, I found someone lying on the floor, looking lifeless. I quickly parked the car and rushed out and I discovered it was Hetty. Whaaaaat? My eyes bulged out as I ran to her on the floor. ¡°Hetty!¡± I called and knelt in front of her unconscious body. What the hell happened to her? I checked her body and discovered there were no marks, but she looked really scattered. What happened??? I was about carrying her up when a call came into my phone and I checked and discovered it was from Daniel. I quickly received it and his voice came out perturbed. ¡°Where¡¯re you, Carl? Alex was shot. He¡¯s at the hospital¡± he said immediately on the phone and my heart skipped. ¡°What???¡± I shrieked. Oh, God! ¡°Where¡¯s he?¡± He gave me the name of the hospital and immediately, I carried Hetty into my car and drove off. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I opened my eyes and found myself lying on a cold voice. It was the room I had been staying in Theo¡¯s house. Oh, God! I¡¯m really back here. Alex! I sprang on my feet when I recalled what had happened. But, I couldn¡¯t move because my hands were tied to the window. ¡°Theo!!!¡± I cried in the empty room, wishing he could hear me. Oh, my! Alex! How can Theo do such a thing? Where¡¯s Alex? I fell on my knees in tears, crying profusely. Then, the door opened with Theo walking in and immediately, I stood on my feet. ¡°Theo!¡± I called as he stood in front of me. ¡°Theo please, I beg of you; take me to Alex. I need to see him, please! I need to be sure he¡¯s okay¡±. He came close and pped me and I fell on my knees. ¡°Did you really think you can hide from me?¡± He asked angrily, holding my hair and I wept more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to do it. Alex¡­Alex forced me to stay with him. I swear, I wanted to return to you, but he wouldn¡¯t let me. He just wanted to keep me safe. ¡°Please, Theo, I¡¯m begging you; I can¡¯t lose Alex. I promise to do anything you want. But, just this once, let me see him. I need to know if he¡¯s okay. Please, Theo; I¡¯m begging you¡± I said tearfully, my heart racing fast. He scoffed and came close, holding me by the hair. ¡°If you so please, I can open your tummy and bring out the baby so I can send it to him. Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± He asked and my heart skipped. What? Does he know I¡¯m pregnant? H¡­How? He pushed me to the floor and I felt a slight pain beside my tummy. ¡°Please, Theo; I need to see him. I¡¯ve pity on me¡± I cried, still on the floor. ¡°At least now¡± he said. ¡°You know the consequences of disobeying me¡±. Then, he started walking away. ¡°Theo!!!¡± I called, but he didn¡¯t stop to look at me. Then, I stood on my feet. ¡°No matter what Alex did to you in the past, I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t kill all the girls you fell in love with. I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t shoot you! No matter what he did to you in the past; it¡¯s nothingpared to what you¡¯ve done to him. He may have hurt you really bad, but you¡¯re a greater monster than he could ever be!¡± I said with anger resounding in my voice and he stopped by the door to look at me. He stood mute, staring at me and I couldn¡¯t exin it, but I saw a different look in his eyes. He took in a deep breath and finally left the room and I fell on my knees immediately, bursting into more tears. Oh, Alex! Where could he be? I need to see him. Theo¡¯s Pov: I walked into the sitting room and made the call. It ringed for some time before he picked up. ¡°Yes?¡± I said lowly on the phone. ¡°Were you able to get him to a hospital? ¡°Okay; good¡±. I dropped the call and exhaled softly. Then, I ambled to the mirror, staring at my reflection. Jeanne¡¯s words niggled at me: *you¡¯re a greater monster than he could ever be!* It repeated in my mind as I stared at my self in the mirror. Have I really be a monster? I sighed dejectedly and left the mirror, going to my keyboard beside the window. I sat in front of it and started ying a soft tone ¨C like I used to. It¡¯s been ages since Ist touched a keyboard. It used to be my favorite. But, what happened? A tear strolled down my cheek as I closed my eyes and yed the tone. Have I really be a monster? But, I was never like this; I never wanted to r turn into this? What really happened? The anger¡­I can¡¯t control it. I stopped ying and leaned my head on the chair where I sat. The memories came shing in ¨C the memories of how it all began ¨C how I became a monster. It was never my fault. And it all started four years ago¡­ 72 Theo¡¯s Pov: Four years ago, Life was the sweetest thing to me back then cause we were happy ¨C u and the rest of the boys ¨C especially Alex. He was a brother to me. We all ate together, shared the same bed, had so much fun. The rest of them were flirts, but as for me, I avoided anything that involved women. I didn¡¯t want to fall in love; I was scared of heartbreak, and the heartbreak that had urred is part of the reason I became this cold hearted. Alex always wanted me to fall in love, but I was scared to. But, one day, I broke my own rule. I fell in love. She was a poor, ugly girl with a scar and the loverboys were surprised I had chosen someone like her. Her name was Olivia. The first day I met her was in a garden and I don¡¯t know how she had gotten there. I and the rest of the boys had gone for a meeting and I had decided to go for a stroll and when I got to the garden, I heard someone singing and it had sounded like the voice of a fallen angel. I was bemused and listened enthusiastically as she sang in her tiny sweet voice and it captured my soul. When she was done, I came out and with her and the moment she saw me, she ran away. She was so . scared and naive, dressed in tattered clothes, and walking barefooted. I called after her, but she didn¡¯t stop to . look at me and it startled me. That night, I was unable to sleep as her voice kept reying my head. It was so beautiful. Who could she be? I thought. I was worried by it for days and fortunately for me, I met her again. But, this time around, it was when my car had ran over her while she was running across the road. She became unconscious and I took her to the hospital. Indeed, the scar on her face made her really ugly, but I don¡¯t know, I just liked her. I sat on the hospital bed and watched her sleeping face the whole time. When she finally woke up, she was scared and tried running away, but I stopped her. She was so scared. I tried making her feel free around me, but she told me her aunt was going to kill her if she didn¡¯t return home immediately. But, I couldn¡¯t lose her again; not so easily. I pleaded with her to just allow me feed her since she was injured and she. Agreed. I ordered some foods for her and I was surprised at the way she had eaten like an animal. At that moment, I got to understand she was going through hell in the hands of whoever she was staying with. I felt so much pity for yer and wanted to help. so far, she was the firstdy I felt different towards ¨C I still can¡¯t exin how it happened. When she was done eating, I took her home, but she didn¡¯t let me follow her to her doorstep, saying her aunt was going to kill her. But, I made her promise me she was going toe visiting. We chose a perfect ce to meet ¨C the garden I had first seen her. .Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. . I was scared she wouldn¡¯t show up, but surprisingly, she did. The happiness I had felt when I saw her at that moment, it had given me the conviction that I was a goner. Although, I admit I had fallen for her a little too easily, but I felt it was because it was my first love. She was so naive and didn¡¯t even agree to sit close to me. Instead, she sat on the floor. We talked for some time and I got to know she was living with her cruel aunt who told her her mother abandoned her. I felt bad for her and told her toe with me, promising to take good care of her. But she refused, telling me she wanted to stay back with her aunt and await her mother¡¯s return. She had a feeling her mother would return for her someday and she wanted to get to meet her. I tried convincing her, but she wouldn¡¯t listen. So,. I let her be, hoping to talk to her aunt and make her change. I introduced her to the loverboys and they were really shocked about it, although they never detested it. Alex supported me and advice me to for it. We became friends for a long time and she became more free around me. She sang to me each time we were together. It urred to me, but I was scared to confess my feelings to her. I was scared of heartbreak. What if she says no to me? She upied my every thoughts, day and night and I felt I could hold it no longer. One day, I told her about it ¨C my feelings ¨C and that was the most nervous day of my life. I confessed my feelings to her and she ran away in fear. I was heartbroken, but she returned some dayster and told me she wasn¡¯t ready for it yet. She told me she was scared and needed some time. But, I think she also loved me. Of course, she did. Everything was going on fine and her feelings were bing obvious. But, Alex ruined the whole thing. Everything changed. His mother was abducted by some strange people and they requested him to bring Olivia In exchange for her. They threatened to kill his mum in the next 24 hours if he failed and he was frustrated and thought of falling for them. I know he had his mother to protect, but he shouldn¡¯t have taken my Olivia away. I pleaded with him not to, but he didn¡¯t listen. I cried and begged but he turned deaf ears to me. He drugged me and went ahead to abduct Olivia and hand her over to them. And since then, I didn¡¯t get to see her again. He took my Olivia away. They probably killed her. I was heartbroken ¨C the same thing I¡¯ve always been scared of happened to me and it tore my heart. It left me in pains. She was just a poor naive girl who wanted to survive. Who had so many ns. She meant the world to me but he took her away and since then, it shattered me. I just wanted revenge. I vowed never to let him stay happy again. I don¡¯t have the heart to kill him, but I just don¡¯t want him to be happy;to fall in love. I know I shouldn¡¯t be doing this; but I can¡¯t control it. This is why I¡¯ve been scared of heartbreak. It turned me into a monster. And now, I can¡¯t help it. 73 Hetty¡¯s Pov: I opened my eyes and found myself lying on a bed. I looked around and discovered I was in a beautiful room. wait, it was Carl¡¯s room.. His pictures were all over on the walls. Did he bring me here? How did I get here? I remember being at¡­Oh, God!Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Mark! He actually¡­ I busted into tears, recalling what he did to me. That monster! I¡¯m going to make him pay ¨C him and Theo. They¡¯re going to pay for what they did to me. And Jeanne¡­I gave Theo her location. Where could she be? Is it possible he was able to get to her?. I was about standing up from the bed when the door suddenly opened and Carl walked in with a tray of food. I sniffed and wiped off my tears. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re awake. The doctor said you¡¯ll be awake at any moment¡± he said as he came to the bed where i was and kept the tray in front of me. I sighed and brushed my hair backwards. ¡°Did¡­Did you bring me here?¡± I asked, trying not to weep again. ¡°Yeah. I found you lying unconscious in front of your apartment¡± he replied and sat on the bed, facing me. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling now?¡± He asked in an unfeigned perturbed voice and I sniffed. ¡°Where¡¯s Jeanne and Alex? Theo¡­He forced me to give him their location. You need to check if they¡¯re okay¡± I replied in a morose tune and he pulled a surprised face. ¡°Did Theo actually kidnap you?¡± He asked and I nodded. ¡®And¡­He tortured you to tell him where Jeanne was?¡± He asked and all I could do was nod again. ¡°Wow!¡± He mouthed. ¡°Well, he took Jeanne away and shot Alex and Alex¡¯s in the hospital right now. He¡¯s undergone a surgery and the doctor said he¡¯ll be fine¡± he replied and I shook my head. Oh, my God! Theo actually shot Alex? What an animal! ¡°But when I saw you, you were looking kind of¡­did he¡­?¡± He paused and looked at me and I bent my head. ¡°it was Mark¡± I replied and he gasped. ¡°What?¡± He shrieked. ¡°Mark¡­Mark actually forced himself on you?¡± He asked in disbelieve and I busted into tears immediately. ¡°Oh, Hetty¡± he called and pulled me to himself, embracing me. I hate you, Theo; and I¡¯m going to make you pay for what you did to me. Alex¡¯s Pov: I woke up on the hospital bed, feeling very weak. My head ached a lot; my stomach was hurting and I discovered it was the ce where I had been shot and operated on. My eyes were bleary and I discovered I had been ced on an oxygen mask. ¡°Alex!¡± I heard my name and that was when I noticed there were other people in the room ¨C my mum, Daniel, Malcolm, my manager and a nurse. My mum was the one who had called me. ¡°Oh, my God! Alex, are¡­are you okay? Can you hear me?¡± She asked, holding my hand which I couldn¡¯t move. My head was feeling so hot. Jeanne! Where¡¯s she? I need to see her. I swear¡­ I¡¯m going to kill Theo. ¡°Alex, are you okay? Do we need to call the doctor?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Why are you just standing there? Do your work¡± my manager ¨C Franco ¨C said to the nurse in the room and she quickly came to me with a stethoscope. She ced it on my chest and looked at the anaesthetic machine. ¡°He¡¯s fine, sir. Please, don¡¯t worry anymore. He just needs a lot of rest¡± she replied and my mom wiped off the tear that rolled down her cheeks ¡°What happened to you, Alex? Who did this to you?¡± She asked with tears, but I couldn¡¯t even look her. Slowly, I took my hand to my face and pulled off the oxygen mask. ¡°Alex!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± They all called in surprise and Daniel tried holding me, but I didn¡¯t let him. I pushed his hand away and tried leaving the bed, but couldn¡¯t cause of the pains. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Alex? You need to stay put¡± Malcolm said in surprise. ¡°Jeanne¡­I need to see Jeanne¡± I struggled to say and tried leaving the bed again, but Daniel held me back. ¡°Have you gone crazy, Alex? You can¡¯t leave in this state. And where¡¯s Jeanne?¡± Franco asked, but I didn¡¯t reply. I just needed to get out of here. I felt so weak, but Jeanne¡­I need to see her. She can¡¯t stay with Theo. I¡¯m going to kill him if he does anything to her or my baby. I tried standing up from the bed again, but Daniel still held me back and since I was weak, I couldn¡¯t fight him. But, I still needed to get out of here ¡°Come on, nurse, do something¡± mum cried and I started feeling pains again. I know I shouldn¡¯t be stressing myself out this way, but I need to get to Jeanne. I kept struggling to leave the bed and soon, my breathing became tensed. The whole ce started going round in circles and I felt like throwing up. ¡°Nurse!¡± I heard mum scream and immediately, the nurse came up to me and injected me with something and instantly, I passed out. * * * I woke up hourster and felt a little light-headed. I looked around and found my mum sitting on the bed with her head on the bed ¨C rest. She was sleeping. Then, I noticed there was someone else in the room as well. It was Oscar ¨C the private investigator I had hired. ¡°Sir¡± he called with relief when he noticed I was awake. My mind still shed to Jeanne. I was restless. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay, sir. I was worried¡± he said and I groaned and took in a deep breath. My head was beginning to feel hot again. ¡°Um Sir¡± he called again and I slowly turned to look at him. ¡°Is there any news?¡± I managed to ask and he nodded and drew close. He nced at my mum to make sure she was still sleeping. Then, he turned back to me. ¡°I¡¯ve finally gotten the location of the secret agency where Pen Williams works for¡± he said and my eyes beamed. What? Pen Williams! That¡¯s the woman that made me abduct Olivia! He finally knows where she is? 74 Alex¡¯s Pov: Pen Williams. The name resounded in my head. ¡°You know where it is?¡± I asked him, trying to be sure I didn¡¯t misheard. ¡°I do, sir. It¡¯s at the outskirts of the town. Although, I¡¯ve been unable to confirm if Pen is still there or not.¡± He replied and I sighed and stared at the ceiling. I¡¯ve been waiting for this opportunity my whole life. A drip was connected to my hand and suddenly, I pulled it off. ¡°S¡­Sir?¡± Oscar called in surprise as I removed every connections from my body. ¡°I want you to help me get out of here, Oscar, without being seen. I need to get to that agency¡± I told him as I struggled to sit. ¡°B¡­But, sir, your health¡­¡± ¡°Please, Oscar, don¡¯t worry about me. Just help me get out of here¡± I cut him off with a groan. He looked displeased but knew I wasn¡¯t going to change my mind. So, feeling hopeless, he took off the face cap he was putting on and gave it to me and I wore it on my head. I was putting on the hospital¡¯s ward cloth and it was definitely going to draw attention. But luckily, Oscar was putting on a pull over. So, he took it off and gave it to me while he remained with a light shirt. Mum was still sleeping and quietly, I started leaving the room with Oscar supporting me cause of the pains. We got out of the room room met three guards there and that was when I knew I was busted. Damn it! ¡°Sir!¡± One of them called in surprise when he saw me. The other brought out his gun and pointed it at Oscar. ¡°Stand down. I¡¯m going with him¡± I told them and they flinched. ¡°Sir? Wh¡­What¡¯re you talking about?¡± They asked and I sighed and touched my forehead. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you; just let me go. I promise to be back. I¡¯ll be fine. Just don¡¯t stop me¡± I said and tried walking away with Oscar. ¡°But¡­I¡¯m sorry, sir. We can¡¯t let you¡­¡± ¡°Touch me if you wanna die¡± I cut him off with a re and they kept mute. Oscar held me and we sessfully left the building together. * * We made use of his car as he started driving to the location of the agency. But, on the way, I told him to stop by a pharmacy and get me some pain relieves and he did. At least, they could help ease the pains I was passing through. ¡°Are you sure you wanna do this, sir?¡± He asked when he resumed driving to the agency. I didn¡¯t say a word as I took in a deep breath and leaned my back on the car seat. Pen. I hope I get to meet her. That bitch. She¡¯s the reason I kidnapped Olivia and took her away from Theo.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I still don¡¯t know what their reasons were for demanding Olivia in exchange for my mum. I mean, they kidnapped my mum and didn¡¯t request for money or anything, just Olivia. I know she meant a lot to him, but I had no choice. My mum¡¯s life was at stake. I had lost my dad already. Molly was less than a year old. She couldn¡¯t grow up without the love of a single parent. I just wanted to do what I felt was necessary. But, since then, I¡¯ve been looking for them ¨C Pen Williams. She was the master mine behind it and I¡¯ve been looking for her so I could know what happened to Olivia. I have a feeling she might still be alive. And if I¡¯m able to get her and hand her back to Theo, then I¡¯m sure he¡¯d finally forgive me and forget the past. I¡¯ll be free to live my life with Jeanne in peace. Oh, God! Help me. * * We drove for a long time and I almost fell asleep. But, just when I was about dozing off, the car came to stop and I forced my eyes open and looked around. We were in a wide area with a tall building in front of us and lots of cars were parked outside. Oscar had parked the car among the parked cars so we wouldn¡¯t be noticed. ¡°Is this it?¡± I asked, staring at the building. ¡°Yes, sir¡± he replied. ¡°But sir, we can¡¯t go in just like that. The security¡¯s very tight inside and the gate¡¯s actually a remote gate. It can only be opened from inside and the walls are electrified. So, there won¡¯t be an easy pass¡± he exined and I touched my forehead. What the heck? ¡°So, what do we do?¡± I asked anxiously. ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to have to think of a better n¡­¡± While he was still talking, I saw the gate open and I tapped him to take a look. We watched keenly and saw a blue car driving out. Wait; the driver, it was a young woman, and I know her. She was with Pen that night. Yes, they were working together. ¡°I know that woman¡± I told Oscar as I watched her drive pass her. She obviously didn¡¯t notice us. ¡°You do?¡± Oscar asked. ¡°Yes. Follow her¡±. He started the car immediately and started trailing after her. He tried being careful because he didn¡¯t want her to know she was being followed. He maintained a long distance between both cars and at a point, we had almost lock track of her. But luckily, he was able to pick up the trail again and since he was too far away, he tried meeting up with her by going on a high speed and unfortunately and unconsciously, he knocked someone down ¨C ady who was trying running across the road. Oh, God! What the hell??? ¡°Damn it!¡± I grouch as he opened the door and we rushed out immediately. Hah! Thank goodness; it wasn¡¯t severe. Thedy wasn¡¯t really knocked down, but she fell on the floor right in front of the car. ¡°Hey¡± I called as I ran to her on the floor. Hold on; isn¡¯t this¡­ Of course! I know her. She was one of the contestants in the lover girls training and she was close to Jeanne. I think her name is¡­Yes! Megan. ¡°Sir Alex?¡± She called in surprise as she stared into my face, still on the floor. Oscar came close and helped her up. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you careful, youngdy? Were you hurt?¡± He asked her and she shook her head. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re fine now, right? You can go on your own?¡± I asked, taking a look round her body. There was just a scratch on her right arm. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m with my mum¡± she replied and Oscar signalled me to return to the car so we could continue on our way. I gave a final a final stare at her and headed back at her. But immediately, I heard someone call her name. ¡°Megan! What the hell happened?¡± I quickly turned to have a look, guessing it might be her mum. I turned and saw a woman in a short curves-revealli ng gown, scuttling towards us ¨C Megan. My hand which was already on the car¡¯s door fell as my eyes dted in shock. She halted when she saw me ¨C our eyes interlocked- staring at each other. The red bag she was holding fell from her hands as well. What¡­ the¡­hell? Pen Williams!!! 75 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I became very weak as I continued crying on the floor the whole time. My head ached a lot and I felt so much pains on my backbone and legs. My whole thoughts were upied with Alex. Where could he be? Was he able to get to a hospital? How¡¯s he? What if he¡¯s there alone with no one to help? Oh, God! I just needed to see him. The door opened and a boy walked in with a tray of food. That was when I actually realised I hadn¡¯t eaten a thing since morning. I bent my head and sniffle as he came to me with the tray of food and ced it on the floor in front of me. Then, he brought out a pocket knife and loosened the ropes that bounded my hands and I was now able to move them. ¡°Go on and eat¡± he said coldly and turned around to leave. Then, I quickly got on my feet. ¡°Please, let me out of here¡± I whimpered. He turned and looked at me with disbelieve like I had said something funny. ¡°Please, I beg of you; I promise toe back. I just want to see Alex. I need to make sure he¡¯s safe. Please, I¡¯m begging you¡± I said ruefully, cing my palms together. ¡°if you attempt leaving this building again, you should know Theo¡¯s going to kill you.¡± He replied and I busted into. More tears. ¡°Alex is fine; you don¡¯t have to worry about him. He was taken to the hospital and a sesful surgery was carried out on him. So, he¡¯s fine¡± he added and left the room again. I fell on my knees in tears. Oh, God! AlexBelonging to N?velDrama.Org. Why does this have to happen to you? What have you done to Theo that makes him find it difficult to forgive you? Why¡¯s all these happening? I cried more and pushed the food away. Why won¡¯t Theo let go of the past so I can live my life with Alex? What¡¯s gonna happen to me now? And my baby? Is he going to end up killing me as well? The same way he killed the other girls? I really love Alex and don¡¯t want to lose him. I remember how caring he was during my stay with him. How he¡¯d get me everything I need and treat me like a baby. I love him and don¡¯t want to lose him. Why¡¯s Theo being such an obstacle. I hate you, Theo, for every pains you¡¯ve made Alex go through. Why are you so bent on frustrating him? And why do you have to involve me and my baby? With Theo around, there¡¯s no way Alex and I can be happy. He¡¯s done enough already. I need to get rid of him. Kim¡¯s Pov: I sat by the pool with my crew as we drank and talked leisurely. Wow! Today¡¯s such a good day for me. I mean, thepetition for a new leader of the band was supposed tomence today, but it had to be post poned because ording to them, Jeanne and Hetty were missing. Like I care. ¡°But, I seriously don¡¯t get why they had to cancel the contest. Simply because Jeanne and Hetty aren¡¯t around doesn¡¯t mean we can move forward. They should¡¯ve gone ahead with it.¡± Caroline groused. She¡¯s just been bittered since the news got to her. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s for the best. I mean, what¡¯s the need for holding a contest, anyway? I¡¯m the perfect leader¡± I replied brashly, cing my hand on my chest. And Caroline scoffed. ¡°I never knew the rest of us were just meant to be under your role forever, Kim¡± she said with an eye roll. ¡°If you have a problem with it, Caro; you can as well quit¡± I told her tantly and she huffed. I don¡¯t know what her problem is anymore. She¡¯s just getting on my nerves. ¡°But where could Jeanne and Hetty be?¡± Joyce asked. ¡°Howe they¡¯re missing?¡± ¡°Well, they can go to hell for all I care. They¡¯re better off . gone¡± I replied and Alina chuckled. Eva was just busy with her phone. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± She suddenly shrieked. ¡°Have you seen the news?¡± ¡°What news?¡± Joyce and Alina asked at the same time. ¡°What news, Eva?¡± I added curiously. ¡°Alex was shot!¡± She replied and I sprang on my Feet. ¡°What???¡± Alex¡¯s Pov: I stood, gobsmacked, staring at Pen face to face. Is this for real? Pen Williams in front of me? ¡°M¡­Mum?¡± Megan called in surprise as she stuttered back. ¡°You¡± I called faintly and looked at her. Fear wasrge writ on her face. Immediately, she turned around and started running away ¡°Mum!¡± Megan shrieked. I took to my heels and ran after her but couldn¡¯t catch up with her as she entered into her car and started driving away. ¡°Sir! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Oscar asked in an rming tone as he came running to me. I held the side of my stomach and ran to our own car, getting into the driver¡¯s seat and scorching off immediately. ¡°Sir!¡± I heard Oscar call from behind, but I didn¡¯t stop to look at him as I took off on a high speed, going after Pen. That bitch! I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s been around all these while. And she was even the mother to someone I knew. I¡¯m going to skin her alive. Going overly fast, I was able to catch up with her and she noticed me and increased the speed of her car. We started driving like people who were involved in car racing. We broke every traffic signs and rules and I felt pains on the operated side of my tummy. But, no; I can¡¯t afford to lose Pen; not again. I¡¯m going to make sure I get her. I drove on a crazy speed and soon; my car was right behind hers. I added more force and wanted to overtake her and luckily, I did. I got in front of her suddenly cornered the car, screeching it to an abrupt halt right in front of hers and making hers hit mine. It was more like a sh, but I wasn¡¯t really affected, just the side of my car that was shed. I quickly opened the door and rushed out, going to hers. She was coughing when I got there and I opened her door and dragged her out. Atst! ¡°You animal¡± I growled and threw her on the floor. It was a deserted area with no buildings around and just very few cars drove by. I went to hit her on the floor and surprisingly, she aimed for my knee and kicked me. I almost fell, but quickly gained my bnce and she used that opportunity to get on her feet. She was a trained criminal and was definitely good in fighting. But, I was ready for her. She threw a punch at me, but I missed it and grabbed her hand instead. I drew her close and she punched my tummy which made me groan in pains, but I didn¡¯t let it weigh me down. I hit her hard on the cheek and kicked her to the floor. Then, I went ahead to kick her again ¨C twice ¨C and blood oozed from her mouth. I dragged her up by the hair and took her to her car, mming her face hard against the surface. She deserves worst than this. ¡°Alex! Stop¡± she yelped in pains but I ignored her and mmed her face hard against it again. ¡°You still remember my name, huh?¡± I spoke into her face and threw her to the floor. She fell weakly and coughed out blood. I checked her car and saw a bottle of wine and quickly took it out. I hit the bottle on her . car and it broke into two with the drink sshing on the floor. You¡­¡± she said faintly and tried sitting up but I kicked her on the chest, making her fall back on the floor. ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡± I asked impatiently, pointing the half bottle at her. She coughed and brushed her finger over her lips, cleaning off a little bloodstain from. ¡°Trust me, Alex, you don¡¯t wanna do this¡± she said, trying to control her hype. I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for years, bitch. I guess you don¡¯t know what you did to me. You ruined my life and I swear, I¡¯m ready to do anything right now!! ¡°So, you better start talking. Where¡¯s she?¡± I asked raucously and she shook her head negatively. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡± she replied and immediately, I went to her on the floor and tore her knee with the bottle. She screamed in pains. ¡°Stop it, Alex!¡± She groaned and I stood up, breathing heavily. ¡°If you don¡¯t talk to me, Pen, the next thing I¡¯d be tearing up is your throat. Now, spill it out!¡± I said angrily, pointing the bottle at her. ¡°I don¡¯t work with them anymore. So I know nothing about it!¡± She replied rather exasperated and I fisted my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you work with them or not. Just tell me where the heck she is cause I know she¡¯s not dead¡± I said and she suddenlyughed. ¡°Really?¡± She asked. ¡°You sound so sure. You think she¡¯s really alive?¡± I brushed my fingers into her my hair, losing my temper. I went to her again and this time around, I aimed at her hips, stabbing it with the edge of the bottle. She screamed in excruciating pains as blood flowed out, but at that moment, I didn¡¯t care. I was running out of patience. ¡°Where¡¯s she? What the hell did you do to her?!¡± I yelled into her face and pulled out the bottle. ¡°Stop it, please¡±:she said in tears and I stood on my feet. ¡°Right now, your daughter¡¯s with my guard and if you don¡¯t spill out the truth in the next ten seconds, I¡¯m going to leave. And pieces of your daughter¡¯s body will be sent to you bit by bit¡± I told her and her eyes gleamed. ¡°You¡­you won¡¯t do that, Alex¡± she said forlornly. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve turned me into Penelope. You don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve made me go through. I need to know the truth. Where¡¯s she?¡± I asked, trying not to yell. She bent her head and sniffed. ¡°Just promise me, Alex;¡± she said. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t get the police involved. If I tell you the truth, you¡¯ll let me go and never pester me again¡±. I kept mute for a while, staring at her. ¡°Is she still alive?¡± I asked and she nodded. Oh, God! My heart skipped immediately as a string of hope ran across it. Olivia¡¯s alive! Theo¡¯s Olivia! She¡¯s alive. I¡¯ve always felt so. There¡¯s still hope! My eyes shun brightly as curiosity suddenly filled me up. ¡°Where¡¯s she, Pen? Please, talk to me¡± I said, this time around in a pleading tone. She lifted her head to look at me and I couldn¡¯t exin the look in her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s always been around you, Alex¡± she said and I furrowed my brows at her, getting be fogged. What¡¯s she talking about? ¡°What¡­What do you mean, Pen? Who¡¯s she?¡± I asked, anxious for a reply. she didn¡¯t say anything and it ate me up. ¡°Who the hell is she?¡± I blustered and she took in a deep breath and took her eyes to the floor. Why¡¯s she acting this way? Then, in one cold cheerless voice, I heard her say: ¡°She¡¯s Jeanne¡±. 76 Alex¡¯s Pov: Penelope. What¡¯s she saying? Jeanne¡¯s Olivia? What Olivia? The one that went missing? Or, didn¡¯t I hear correctly? ¡°Who¡­Who¡¯s she, Pen? Please, tell me¡± I said, the sound of my voice beginning to betray my confidence. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, Alex; it¡¯s Jeanne, your sister¡¯s nanny. The new lovergirl. She¡¯s always been with you¡± she replied and the broken bottle I held with me fell freely from my hand. For the first time in my life, I felt real fear as my whole systems shook. This can¡¯t be happening. Not my Jeanne. How¡­Why. .. No. ¡°You¡­You¡¯re lying to me. You¡¯re lying to me¡± I stuttered and moved back. I could tell my eyes were zing. ¡°it¡¯s the truth, Alex. After you adopted her and handed her over to us four years ago, we didn¡¯t kill her. We were instructed to carry out a facial surgery on her and when we did, she became free of the scar on her face. ¡°We injected her with some chemicals that made her unconscious for days and lose all her memories and that way, she wasn¡¯t to recall a thing from her past. ¡°i took care of the rest of the business. She was still unconscious when I took her to a different state ¨C Kentokie ¨C and dumped her beside the road at night. Then, I hid somewhere and waited to see who would pick her up. ¡°Different cars passed by, but it was just one that stopped to take a look at her and that was Mr Raymond ¨C her adopted father. ¡°He helped her and took her to an hospital and I kept keeping track of them the whole time. As expected, when she regained consciousness, she couldn¡¯t recall a thing from her past. And even when Mr Raymond had put her up on TV, nobody came for her because she was a total different person with a new look. ¡°Mr Raymond took her in as his daughter, but unfortunately, he brought her back here in New York, where his family based and that was when I knew things were going to get messy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alex, for offending you¡± She said chastened, and I felt a sharp pain across my heart that I had to hold my chest. My eyes began to flicker as I felt my lids bing wet. Is¡­is this for real? Is this true? Could Jeanne be Olivia? Jeanne? My Jeanne? She¡¯s the girl I¡¯ve been looking for all these years? The girl I gave out to criminals? The same girl that turned Theo into a monster? The same girl Theo¡¯s been crazy about? His first love? The girl I n on giving back to him the moment I find her?. She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s the one? Jeanne¡¯s Olivia? I turned around slowly and started walking away, staggering as I did. At that moment, I had no idea what I was doing. The only thing I saw in front of me was Jeanne and Olivia. ¡°Alex¡± I heard Pen call behind me, but it sounded very far. I felt water all over my face, dripping down to my shirt and wondered if it was raining. It never urred to me I was weeping. I kept walking absent ¨C mindedly, not knowing where I was headed. My car was behind me. My Jeanne is Olivia ¨C the same girl I risked her life. My Jeanne ¨C the mother of my baby. She¡¯s Theo¡¯s Olivia. How did this happen? Oh, God! My legs couldn¡¯t carry me anymore and I fell weakly on my knees. I covered my face with my palms and ced them on the floor. ¡°No¡­No¡­¡± I mumbled into my palms and that was when I got to know I was crying as a result of the tears that filled my my palms when I lifted my head from it. I lifted my head to the sky and looked at the blistering sun and tears came running down like rainfall. Oh, God! I want this to be a. a dream. ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± I whimpered inaudibly and ced my both hands on my hair. ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± I called again and closed my eyes. *>> *>> *>> ¡°Alex!!!¡± I heard someone scream my name from afar and I was forced to open my eyes. I fluttered my bleary eyes open and saw different nurses around me, all appearing to be double. I noticed I was moving and they were running along with me. ¡°Oh, my God! Alex, look at me. Please¡± I heard the same voice that had woken me up say and that was when I spotted my mum among the moving nurses. I found it difficult breathing. I couldn¡¯t say a word or move a finger. What¡¯s happening? ¡°Get the drip ready. Where¡¯s the mask?¡± One of the nurses asked as they moved me on a stretcher. Immediately, one of them ced an oxygen mask on my nose. I felt so much pains and drowsiness. ¡°He¡¯s loosing a lot of blood¡±. ¡°Damn it! Get the theatre cleared immediately. Is Dr Myers ready???¡± ¡°Tell Surgeon Bauer toe over as well. Make it snappy!¡± ¡°Clear the way!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± I kept hearing different voices in my head and I was able to spot one familiar voice. ¡°Sir, Please!¡± It was Olivia, begging me not to hand her over to the criminals. It was my Jeanne. I felt my strength leaving me; the life was gradually going out of me. I need someone to take out my heart. I won¡¯t be able to bear this. The whole ce started going round in circles and I felt I was in a total different ce. I couldn¡¯t even hear anyone anymore. All I heard were echoes. And finally, I closed my eyes. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I stayed all alone in the room for a long time, thinking about the pathetic situation. I felt so scared and worried. Could Alex really be at the hospital? How¡¯s he doing? Will he be fine?. I know he must be so worried about me. What if he does something crazy? Oh, Alex, please stay strong for me. I took the TV remote from the bed and turned on the small TV in the room, praying it¡¯d work so I could perhaps, get some news on Alex. If only I could just see his face. I turned on thework channel and noticed there was a fuss at the capital hospital. What¡¯s going on there? Immediately, Alex¡¯s picture came up on the screen and a presenter showed up as well and gave an highlight on it. *Popr leader of the Loverboys band was involved in a fatal car ident and is currently being attended to here at the capital hospital* The TV remote I held fell from my hand immediately as I opened my mouth wide in shock. What??? Alex? What ident? How did this happen? Oh, my God!!! I ran to the door immediately and tried to open it, but it was locked. God, no, no. I need to get out of here. I need to see Alex. I knocked on the door, but got no reply. Then, I ran to the window and looked outside. The floor was too far from me. I¡¯d only get injured if I try jumping. And the baby¡­ I sank my fingers into my hair, thinking of what to do. Oh, God! Alex! What happened to him? How the hell did he end up in an ident that serious? What do I do now? I was about bursting into tears when an idea suddenly niggled at me. I looked at the long curtains hung around the walls and window and thinking about it, I pulled them down. I started tying them to each other, turning it to into a rope and soon, i was done. I took the long rope which I had made and tied it to the window, letting it fall over outside. I looked outside again and noticed there was no one around. Oh, God! Help me. I need to do this. Then carefully, I held onto the rope and started climbing out of the window. My heart was racing so fast. I climbed gradually till I finally got to the floor andnded safely on it. I know Theo¡¯s going to kill me if he finds out about this, but I can¡¯t help it. I just need to see Alex. Without wasting more time, I started running to the gate and luckily for me, the gate man wasn¡¯t there. I opened the gate sessfully, but just when I was about running out, I heard someone yell behind me. ¡°What are you doing? Stop there!¡± I turned and noticed it was one of Theo¡¯s boys and immediately, I ran out the gate, taking to my heels.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. I didn¡¯t even know where I was. I ran for a long time before I got to the road and I stopped the first cab I saw. Oh, God! I don¡¯t even have any money with me. I opened the door of the cab and got into the back seat immediately. ¡°Miss Jeanne?¡± The driver called with a flinch, obviously recognising me as one of the lovergirls. ¡°Take me to the capital hospital, please¡± I said, breathing heavily and he zoomed off. I looked behind and breathed out a sigh of relief when I noticed we weren¡¯t being followed. Iid my back on the car seat and ced my hand on my tummy. I suddenly felt a light pain on my lower abdomen. I shouldn¡¯t have ran the way I did. ¡°Are you okay, miss? Do you need me to call the police?¡± The driver asked, looking at me from the little mirror in front of him. ¡°Please, don¡¯t. Just take me to the hospital¡± I replied and took in a deep breath. 77 Hetty¡¯s Pov: I stood in the waiting room with Mia and Lea and the rest of the loverboys as we all panicked over Alex¡¯s condition. Kim and her crew were there as well, but stood far from us. Mrs Tristian has been crying her eyes out and was just being consoled by two of her friends. ¡°But, what really happened? How and why did he leave the hospital in the first ce without being seen?¡± I asked, cing my both hands at akimbo. ¡°And that¡¯s the problem. I still don¡¯t get why he left the hospital in his condition. Where did he go?¡± Malcolm asked, patently confused. TheText ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Carl and Daniel just remained silent. I ced my hand on my head and sighed. I still felt weak and needed some rest, but after hearing what happened to Alex, I couldn¡¯t help it anymore. Although, Carl had tried to persuade me to stay back, I didn¡¯t listen. Alex was in a pretty bad condition and I wondered what could have been the cost. Where did he go? Why did he leave the hospital? Could it be rted to Jeanne? ¡°I just hope he gets out of this sessfully¡± Daniel suddenly said with a sigh. I hope so too. Immediately, someone came running in. Jeanne!!! ¡°Jen?¡± Carl called in surprise and all eyes turned to her direction. She looked really disorganised as she ran to where we were and stopped, breathing heavily. I pulled her close and embraced her. I never thought I¡¯d see her anytime soon. ¡°Oh, Jeanne; how¡¯re you? I¡¯ve¡­I¡¯ve been so worried about you¡± I said with my hands still around her shoulder and she sniffed. ¡°Please, where¡¯s Alex? How¡¯s he? That¡¯s all I need to know¡± she said ruefully and I embraced her again. ¡°Where have you been, Jeanne? We¡¯ve been looking for you¡± Carl said as we unlocked from the hug. Kim suddenly came Up to us with her crew. ¡°And I thought you were missing? Is this your ghost or something?¡± She asked in a hard voice and I shot her a re. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever know the right time to show your colors, Kim?¡± I asked angrily and she scoffed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you, Hetty. So, you might want to watch that tongue of yours¡± she said and I left Jeanne to face her properly. ¡°Seriously girls, this isn¡¯t the right time for this. Just stop it¡± Daniel said, stopping me from saying what I wanted to say. ¡°Well, I guess you should tell her to. stop being poke-nosive¡± Kim said and I glowered my eyes at her but just then, the door to Alex¡¯s room and opened and the doctor came out. Expectedly, we all ran to him even before he¡¯d get to where we were. Mrs Tristian also joined immediately. ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s he?¡± ¡°Will he be fine?¡± ¡°Can we see him?¡± ¡°Was it sessful?¡± We all threw different questions at him at the same time except for Jeanne who remained silent. The doctor gave us enough time to release our nervous questions and when he felt we. we were done, he took in a deep breath and signalled us to calm down. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about him anymore. He¡¯s fine now¡± he said and a wild sigh of relief went round amongst us. ¡°Are you sure, doctor? He¡¯s¡­he¡¯s fine?¡± Mrs Tristian asked, still amidst tears. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. He¡¯s fine. Although, the ident was really fatal and had left him in a bad state, he responded quickly to treatments and we¡¯re equally surprised at how fast he was. ¡°So, that¡¯s good news and he¡¯s out of danger.¡± The doctor said and Jeanne ced her hand on her chest and sighed. ¡°Can we see him?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. Because he¡¯s still kind of weak and doesn¡¯t need crowd around him. But¡­¡± He paused and took his eyes to Jeanne. ¡°You¡¯re Jeanne, right?¡±: he asked and she nodded quickly. ¡°Great. He¡¯s been calling her name the whole time. So, if there¡¯s anyone that should see him, it has to be her. I think it should be of help¡± he further said and I looked at Jeanne who batted hershes. ¡°Huh? And why should she be the one to see him? How¡¯re we even sure he¡¯d want to see her? Besides, it¡¯s possible he might be calling her name because she¡¯s done something bad to him¡± Kim groused with an angry look. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Kim. As a matter of fact, I think if Alex gets to talk with her, it¡¯s gonna make him feel a whole lot better. So, it¡¯s a good idea.¡± I chipped in and Kim tried saying something, but was interrupted by the doctor. ¡°Please, miss Jeanne,e with me¡± he said and Jeanne nodded and followed him. Megan¡¯s Pov: Oh, God! What kind of a mother did you give to me? Of all the women in the world, why does thisdy have to be my mother? I walked around the sitting room restlessly, waiting for her to return ¨C that is, if she will. What does she have with Alex? Not long after, the door opened and she came in, looking buggered. What the hell happened to her? There was a cut on her lips and a bandage was over her leg while her dress looked dirty. What has she gotten herself into? She pause by the door and exchanged nces with me before walking into the house. ¡°Mum!¡± I called as she headed for the stairs. ¡°Not now, Megan¡± she said hastily. ¡°And what do you mean not now? Why was Alex chasing after you? What did you do to him? And why¡¯s he suddenly at the hospital?¡± I asked as I followed her to the stairs. She stopped and turned to look at me. ¡°Damn it, Megan, I said not now, okay! I don¡¯t wanna talk about it cause it¡¯s none of your business. ¡°Now, start getting ready cause we¡¯re moving out tomorrow¡± she said angrily and continued on the stairs. I stood, transfixed with shock. What the hell¡¯s wrong with mum? Kim¡¯s Pov: Gosh! This whole thing¡¯s so absurd. Why the hell should Jeanne be allowed to speak with Alex while I¡¯m not? And that Hetty¡­ I walked away to the passage so I could be alone. I suddenly felt so angry. Why would Alex be calling on her in the first ce? What does she mean to him? Have they be so close or what that the only name he could think of while he was in pains was her name? I brought out a cigarette and was about litting it when my awakened with a ring. I sluggishly brought it out from my bag and discovered it was a strange caller. And who could it be? . I felt like ignoring it since I wasn¡¯t really in the mood to speak to anyone, but something in my instincts told me to pick it up and I did. ¡°Yes?¡± I said impatiently on the phone. ¡°Hello, dear. Is this Kim?¡± The caller asked. It sounded like an old woman. ¡°Yeah. And who¡¯s this?¡± I asked, fidgeting with the cigarette in my hand. ¡°Oh, dear. Do you remember me? I¡¯m ma¡¯am Sally, the woman your mum had stopped along the way the other day, asking about her daughter¡± she said and I rose my brows. Oh! Anna¡¯s former neighbour. I had given her my contact, just in case she gets to know anything about Anna¡¯s whereabout. ¡°Oh, hi¡± I said, knowing I was sounding rude. Well, I was really not in a good mood at that moment. But, why¡¯s she calling me? Could it be possible she¡­ ¡°Do you have any information?¡± I asked, beginning to feel curious. ¡°Yes, dear. I finally know where Anna lives now¡± she replied and my eyes beamed. What? 78 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: The doctor led me to the ward where Alex was and my heart skipped at the condition I had seen him in. What the hell happened to him?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. A bandage was wrapped around his head; a drip was running through him, he looked pale and his cheeks held an unhealthy palor. Two nurses were there with him, one was writing down in a notebook, and the other was touching the drip. ¡°How¡¯s he?¡± The doctor asked as we got in but Alex didn¡¯t even move. He probably had no idea I was there. ¡°He¡¯s fine, sir. There¡¯s been an improvement¡± one of the nurses replied and I moved closer to him in such a way he could see me. His eyes beamed the moment he noticed me standing in front of him. ¡°Let¡¯s give them a moment¡± the doctor said to the nurses who nodded and followed him out of the room. I was left with just Alex. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called weakly and tried moving his finger. I sniffed and held his hand. Tears were forming up in my eyes already. ¡°A¡­Alex¡± I called ruefully and let out a tear. I know I shouldn¡¯t be doing this in front of him, but I just can¡¯t help it. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called again and I held his hand and ced it on my lips. ¡°What happened to you, Alex? How¡­How did this happen?¡± I asked amidst tears, but he didn¡¯t say a word as he kept staring at my face. I bent my head and wept for a while. Oh, Alex; why does this have to happen to you? ¡°Please, Alex, you need to stay strong for me. I need you¡± I whimpered. He withdrew his hand from mine and moved it to my tummy, holding it lightly. He didn¡¯t say a word as he just kept staring at the tummy with his hand on it and it made me wonder what he was thinking. ¡°I love you, Jeanne¡± he said ruefully, his eyes still on my tummy. ¡°I love you and the baby in you. And I don¡¯t ever want to lose you.¡± ¡°Please, promise me, Jeanne; promise me no matter what happens, you¡¯ll always remember I love you¡± I looked at him in dilemma. Why¡¯s he speaking this way? What¡¯s wrong with him? Why¡¯s he trying to make me scared? ¡°A¡­Alex¡± I called in a cracking voice. ¡°Wh¡­What re you talking about? Of course, I¡­I know you love me¡± ¡°Just promise me, Jeanne, please¡± he said with pleading eyes and I scoffed. ¡°I¡­I promise me, Alex¡± I said and he sighed and brought his hand down from my tummy. He looked away and closed his eyes and all I could do was stare in confusion. I held his hand again and kissed it. ¡°I love you too, Alex, and I¡¯ll always be there for you. Just be strong for me, please¡± I said and immediately, I saw a tear rolling down his cheek. What? ¡°Alex¡± I called, but he couldn¡¯t look at me as he just closed his eyes. What¡¯s happening to him? Could it be a result of what Theo did? I held his hand tight and ced it on my cheek. It was so cold. Another tear came running from his eye and it made me panic. I didn¡¯t even know what to do He wouldn¡¯t talk to me or look at me. I had no idea what was happening anymore. I just stood and watched him,. His hand on my cheek.. And that was how he stayed till he slept off in my presence. * * I walked out of the room, my head aching and pounding. I felt so bittered. Alex¡¯s uncanny attitude had really startled me and left me speechless. It scared me to the guts. I don¡¯t want to lose him and I hope he doesn¡¯t have anything in mind. Or, could his terrible condition be the reason he was saying all that to me? I felt like crying, but couldn¡¯t as I already came out of the room where Hetty and the rest were already waiting for me. ¡°Jeanne¡¯ Hetty called as I moved closer to them morosely. Kim and her crew were no longer there and neither was Mrs Tristan. ¡°How was it, Jeanne? Were¡­Were you able to speak with him?¡± Carl asked curiously with the others staring. I just sniffed and nodded. ¡°Is¡­Is he fine?¡± Hetty asked. ¡°Yeah¡± I replied and tucked my hair behind my ear. I didn¡¯t notice a tear was already on my cheek. It was Daniel who wiped it off. ¡°I¡­I need to go now¡± I said with a snivel and Hetty scoffed. ¡°What are you talking about, Jeanne?¡± She asked. ¡°You can¡¯t think of going back to that monster¡± Carl added and Daniel and Malcolm flinched. ¡°is she talking about Theo?¡± Malcolm asked and Hetty nodded. Oh, God! These people really need to let me go. Alex¡¯s in this condition because he took me away from Theo. I can¡¯t think of letting it happen again. He might just end up killing Alex this time around. Just then, someone walked in and we all turned to have a look and just as if he burster out of my thoughts, it was Theo! What? Oh, God! What¡¯s he doing here? I panicked as I moved away from their hetty. He stood at a spot for a while, dressed in a ck leather up and down. He kept staring silently for a while and it made my heart pound even faster. What¡¯s he doing here? ¡°I thought I told you not to leave the house?¡± He asked, referring to me a a he started ambling to where we were. My hands became all sweaty as my legs shook. God, please. ¡°And what re you doing here?¡± Carl asked, stepping in front of me. He stopped walking and scoffed. ¡°I came to see an old friend¡± he replied with a dark look in his eyes and immediately, Hetty walked up to him and pped him. What? ¡°You must be insane to show your ugly face here, Theo. Alex¡¯s on his deathbed because of you and you dare call him a friend?¡± She said angrily and Theo¡¯s eyes glinted. He looked down at the floor and took his eyes to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± he said icily and it sent shivers down my spine. Oh, God! Is this really going to happen again? ¡°She¡¯s going nowhere, Theo.¡± Daniel said, making a fist with his hand. ¡°You know,¡±: Carl started. ¡°Since you returned, I¡¯ve been wondering; is this the same Theo I knew? The same guy I regarded as a brother? ¡°I¡¯ve always been confused, but then, I got to know he¡¯s not the one. Theo¡¯s gone, and the person right in front of me is a cold hearted beast¡±. The room went silent as neither Theo nor the lover boys said any other thing. I really don¡¯t want this to happen. ¡°The choice is yours, Jeanne¡± he finally broke the silence. ¡°You can. cane with me, or you can stay back¡±. And with one fierce look, he turned around and started walking away. I looked at Hetty who was giving me an inquisitive look. Oh, God! What do I do? Theo¡¯s definitely going to hurt me if I go back with him. And he¡¯s also going to kill Alex If I don¡¯t. I¡¯m so scared. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry¡± I said tearfully and ran after him. * * I followed him to the car and sat next to him on the front seat. I was so scared. I could hear my heart pounding like a party drum. What¡¯s he going to do to me? He was so angry. I know I shouldn¡¯t be doing this, I know it¡¯s risky, but I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s the only way I can keep Alex safe. He started the car and took off on a very speed. The day had already gone dark and the speed at which he was driving really got me scared. He was so furious and made it obvious. His hands were shaking on the sterling. Carl shouldn¡¯t had spoken to him in that manner. Now, I¡¯m scared I¡¯m the one who might get to suffer it. He started moving on a dangerous speed, viting traffic rules and driving out of route. My heart was leaping. I turned and looked at him and felt like pleading with him to stop, but I was scared he might end up hitting me. Oh, God! How do I get out of this? He kept driving on a mad speed and finally, he screeched to a halt and I turned to notice we were on a bridge. Why did he stop here? I looked at him, my hand on my chest. I had been so scared. Tears were already forming up in my eyes. But, why did he stop the car? He whacked the door open and came out of the car and I kept watching in fear. He came to my side and opened the door and immediately, he dragged me out, taking me to the bridge. What¡¯s he doing?! ¡°Theo?¡± I called in fear as he took me to the bars and made me lie against it. ¡°I¡¯m a monster, huh?¡± He growled as he held my neck and I choked. ¡°I¡¯m a monster?! You really wanna stay away from me, right? You hate me! Everybody hates me, right?!¡± He yelled into my face and I felt my breath seizing as a result of the choking. ¡°T¡­Theo¡± I struggled to say as I touched his hand on my neck. Then, he let go it and I started coughing uncontrobly. Suddenly and shockingly, I felt myself going over the bars and that was when I realised he had pushed me. Oh, my God! I gasped but was quick enough to hold onto the bars of the bridge and that was the only way I didn¡¯t end up falling into the big body of water below me. My eyes opened wide in shock as I found myself between life and death. How much longer can I hold onto this bars? I might fall off any moment from now. Oh, God! Theo. I looked up at him in deep breath and found him staring at me. How can he think of doing such a thing? Does he really want to kill me the same way he killed Alex¡¯s other lovers? ¡°Theo!¡± I called out in fear. ¡°Theo, please help me. Don¡¯t do this to me.¡± He stared silently for a while and dipped his hand into his pocket. ¡°Just let it go, Jeanne. You¡¯ve always wanted to be free from me and now I¡¯m giving you a chance to be free. So, go¡± he said without any guilt and that was when I saw what he brought out of his pocket. It was a knife! God, no! ¡°Theo! Theo, please. Don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m begging you. Don¡¯t do this to me, please¡± I said with uncontroble tears running down my cheeks. I don¡¯t want this to happen. I can¡¯t leave Alex. My baby¡­I can¡¯t go now. Theo, please; don¡¯t do this to me. ¡°I¡¯m a monster, Jeanne; you told me yourself. And now, I want to show you how a monster truly behaves¡±. I kept whimpering and slowly, he cut the knife across my hand and I screamed loud in excruciating pains. ¡°No!!! Theo, please!¡± I cried as blood oozed out from my hand, making it weak. Oh, God! He wants me to let go of the bars myself. ¡°What¡¯s the need of holding on, Jeanne? I¡¯m only going to make life unbearable for you¡± he said and pressed the injured part of my hand, making me feel more pains. I cried out in excruciating pains and felt my whole systems drowning. Why did I have to encounter someone like this in my life? ¡°Please¡± I cried. ¡°I promise never to offend you again. I¡¯ll do anything you want me to do. Just don¡¯t do this to me, please¡±. He smirked and brought the knife closer to my hand again and I screamed. Immediately, a ck car showed up on a full speed and stopped at the bridge. I watched blearily as the door opened and Alex came out, holding the side of his tummy, groaning in pains. My heart skipped at the sight of him. What¡¯s he doing here? Did¡­Did he actually follow us?. How can he leave the hospital in such condition? Oh, my God! Theo turned and looked at him and looked surprised. Oh, God! Alex; he won¡¯t be able to fight Theo. ¡°Theo, please don¡¯t¡± he said weakly as he leapt towards us. He couldn¡¯t even walk properly. Oh, my God! How did he leave the hospital in such condition? Wasn¡¯t he seen by anyone? ¡°Wow! Did you reallye here to witness her demise?¡± Theo asked in a tone of sadism. He turned back to me with the knife. ¡°You don¡¯t wanna do this, Theo. Listen to me¡± Alex said and Theoughed. ¡°I have nothing to listen to¡± he replied and cut the knife across my second hand and I screamed in more pains. ¡°She¡¯s Olivia!¡± Alex suddenly said and I saw a sparkle run across Theo¡¯s eyes. H¡­ What?? 79 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I was still holding onto the bars, but my hands had already be weak. My eyes drooped as I stared at Alex who just said something shocking. I couldn¡¯t understand it and¡­even Theo seemed perplexed by it. What¡¯s he talking about? Who¡¯s¡­Who¡¯s Olivia? Theo slowly turned and looked at him, his grip around the knife tightened. ¡°What did you just say?¡± He asked lowly, with a crack in his voice. ¡°She¡¯s Olivia, Theo; the girl you¡¯ve been looking for¡± Alex said and my heart skipped. Oh, God! What¡¯s he talking about? Theo turned and looked at me and took his eyes back to Alex. ¡°Is this some sort of trick? You¡­You¡¯re looking for a way to save her life, huh? Is that enough reason to involve Olivia?¡± He asked loudly, but at that moment, I couldn¡¯t tell if he was angry or not. ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Theo, please believe me.¡± Alex said and took a step closer, holding his tummy. ¡°I spoke with Pen today and she told me everything. ¡°When I handed Olivia to them, they didn¡¯t kill her. Instead, they performed a facial surgery on her and made her lose her memories. Then, they dumped her somewhere far, but she was seen and adopted by someone. ¡°Please, Theo, I¡¯m not lying to you. It¡¯s the truth. You can make more research if you want to, but if you kill thedy in front of you, then you should know I never killed Olivia, but you did¡±. The knife in Theo¡¯s hand suddenly fell on the floor as he turned to look at me. I could see a red line beneath his eyes already. At that moment, I felt a strong wind in my head. Everything Alex just said about me¡­what does it mean? But the name¡­Olivia¡­lt sounded very familiar. I suddenly started hearing voices in my head ¨C familiar voices. This feeling¡­Some memories¡­I couldn¡¯t exin it, but I felt something different. what¡¯s happening to me? I looked into Theo¡¯s eyes and saw a different look in them ¨C something familiar. What¡¯s this? The whole ce started going round in circles and at that moment, I couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. My hands fell freely from the bar and I felt myself going deep down. ¡°Jeanne!!!¡± I heard Alex call out, but it sounded very far. ¡°Olivia!!!¡± I heard someone else call, but this time around, it wasing from my own head. I closed my eyes as I felt myself drowning in a sea of a new feeling. * * * Alex¡¯s Pov: ¡°Jeanne!!!¡± I yelled as I saw her going down the bridge. No, no, no! This cannot happen. It can¡¯t happen! Jeanne!!! I tried tottering to the bars, but ended up falling on my knees. The pains couldn¡¯t let me move. ¡°Jeanne¡± I cried weakly on the floor. Theo just remained standing by the bars, staring into the water. Oh, God! No. Jeanne. My baby. What¡¯s happening? Sirens filled the ce immediately and numerous cars soon crowded the ce. ¡°Alex!¡± I heard my name but couldn¡¯t turn to have a look. ¡°Oh, my God! What happened?¡± ¡°Alex!¡± Carl, Daniel and Hetty came running to me immediately while policemen upied the rest of the ce. I felt blood on . my skin but couldn¡¯t check it¡¯s source. ¡°Jeanne¡± I called weakly. My strength was leaving me already. ¡°Jeanne¡­Help me¡± I cried into Daniel¡¯s hands as they all came to me on the floor. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± ¡°Hurry up! Get him to the car¡± ¡°No¡­No¡­Jeanne¡­she¡¯s in the water. She fell into it¡­Help her¡­Please¡­. my baby¡± I said tearfully under my breath with my lids beginning to close. ¡°What?¡± I heard someone say. Jeanne.. Please, don¡¯t leave me, I beg of you. I won¡¯t survive it. I saw Carl stand up and run to the bridge and that was it. I couldn¡¯t see any more of it. I closed my eyes as I felt them drag me up and move me into the car. * * ¡°Jeanne¡­¡± I mumbled her name as I tried opening my eyes. I could see her shy face, shy smile, charming eyes; they were all . staring at me. Her warm touch. Where¡¯s she? I felt a hand touch mine and I slowly opened my eyes and found myself on the bed, surrounded by countless people. But, Jeanne¡­she wasn¡¯t among them. Oh, God! Where¡¯s she? ¡°Alex!¡± Mum called in tears and I realised she had been the one who touched me. I thought it was Jeanne.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The room seemed very bright. Was it morning already? Where¡¯s Jeanne? Jeanne. I can¡¯t even think of any other thing. I can barely remember my name. Mum drew close and embraced me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Alex? Why¡¯re you doing this to me?¡± She asked and Carl drew her away. I tried touching my head, but realised I couldn¡¯t move my hand. What? It was handcuffed. ¡°We don¡¯t want you to run off again, Alex¡± Malcolm said and I groaned lightly. ¡°Jeanne¡± I mumbled in pains. ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡± ¡°What the hell happened, Alex?¡± Carl asked. ¡°Did Jeanne really fall into the water?¡± He asked, but I couldn¡¯t say a word to him. I didn¡¯t even know what to say. ¡°Please¡­Where¡¯s she?¡± I asked weakly, with my eyes closed. Oh, God! Where could she be?. My Jeanne; where¡¯s she? She didn¡¯t drown; she can¡¯t. ¡°We have no idea, Alex; we couldn¡¯t find her¡± Hetty said, sounding troubled. I tried standing up from the bed, but couldn¡¯t as Carl and Daniel held me down. But, even if they didn¡¯t, I still wouldn¡¯t be able to leave because I was just too weak to. ¡°Stop being silly, Alex. Please¡± mum cried. ¡°What the hell happened? What¡¯s going on?¡± Daniel asked, devastated. God, no! I need to see Jeanne. I won¡¯t survive it. ¡°Alex¡± Hetty called, but immediately, the door opened and I slowly turned to see it was a guard, having an rmed look. ¡°Sir¡± he called, but I couldn¡¯t tell if he was referring to me or someone else. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I heard Hetty ask. ¡°A call just came in about ma¡¯am Jeanne. Some sea farers called and reported they had seen and helped ma¡¯am Jeannest night when she had fallen into the sea. Right now, she¡¯s in their custody¡± he said and I felt a heavy beat on my chest. Oh, my God! Jeanne¡­They found her? 80 Alex¡¯s Pov: I felt a surging energy in me as I listened to what the guard said. Did they really find Jeanne? Please, don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a dream. ¡°Wh¡­Where¡¯s she, then?¡±Hetty asked. ¡°Where are the sea farers?¡± Carl also asked.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Is she fine? I thought of asking, but couldn¡¯t speak out. ¡°ording to the sea men¡±, the guard said. ¡°They found her almost drowning, but they rescued her and took her to the closest hospital, but as at this morning, she was yet to regain consciousness and that was why they called it in. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent some men to go get her so she can be admitted here and in a short time, she¡¯ll be here¡±. I breathed out heavily and stared at the ceiling. Jeanne¡­she¡¯ll be fine, right? And my baby¡­ ¡°Oh, my God! Have¡­Have you contacted the men? Have they gotten a hold of her?¡± Mum asked. ¡°No, ma¡¯am. They¡¯re still on their way. But, I promise you, she¡¯ll be here soon¡± I heard the guard said. My eyes were already closed. Oh! Jeanne; she heard everything I said to Theost night. What¡¯s gonna happen now? What would she think? She¡¯s Theo¡¯s Olivia; but she¡¯s also my Jeanne. What¡¯s going to happen?. Why does something thisplicated have to happen to me? I can¡¯t lose Jeanne. I know she belongs to Theo ¨C she belonged to him before I took her away from him. But, now¡­I¡¯ve fallen some crazy in love with her. And she¡¯s carrying my baby. I don¡¯t want to lose them ¨C I won¡¯t survive it. But, What¡¯s she going to do if she gets to know I was the one who endangered her life back then? What would her reaction be when the entire truth finally gets known to her? What if her memories are back? And she remembers she was Theo¡¯s in the past? What¡¯s gonna happen? Will her feelings towards me change? Or, is she going to feel the same way she feels about me? Will she continue to love me? Or, is she going to have to chose between Theo and I? Oh, Jeanne! Please, don¡¯t hate me; I beg of you. I can¡¯t lose you. If there had been any other option back then, I¡¯d have taken it. But, I had no choice. Please Jeanne, don¡¯t let your feelings towards me to change. I can¡¯t lose you. Please, don¡¯t hate me. * * I didn¡¯t fall asleep despite how dizzy I felt. I was awaiting Jeanne¡¯s arrival. I just wanted to see her face. Mum and Hetty were the only ones in the room with me when the news of her arrival came to us. A nurse had rushed in to inform us and immediately I heard it, I tried leaving the bed but couldn¡¯t and that was when I remembered I was still handcuffed. Damn it! No, no, no. ¡°Mum¡± I called fraily. ¡°The handcuffs. Please, take it off¡±. She looked at Hetty and looked back at me with a pathetic look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alex, but the doctor said you shouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave the bed. You¡¯re not strong enough¡± she replied ruefully and I shook my head. The nurse was still in the room. ¡°Please, mum; I¡¯ll be fine. I just need to see Jeanne. I promise I won¡¯t run away. Jeanne¡¯s here already; I have nowhere else to run to. ¡°Please, just let me see her face. I beg of you¡± I said painfully. ¡°Alex please,¡± Hetty cut in. ¡°The doctor strictly made it clear you shouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave the bed.¡± She paused and turned to the nurse. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s her condition?¡± She asked and I noticed the nurse dailied a little ¡°Um¡­The thing is¡­she¡¯s really unconscious ma¡¯am. As a matter of fact, she¡¯s gone intoa, but is undergoing treatment and hopefully, she¡¯ll be out of it soon. She¡¯ll be fine¡± the nurse replied and I felt my heart ache. What? She¡¯s ina? Oh, my God! Hetty sighed and ced her hand on her head. ¡°Nurse¡± I called weakly. ¡°She¡­Did¡­¡± I paused and took in a deep breath; my eyes beginning to form some liquid. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. Do¡­Do you know if the baby¡¯s fine? Or, did she¡­¡± I couldn¡¯tplete my words and it was obvious the nurse was surprised. I didn¡¯t even think of my mum. ¡°Um¡­actuy¡± the nurse paused and coughed a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. But, there was no bloodstains on her. So¡­I¡¯m not sure there was a miscarriage. But don¡¯t worry, sir; we¡¯ll carry out a text on her and I¡¯ll let you know¡±. I closed my eyes and moaned. God please, nothing should happen to my baby. ¡°Hold on; what¡¯s going on here, Alex? What baby are you talking about?¡±:mum asked in an rming tone, but I couldn¡¯t even look at her. Kim¡¯s Pov: I sat quietly in the car with mum as she drove anxiously to where we were headed. I was actually chatting with Eva and the news I was getting from her was so shocking. Oh, my God! Why the hell did Alex leave the hospitalst night in that condition? And is it true Jeanne really fell off the bridge? What happened? Oh, Alex! I wish I could be there with him. But,, I¡¯m stuck here with mum. Woah! And Jeanne has been rescued and admitted to the same hospital as Alex¡¯s? What? Who the hell saved her? Wow! She¡¯s ina? For real? Geez! I wish she doesn¡¯t get to wake up. I can¡¯t believe this. But, what¡¯s really going on between Jeanne, Alex and Theo? Why do I smell something fishy? Oh, God! I¡¯m really missing out. I need to be at that hospital. But mum¡­she equally needs me. So, I¡¯m here with her. Shortly, the car came to a stop and I lifted my eyes to see we were in front of a red tattered building. What the heck? ¡°Is¡­Is this it?¡± I turned to mum and ask and she looked down at the paper in her hands. ¡°ording to the description, this is it. Come on¡± she said and opened the door, going out of the car. I opened the door and came out as well and almost found it difficult breathing because of how irritating the environment was. Geez! Does Anna Darius really live here? Mum went ahead of me to the door of the red building and by the time I got to where she was, she had already knocked. Okay; I think now I¡¯m feeling nervous. I mean, I¡¯ve always wanted to know the truth about my sister, but now I¡¯m on the verge of finding out, I suddenly feel scared and nervous. Mum knocked again and we heard some voices from inside. ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Kelly; for trying to think you can use me and dump me.¡± It was a female¡¯s voice. ¡°And you¡¯re nothing but a shameless slot. Do you really think I¡¯d want to spend the rest of my life with someone like you? Your hole¡¯s as wide as a bucket¡± It was a man¡¯s voice. But, what? ¡°I hate you! I swear, I¡¯m gonna make you pay! I hate you!¡± I looked at mum who also had a confused look on and immediately, the door flung open and a dowdy-lookig man showed up. He gave an angry re at mum and I and we quickly made way for him and he walked out. I turned and looked at him as he walked away and looked back to the door and since it was open, mum and I took a peep inside. ¡°Hello?¡± Mum called and a frazzled woman showed up. She was putting on a ck night gown, and she looked really scattered. ¡°Anna?!!¡± I heard mum shriek and I quickly took a proper look at her. Oh! She¡¯s Anna. She scoffed and shook her head, as if seeing something unbelievable. ¡°G¡­Grace???¡± She also called in surprise as her jaws dropped. Okay; this is really happening. She¡¯s Anna. ¡°Anna! You¡­¡± Mum tried speaking, but suddenly stopped, and shook her head. ¡°Grace¡­What are you doing here?¡± Anna asked and I saw mum made a fist with her hand. She was patently angry. ¡°Are you really asking me that? I¡¯ve been looking for you for over 20 years now and you¡¯re asking me such question? Where the hell¡¯s my daughter?¡± Mum asked angrily and I looked back at Anna. ¡°Wow!¡± She said andughed dryly. ¡°Are you really here to ask me that, Grace? It¡¯s been years now since you abandoned her. Did you really think I had ns of starting up a motherless baby home?¡± She asked with a streak of sadism. ¡°I searched everywhere for you, Anna, so don¡¯t speak that way to me! I had gone back to your old apartment not long after I left her with you, but I couldn¡¯t find you when I got there. And since then, I¡¯ve been searching desperately for you. So, don¡¯t tell me i abandoned her.¡± Mum said angrily and she chuckled. ¡°Well, Grace, there¡¯s no need to yell. The fact is, I have no idea where your daughter is. So, you can keep on the search¡± she said and I flinched. What¡¯s he talking about? ¡°I think you¡¯ve gone crazy, Anna. Where the hell¡¯s my daughter? I swear, I¡¯m gonna make you rot in jail if you don¡¯t tell me right now. I need my daughter!¡± Mum said, beginning to sound tearful and I had to ce my hand on her shoulder. Anna just scoffed and rolled her eyes. ¡°Listen to me, young woman¡± I suddenly said. ¡°Do you really think we left thefort of our homes to y jokes with you? My sister was left in your custody and now, you¡¯re telling us you don¡¯t know where she is? Really? Would you prefer telling it to the police instead?¡± She looked at me and scoffed. ¡°Listen to me, I don¡¯t get your point of yelling and threatening me. Olivia really went missing. I think it should be four years now or there about. She just left home and never returned and¡­I didn¡¯t bother looking for her. I mean, I felt she just got fed up with me and decided to run away. Besides, I felt those boys decided to be of help. So, they maybe, took her away¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°What boys?¡± Mum asked immediately. She paused and itched her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know; those wealthy boys. I caught one of them on two asions dropping her off at home. What do you call them again? Um¡­The loverboys?¡± She said and my eyes gleamed. Huh? 81 Kim¡¯s Pov: I exchanged a confused nce with mum as what Anna said seemed to confuse us. Why¡¯s she talking about the loverboys? ¡°The¡­The Loverboys?¡± Mum asked, perplexed. ¡°Yeah. Those popr musicians. I noticed she had some dealings with them. Although, I didn¡¯t really care, but¡­she went missing after some time and I figured they probably took her away to help her or something¡± she replied and my anxiety increased. What¡¯s she trying to say? That my supposed sister had something to do with the lover boys? That¡¯s not possible. ¡°Are¡­Are you sure? I mean, thisdy, she had a scar, right?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh! Seems you know about that already. Well, yeah. She had a scar and it kind of made her ugly.¡± She replied and shot mum a stare. Then, it¡¯s not possible she¡¯s with the loverboys because I haven¡¯t seen anyone with a scar around them. ¡°Which of the loverboys are you talking about, Anna?¡± Mum asked. ¡°I don¡¯t really remember. Please, Grace, I¡¯m sorry for what happened to your daughter; you never should¡¯ve dumped her with me in the first ce. I couldn¡¯t even take care of myself, not to mention taking care of someone else. Please, just let me. I don¡¯t want any more trouble. ¡°I don¡¯t have a single idea of Olivia¡¯s whereabouts, but you can go on and ask some the loverboys some questions. So please, stay away from me¡± Anna said and entered into the house, shutting the door immediately. I turned and looked at mum who also stared at me with perplexity. What¡¯s going on? Why¡¯s Anna referring us to the loverboys? How can she say my supposed sister had something with the loverboys? ¡°Come on, Kim¡± Mum said and hurriedly turned around, headed back to the car. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: (Ina) I was just a poor ugly girl who was always mocked and ridiculed by my peer mates because of the scar on my face. I grew up in the hands of an abusive woman ¨C Anna ¨C who always told me I was dumped by my mother who was a murderer. Not for once, did she ever show a single affection towards me, or something simr to affection. If not for the fact I had been smart enough to pass the schrship exams, I wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity of going to school at all. I was treated like a ve ¨C I barley ate, moved around in tattered clothes and barefooted. I was aughing stock and everybody derived pleasure in bullying me. To me, love was a strange thing as I had no idea what it felt like. I had no idea what it meant to be loved. The only thing that gave me a reason to be happy back then was music. I sang whenever I was alone and one day, I had met with the popr leader of the loverboys ¨C Theo. I always saw him on TV and enjoyed all his songs together with the rest of the boys. And I felt they were all gods. But that day, I had been alone, singing in the garden where I had gone to pick up trash. Theo showed up and to my greatest surprise, he told me he liked my voice. I got scared and ran away. But few weekster, we met again. He had knocked me down with his car and had taken me to the hospital. He was so friendly and I couldn¡¯tprehend it because that was the first time someone was being that way to me. Why was he different? I was poor, ugly and dirty. So, why was his attitude towards me different? He asked me to be his friend, but I refused. I had no idea what that meant and I was so scared. I was always scared. He made mee visiting most of the time and at a point, I preferred spending the whole of my time with him because he was the only one who made me felt human. The only one who made me know what affection was all about. I was still surprised to why he acted that way towards me, but I also became so fond of him. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d say I fell in love with him because back then, I had no idea what love was all about. But one thing was for sure, I liked him and always wanted to be around him. He had wanted to take me away from Anna, but I declined because I wanted to wait for my mum. I always had a feeling she¡¯d return someday for me. And even Anna said she dumped me, I still wanted to see her because I wanted to know what it felt like calling someone ¡°mum¡±. One day, Theo confessed his feelings to me. He told me he loved me and that was the biggest shock of my life. At that moment, I got a little feeling of what being in love meant. At that moment, I felt I was in love because he was the only one I liked. He was so good to me and it struck me to the guts because I was just too ugly for someone like him. Despite my appearance and background, he still cared for me and told me he loved me. I had wanted to ept him, but was. was scared to. It was the first time someone was saying such thing to me and I had no idea how it should be done. I told him to give me sometime because I didn¡¯t want to make a wrong decision; or let me just say I was scared. Yes, I really was. It got to a point that I felt I was also in love with him, but I was just scared and naive. Things were going on fine, but not until something happened. It was Alex;Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Yes, it was him. My Alex. He kidnapped me; uncannily, he did. I still have no idea what his reasons were because I was sure I didn¡¯t do anything to him. I pleaded with him that night as he struggled to sedate me. He turned deaf ears to my pleas and ended up abducting me and handing me over to some strange people. Thest thing I remembered was a woman ¨C Megan¡¯s mum ¨C injecting me with something and making me go into a deep sleep. That was all and the next time my eyes went open, I found myself in an hospital with Mr Raymond beside me. I couldn¡¯t remember a thing from my past and I had no idea who I was. But after that night at the bridge, when I heard alex say I was Olivia, the memories came shing back. Everything. Theo was my first crush; the only person that ever cared for me when everybody else saw me as dirt. The only person that overlooked my ugly nature and made me feel human. I¡¯m the reason he became monster, because Alex took me away from him. I¡¯m the reason he went too deep into revenge and did lots of crazy things which also affected me. He turned that way because of me. Oh, God! He¡¯s In love with me; I¡¯m his Olivia. But Alex¡­I¡¯m his Jeanne. I¡¯m in love with him. I care about him ¨C the same way I had cared for Theo. The baby ¨C my baby with Alex ¨C it means a lot to me. I¡¯ve always wanted to train him with Alex by my side. But, why does it seem soplicated now? I can¡¯t deny the fact that I liked Theo ¨C and he also loved me. Nor, Alex¡­I also love him as well and don¡¯t want to lose him. Theo was my first love ¨C the guy I loved as Olivia. But, Alex is my present love ¨C the guy I love as Jeanne. Why does this have to happen to me?. What¡¯s going on? And this deep slumber that I¡¯m in, I feel so scareding out of it. I¡¯m scared of what the circumstance would be. But, my baby¡­I don¡¯t want to lose it. I just need to be strong for it. But, the whole thing¡¯s soplicated. I¡¯m Theo¡¯s Olivia. And Alex¡¯s Jeanne. How do I exin it? How do I get out of this? Pen¡¯s Pov: I was so twitchy as I hurriedly folded the rest of the clothes into the bag. I really hope Megan¡¯s done packing up already. We need to get out of here. I can¡¯t believe the whole thing¡¯s busted. I tried so much to prevent this from happening. That was why I had taken her to a far away city and dumped her by the roadside. But, that man ¨C Mr Raymond ¨C had picked her and adopted her, which would¡¯ve been a good thing, but he brought her back here instead and that was when I started feeling insecured. Although, she had lost her memories, I was scared they might return if she got in contact with the lover boys. And now, it¡¯s all happening. I need to go far away from here before something else happens. I¡¯m pretty sure the client must¡¯ve known the truth has been spilled and he might be looking for me by now. Although, I no longer work with the agency, I was the one who has handled the case and I¡¯m sure he must be angrily searching for me. He wanted a clean job. He didn¡¯t want Olivia dead. No; he just wanted me to take her away, erase the scar on her face and make her lose her memories so there wouldn¡¯t be any link between her and the loverboys. He wanted everything done neatly and warned me never to expose his identify. But, now I¡¯m scared that¡¯s under probability, because if I get caught, I might have to reveal his identify. Gosh! The whole thing¡¯s aplete mess already. I locked up the luggage and started rolling it down the stairs to the sitting room. I found Megan there already, but she wasn¡¯t with her bags. ¡°Are you done parking?¡± I asked and she folded her hands and sighed. ¡°Mum, we really need to talk about this. What¡¯s going on? Why¡¯re we moving out?¡± She asked and I dipped my hand into my hair, trying to control my anger. Is this kid serious? ¡°Megan, for God¡¯s sake! I¡¯ve got no time to spend on aimless questions. I¡¯ve told you I¡¯d exin everything to you, but for now, we just need to move¡± I snapped. ¡°But mum¡­¡± ¡°Megan, quit talking and go get your things!¡± I cut her off angrily and she huffed. She slowly turned around and was about taking the stairs when we heard a knock on the door and she stopped and looked at me. ¡°Are you expecting someone?¡± I asked and she shook her head. I wasn¡¯t expecting anyone as well. Who could it be? She left the stairs and went to the door to check it out and when she opened it, surprisingly, it were policemen. Whaaat? They were three in number and two had guns with them. Megan flinched and moved back as they came into the house. ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m inspector rk and we have an arrest warrant for you. Please ma¡¯am, we¡¯d like you to follow us to the station¡± one of them brought out his ID and said and my feet wobbled. Oh, my God! ¡°I¡­You¡­You can¡¯t do that. I¡­I haven¡¯t done anything wrong¡± I stuttered nervously. ¡°Please ma¡¯am, we¡¯d want you to remain silent¡± another said as he brought out a handcuff and came towards me. ¡°M¡­Mum?¡± Megan called in shock, staring at me. My heart was beating so fast. Who did this to me? Alex¡­He promised he wouldn¡¯t involve me with the police. How can this happen? Oh, God! This cannot be. What do I do? 82 Alex¡¯s Pov: I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. I really wanted to see Jeanne at all cost. After much pleadings, mum finally spoke to the doctor to free me of the handcuffs and they did. Even if I told her I could walk on my own, she still supported me to the room where Jeanne was. I walked in and found her lying quietly on the bed, looking like someone who was in a deep slumber ¨C so innocent. Mum stood behind by the door, while I proceeded to the bed so I could be close to Jeanne. I stared at her as she looked so beautiful even in her sleep. Who would ever believe she was that same girl? So ugly and naive? How did she get to change this much? I took her hand into mine and kissed it. The doctor had said the baby was still intact. But, for how long will it be safe if she remains in this condition? Oh Jeanne! What will her reaction be when she wakes up? Will she hate me or still love me? I know what I did to her was wrong, but I never wanted to. My hands were tied. My mum¡¯s life was at stake. I just wanted to save her. But, that was why I kept looking for Pen after the incidence. I never gave up in looking for her cause I had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t be dead. I knew if they had wanted to kill her, they wouldn¡¯t had gone through the stress and risk of making me abduct her before handing her to them. They would¡¯ve simply spotted her and killed her instead having my involved. I knew they had different ns for her. That was why I felt she wasn¡¯t dead and kept looking for her. But, why does she have to turn out to be Jeanne? My Jeanne? I have so many ns for her. why does it have to be my Jeanne? The same girl I¡¯ve been wishing to find and give back to Theo. I ced her palm on my cheek and stared into her face. I love you, Jeanne and I don¡¯t ever want to lose you. Please, don¡¯t hate me when the truth finally gets known to you. Just remember everything I¡¯ve said to you and what you mean to me. Mum came and tapped me from behind and that was when I noticed the tears that were soaked on her palms. I had actually been crying. I cleaned off the tears from her palm and looked at mum who signalled me to stand so we could return to my room. She had told me she wouldn¡¯t want me to stay long over here. I looked back at Jeanne and nted a kiss on her forehead and mum supported me to stand afterwards. I stood up and we left the room together and right outside the room, we met Carl, Daniel and Malcolm, who seemed to be waiting for us. ¡°Alex¡± Malcolm called as mum and I stopped walking. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling now?¡± Daniel asked and I touched my forehead. ¡°I¡¯m better now.¡± I replied perfunctorily. But really, I felt better. The only thing making me feel weak was Jeanne. ¡°Um¡­We got a call from the police. They¡¯ve gotten hold of the woman ¨C Pen¡± Carl said and it gave me a little relief. Finally, we might get to the bottom of all these. Why did she request for Olivia in exchange for my mum? That bitch; she¡¯s the reason all these is happening. I can¡¯t wait toy my hands on her. Immediately, I saw someoneing from behind and it made my heart leap. It was Theo. He came in quietly with a brood look and the rest of the boys turned to have a look at him. ¡°Theo?¡± Malcolm called in surprise as he got to where we were. I felt a slight pain in my heart as he stood in front of us. I never thought of seeing him anytime soon. I didn¡¯t want to see him¡­I just wasn¡¯t ready to. Why¡¯s he here? ¡°What re you doing here, Theo?¡± Carl asked with a huff, but Theo maintained a straight face. He looked really pale and sick; I¡¯ve never seen such look in his eyes before. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still have the guts to show up here after everything you¡¯ve done, Theo¡± Malcolm also said angrily. I just kept staring at him. ¡°Please¡­¡± he started with a crack in his voice. ¡°I just want to see Jeanne¡± Carl scoffed and went ahead to hold him by his cors. ¡°Really? After pushing her off the bridge?!¡± He asked raucously but Theo didn¡¯t react. They had no idea Jeanne was Olivia yet. I still haven¡¯t told them about It. ¡°Let him go¡± I suddenly said and they all turned to look at me. This time around, I was staring at the floor. ¡°He¡¯s free to see her¡± I added and Carl let go of his cors to take a proper look at me. ¡°Are you serious, Alex? If I¡¯m not mistaken, this guy actually¡­¡± ¡°Please Carl, just let him be¡± I interrupted him and he shook his head and walked out. I looked at Theo who also stared back at me and slowly, he opened the door and went into the room. Theo¡¯s Pov: I walked into the room and stood at a distance from the bed, staring at Jeanne on the bed. hold on; that¡¯s Olivia. My Olivia. I scoffed and took a step closer. Somehow, I actually felt scared being close to her. I finally stood by the bed and stared into her face as she slept so soundly. Oh, God! Is this for real? She¡¯s Olivia? How¡­How did this happen? I touched her face and wept. I had almost given up when Alex told me about it. What happened to her scar? Why did they erase it? Why did they make it so difficult for me to recognise her?C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. No wonder I found it difficult killing her when I returned. I couldn¡¯t exin it, I just never wanted to kill her. But since I wanted to get back at Alex, I decided to make her suffer. Oh, God! I hurt her so baldy. I almost killed her. I made her go through excruciating pains. How could I be so stupid? How could I do that to my Olivia? The only girl I ever loved? I bent my head and wept bitterly and the tears dripped from my eyes to her shirt. So, she was alive the whole time? I searched for her, but couldn¡¯t find her because she had a different look. But, I shouldve searched deeper. Why did I get so carried away by revenge? Love turned me into a monster, but I never shouldve poured out my anger on her. I had no idea. What have I done? I ced her palm on my cheeks and wept uncontrobly. This feeling¡­it¡¯s worst than what I felt when Alex took her away from me. I feel like giving up. I¡¯ll never forgive myself if something happens to her. ¡°Please Jeanne¡­¡± I found myself whimpering. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±. I¡¯ve always been a good boy ¨C a simple guy who was scared to love. But, everything changed when I met her. She was ugly, but I still liked her. I wanted her. How did things get to change so drastically? I almost killed the samedy I¡¯ve been crazy about. How could I do? Why was I so dumb? I cried bitterly for a long time. I wouldn¡¯t know what to do if I lost her. She¡¯s the only girl that¡¯s ever been able to capture my heart. What will she think about me when she wakes up? Will she ever forgive me? Will her memories return? And will she remember I was her first love? But¡­she¡¯s pregnant for Alex. Oh, God! How did this happen? Why does such misfortune have to be fall me? Oh, God! Jeanne! . Alex¡¯s Pov: I stood outside by the window and watch Theo as he kept crying in the room and I felt so weak. What could possibly be running through his mind? I know he must have a lot of regrets, but what else could he have in mind? My greatest fear was there, but I didn¡¯t want to think about it. I just didn¡¯t want to. I couldn¡¯t bare it. I felt a hand touch me and I sniffed. ¡°Come on, Alex, we need to go back to the room¡± mum said, but I kept quiet and continued staring at the window. I was so troubled and scared ¨C scared of what might happen; cause one thing is for sure- I didn¡¯t want to lose Jeanne. Suddenly, I saw Kim and her muming in and her mum actually looked like someone who was being chased. I turned away from the window to take a proper look at them as they walked in hurriedly and stopped in front of me. ¡°Good day, Mrs Per¡­¡± mum tried greeting, but she cut her off. ¡°Alex, we need to talk¡± she said in a deep breath and it got me curious. I looked at Kim and she was staring back at me. Does she have something to do with this? ¡°I¡¯m looking for my daughter¡± Mrs Percival said and I flinched. What daughter? ¡°Your daughter?¡± Mum asked, equally confused. ¡°It¡¯s¡­It¡¯s a long story, but, Alex, what do you know about a young girl with aa scar four years ago?¡± She asked, making me more bemused. A scar??? Four years ago? ¡°What¡­What re you talking about?¡± I asked, wondering if it was just a coincidence. ¡°I had left her in the care of a friend of mine when I had given birth to her and for years now, I¡¯ve been searching for her. ¡°But today, I finally got to meet this friend of mine and she told me she went missing four years ago. And she also told me you guys had something to do with it¡± she exined anxiously. No; this is not possible. Could it be¡­ ¡°Her name is Olivia¡± Kim chipped in and my eyes beamed. What? ¡°Olivia?¡± I repeated with disbelieve and Mrs Percival nodded desperately. I looked back at the window where sheid and looked back at them. ¡°But, that¡¯s¡­that¡¯s Jeanne¡± I said and Kim¡¯s jaws dropped. This is unbelievable. ¡°What?¡± She shrieked. 83 Kim¡¯s Pov: I opened my mouth in shock as Alex said what seemed confusing to me. What¡¯s he talking about? Why¡¯s he involving Jeanne? I mean¡­ ¡°Je¡­Jeanne?¡± Mum asked, confused and Alex scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but¡­that¡¯s what it seems. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m just getting to find out as well.¡± He started saying some shit about Jeanne being Olivia in the past and how Theo had seen and loved her, but she was kidnapped and went missing for four years. She was made to lose her memories and got rid of the scar on her face and her adopted father was the one who had seen and helped her. She started bearing the name ¡®Jeanne¡¯ but recently, they got to know she¡¯s Olivia. I scoffed and retreated back by the time he was done. What the hell does he mean? Jeanne¡­Jeanne¡¯s my¡­ No, it can¡¯t be possible. I don¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s just not possible. ¡°Are you trying to say¡­Jeanne¡¯s actually my daughter?¡± Mum asked with a crack voice, trying to hold back her tears. ¡°Well¡­I¡­I think so. The description fits. Jeanne was Olivia, she had a scar, she was dumped her by her mother and also went missing four ago. It might be possible. But¡­I think a DNA test will prove it all¡± Alex replied and mum busted into tears immediately. ¡°Oh, God!¡± She cried and buried her face in her palm. Mrs Tristan looked confused, but still went ahead to embrace her. I shook my head and looked at Alex who was staring back at me. I didn¡¯t realise I was crying already. Jeanne¡¯s my sister? How¡¯s that possible? She¡¯s¡­She¡¯s the girl we¡¯ve been searching for all these while? But¡­But I¡¯ve always hated her. I¡¯ve always despised her. I even mocked her with the fact she had no family. How did she end up to be my sister? How¡­Why? How did this happen? I covered my mouth with my palm and wept uncontrobly. Jeanne¡¯s my sister? My own sister?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Oh, God! I want this to be a dream. Please, this shouldn¡¯t be real. The same girl I¡¯ve always wanted turns out to be my own sister? Why? The tears became uncontrobly and I ran away. Alex¡¯s Pov: I watched Kim as she ran away in tears. I was also stunned to the guts. But, is this really possible? Jeanne¡¯s her sister? Mrs Percival had another daughter? But how? Oh, God! So Jeanne¡¯s family has been here all these while? And she was maltreated by her own sister? She went through hell in the hands of that woman whom she had stayed with, but never knew she had a filthy wealthy family where she should¡¯ve been treated like a princess. Why did Mrs Percival dump her in the first ce? What could possibly be her reason for leaving her daughter behind for all those years? No matter what, she shouldn¡¯t had done that. She should¡¯ve sticked to her, instead leaving her in the hands of a crazy woman. Oh, Jeanne. Theo¡¯s Pov: After spending enough time with Jeanne in the room, I left the hospital without telling anyone about it. I had something important to deal with. I entered my car and drove straight to the station. I went in and spoke to the policemen and they took me to the visitor¡¯s room. It was a dark room and two seats with a table in between was kept there, but I didn¡¯t bother taking a seat. I remained standing and waited and after a short while, the policemen came in with her and made her sit on one of the seats, facing me. Normally, one of them was supposed to stand by as a guard, but when I had given a long stare at them, they all left the room, leaving just I and the bitch ¨C Pen. I crossed my hands behind my back and stared at her as she sat sofortably. ¡°Hi¡± she said cheerlessly, itching her hair. ¡°Never thought anyone would want to see me.¡± She paused andughed dryly. ¡°Got a stick with you?¡± She asked, stretching out her palm and immediately, I charged towards her with full force and lifted her from the seat, pushing her roughly to the wall. ¡°You animal¡± I growled into her face, holding her neck and she coughed. ¡°I should¡¯ve killed you years ago¡±. She kept coughing and not wanting the policemen toe running in, I let go of her. ¡°What did I ever do to you? Why did you punish me this way? Why did you take Olivia away from me?¡± I asked and she added a littleughter after coughing. ¡°Seriously? Is this what you came to do? I thought you came to give me some pizzas¡± she said with a smirk and it hit me hard. I pped her hard with the back of my palm and a cut came up immediately. Then, I pinned her to the wall again. ¡°You had better prayed they end up killing you in here. Because of you don¡¯t get a death sentence, I¡¯m gonna kill you myself and trust me, it¡¯ll be hell on earth.¡± I said angrily and gave her a punch on her tummy and she groaned in pains. ¡°Why am I being the one punished when the real criminal Is out there?¡± She asked painfully, almost screaming and it gripped my attention. I let go of her and moved back a bit so I could have a proper look at her. The real criminal? She was sent by someone? I¡¯ve always thought of it. She coughed a little and cleaned off a little bloodstain on her lips with her index finger and stared at it. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever wondered?¡± She asked with a scoff. ¡°Do you think I just stayed on my own and decided to abduct Olivia, erase her scar and memories? What could I possibly benefit from that?¡± I stared at her for a long time, trying to fathom it. ¡°Who was it?¡± I asked in a deep breath with a gush of curiosity. She smirked and walked a few steps away, going round the table. Then, she stopped across the table and looked at me and just as if she was counting her words, she began in a serene tone: ¡°Someone you call a friend; Someone you call a brother; Someone you¡¯re ready to die for; A loverboy. 84 Theo¡¯s Pov: My jaws dropped at what she said. I heard a loud bang in my head as the whole ce seemed to go around in circles for a while. Did¡­Did she just say a loverboy? One of the lover boys is behind everything that¡¯s been happening? He¡­ No; It¡¯s not possible. I stared at her as she also threw hard nces at me. Her words resounded in my head. ¡°What¡­what did you say?¡± I asked and she scoffed and crossed her hands. ¡°Do I need to repeat myself? I¡¯m sure I was clearclear enough¡± she replied with a derogatory stare. I took my eyes to the floor and took in a deep breath. No; It can¡¯t be. It¡¯s not possible. ¡°Who was it?¡± I summoned enough courage and asked because somehow, I felt. felt scared asking. She smiled and batted hershes. ¡°Well, what do you think?¡±she asked. I didn¡¯t say a word but kept staring keenly at her and she didn¡¯t say a word either. ¡°Who -was -it?¡± I asked, picking my words this time around. I could feel . my whole systems vibrating. ¡°That¡¯s left for you to decide¡± she replied and tried walking away and immediately, I gripped her and bounced on her. I gave her several punches which made her scream and I pinned her to the wall, holding her neck. ¡°Who was it?!¡± I yelled into her face as she struggled with my hands and immediately, the police men came running in. ¡°Sir!¡± They called and forcefully pulled me away from her. She started coughing uncontrobly. ¡°She¡¯s hiding something. I need to speak with her¡± I said angrily and tried going back to her, but they restricted me. ¡°Sir please; don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take care of lt¡±. ¡°Please, calm down¡±. They all tried cating me, but my eyes were still fixed on her. What did she mean by that? Damn it! The rest of the men started taking her away as she continued coughing and at that point, as she was being taken away, I saw her smile at me.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Kim¡¯s Pov: I stood with mum in Jeanne¡¯s ward, staring at her as she slept. Mum was sitting on the bed, holding her hand, while I remained standing from a distance. I kept sniffling the whole time as I stared at thedy in front of me who was said to be my sister and I wonder; Could it be true? Is Jeanne really my sister? ¡°The first time I met her¡± mum said soberly. ¡°She was so sweet. I had mistakenly sshed mud water on her with my car, but she didn¡¯t evenin or re. She didn¡¯t even want me to wipe off the dirt from her shirt. She was so genial¡±. She paused and snuffle. ¡°No wonder I felt different about her¡± she continued. ¡°She had looked really familiar to me and I felt it. it just never urred to me.¡± I remained speechless, not knowing what to say. I just hope this isn¡¯t true. I hope it¡¯s a mix up and a coincidence. A strand of her hair has been matched with mum¡¯s and the result will be out soon. Only then will I believe it. It just can¡¯t be possible. What¡¯s going to happen if she wakes up and discovers we¡¯re actually sisters? What will her reaction be? God, please. Don¡¯t make this happen. I don¡¯t want Jeanne to be my sister. You can chose any other person, but not Jeanne. The door opened with a creaky sound and I wiped my face and turned to have a look and there I found the doctoring in with a white sheet. ¡°Mrs Percival¡± he called and mum stood up from the bed immediately, also cleaning off her tears. ¡°The DNA test result is out¡± he said and my heart skipped. ¡°What does it say?¡± I asked, even before mum did. The doctor cleared his throat a little and pulled a brood look before looking into the paper. What¡¯s wrong? ¡°Actually, the result is¡­¡± 85 Kim¡¯s Pov: ¡°Actually, the result is positive¡± the doctor said and I heard a loud bang in my head. Oh, God! What??? Mum covered her mouth with her palm and looked back at Jeanne on the bed with tears. ¡°Po¡­Positive?¡± I asked with disbelieve and the doctor nodded. I slowly turned to Jeanne on the bed as a tear escaped my eye. Is this for real? We¡¯re sisters? She¡¯s my sister? Mum had already resumed sitting on the bed, crying profusely. At that point, I couldn¡¯t tell if I were to cry or something. I just continued staring nkly at Jeanne on the bed. So,, she¡¯s really my sister? We share the same blood? But how? why does it have to turn out to be her? I felt the doctor ce his hand on my shoulder and more tears came streaming down. How can this happen? Why does she have to be my sister? Megan¡¯s Pov: I sat in the visitor¡¯s room, fiddling with my hands as I awaited mum to brought out. I felt so nervous and scared cause I¡¯ve never dreamt of being in a station; ever. Soon, I saw the door open and one of the policemen came in with her. My jaws dropped open immediately. Oh, my God! Is this my mum? She was held by the arm and brought to the table where I sat. Then, she sat facing me, afterwards. The officer went ahead to stand by the door. I stared at mum and couldn¡¯t believe it. She looked so tattered and bruised. ¡°Did you juste over to stare at me all day?¡± She asked and itched her ruffled hair. ¡°M¡­Mum¡± I called with a crack in my voice as a result of the tears that were almosting up. I just couldn¡¯t believe it. I bent my head as I felt a tear rolling down and I quickly wiped it off. ¡°What happened, mum?¡± I asked with a sniff and lifted my head to look at her. ¡°is¡­is it true? Are you really a c¡­criminal?¡± I asked, but she didn¡¯t say a word. I tucked my hair behind my ear and tried not to weep again. ¡°How did this happen to you, mum? How did you get involved in this?¡± I asked tearfully and bent my head in sombre again. ¡°I grew up without a family¡± I heard her say after a while and I lifted my head to look at her.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I grew up in a situation where just the fittest survives. I was a street girl who went through hell just to make ends meet. I can¡¯t even start mentioning all I went through cause I don¡¯t think 24 hours will be enough. And as a result, I made a promise to myself; I swore I¡¯d never be poor again in life. ¡°I became a stripper at the age of 14 and gave birth to you at the age of 15. I guess you should know what that means. It wasn¡¯t funny¡±. I stared at her in shock. At the age of 15? No wonder we look sisters. ¡°Don¡¯t even ask me about your father cause I also have no idea. I slept with lots of men back then and have no idea which of their sperms created you. ¡°I started working for the secret illegal corporation at the age of 18 and that was how I became filthy rich and provided you with the luxury of life you have. ¡°But, I got fed up with it and thought of living a peaceful life afterwards. So, I quit. But unfortunately, nemesis caught up with me. So, I¡¯m here in a cell¡± she concluded with a shrug and only then did I realise I was shedding tears like rainfall. She took in a deep breath and leaned forward on the table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Megan, for everything. I know I¡¯m the worst mother one could ever ask for. Well, the truth is, I never experienced any love from a mother either. So, I had no idea how to be one. ¡°When I had gotten pregnant with you, my friends advised me to get rid of it. But somehow, I just didn¡¯t want to. Despite the fact I knew nothing about motherhood, I just didn¡¯t feel like killing my own baby. And when I gave birth to you, I was happy, just that¡­I never knew how to be a mother¡± She paused and itched her nape. ¡°2135 and 4477; those are the pins to both my ounts. You can start operating them. The house is yours, the cars; just live and befortable. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t even have a single rtive you can hook up with it. My life¡¯s really a mess, isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked and scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re now on your own, Megan. Once again, sorry for everything¡± she concluded and leaned back on her chair. I bent my head and wept bitterly. I felt my heart tearing apart. The officer at the door came up immediately. ¡°Sorry ma¡¯am, but your time is up¡± he said to me as he held mum by the arm. I watched him make mum stand and more tears filled my eyes. I stood up immediately and ran to her, embracing her tight. I can¡¯t even remember thest time I held her this way. I heard her sigh as she rubbed my back. ¡°I love you, mum¡± I whimpered. That was the first time I was saying that to her. ¡°Even if you¡¯re bad, I still love you¡± I added with my voice wavering. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear that from you¡± she said and pulled away from the hug, staring into. my face. ¡°Take care of yourself¡± she added and walked away with the policeman while I watched amidst tears. Theo¡¯s Pov: I drove back to the hospital after a while. Pen¡¯s words kept reying in my head: *Someone you call a friend; Someone you call a brother; Someone you¡¯re ready to die for; A loverboy* *A loverboy* A_loverboy I couldn¡¯t get over it. Could it be real? Was one of the Loverboys really behind everything that¡¯s happened? Or, is it possible she was just bluffing? My head kept muzzing with different thoughts. How . can a loverboy plot something like that? What could possibly be his reason to betray us? And who could It be? Alex ¨C no. It couldn¡¯t be him. He¡¯s gone through a lot already and he wouldn¡¯t if he was actually the one behind it. Carl? Daniel? Malcolm? Who?!!! I hit the sterling hard with my hand. Who the hell could it be? Who could¡¯ve nned such evil against us? Who did this to me? Mrs Percival¡¯s Pov: I sat all alone in Jeanne¡¯s ward, staring into her face. When was she ever going to wake up? I still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s my daughter. The mere thought of it brings tears to my eyes. I took her palm into mine and kissed it. I remembered when I had given birth to her. She was so sweet and pretty. Even if if I couldn¡¯t get to hold her for long, I still enjoyed the little time I spent with her. When she cried in my arms¡­I never wanted to let her go. Will she ever forgive me for leaving her behind and making her pass through hell? Will she be able to ept me and love me as her mother? Will she? I bent my head and wept and the tears from eyes fell on her palm. ¡°I love you, Jeanne¡± I said ruefully. ¡°And I want you to know I never wanted to leave you behind. I just didn¡¯t want to endanger you¡±. I paused and kissed her palm. ¡°Please baby;e back to mummy. I¡¯ve been away from you for 20 years now. I promise never to leave you again. And I promise to make sure you receive all the motherly care and love you deserve. ¡°Just open your eyes, okay? Please¡±. I ced my cheek on her palm and wept. I felt so bittered. Why wouldn¡¯t she wake up? I¡¯ve missed her already. I leaned forward and kissed her forehead and a tear fell on her lips in the process. I used my palm to wipe it off slowly and immediately, I heard something beeping rapidly. I looked around and discovered it was the anaesthetic machine. What??? My eyes were almost bulging out as I took them back to Jeanne and found her index finger tap on the bed. ¡°J¡­Jeanne?¡± I called in conniption and sprang on my feet immediately. ¡°Doctor? Doctor? Nurse?¡± I ran out of the room, calling aloud and the doctors and nurses came running to me immediately. ¡°My¡­My daughter. She¡­she moved a finger. I saw it. I saw it¡± I said with deep breaths and the doctors and nurses ran into the room immediately. I wasn¡¯t allowed to go in and I rushed to the big window immediately. My screams had attracted a lot of people as suddenly, Alex, Hetty, Mrs Tristan, the rest of the Loverboys came running out as well. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mrs Tristan asked as they all came to me at the window. I couldn¡¯t even say a word as I just watched intensely. Oh, God! Please. I heard someone rush in as well and realised it was Theo. We all stood at the window, speechless. I saw the doctors and nurses work on her and soon, her fluttering lids finally opened. Oh, my God! ¡°Jeanne¡± I heard someone call faintly and guessed it was Alex. I watched her as she slowly turned her head to the direction of the window like she was staring at us. ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡± Hetty gasped. 86 Alex¡¯s Pov: I stood impatiently in the waiting room with the rest as we awaited some news regarding Jeanne¡¯s state. I was so restless. I mean,. she opened her eyes! Yes she did. She was awake! Oh, God! I so much wanted this to be real. I wanted this not to be a dream. It was going to be the best thing ever if she finally wakes up. Mum had tried persuading me to go back to bed, but I wouldn¡¯t listen. There was no way I could be at peace, knowing Jeanne was probably awake. We all waited anxiously and after a while, the doctor showed up and told us she was fully awake. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I sat on the bed as a nurse kept checking me with a stethoscope. I still felt kind of weak and dizzy, but couldn¡¯t think of falling asleep at that moment. After the doctor left, the door opened and expectedly, they all came in. My heart skipped at the sight of Theo and Alex. Oh, God! I can¡¯t take this. ¡°Jeanne!¡± Hetty called and ran to me immediately, embracing me. ¡°Oh, my God! You scared the hell out of us, jen. How¡¯re you feeling?¡± She asked worried. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine now¡± I replied and looked at Mrs Percival ¨C my¡­my mum? I had overheard everything in my deep sleep. Her voice was part of the reason I had woken up. But, could everything be true? Was she really my mothe? ¡°Jeanne¡± she called and moved closer to me, taking slow steps. ¡°You¡­You¡¯re awake¡±. I took my eyes to the floor as she came to the bed and sat in front of me. She took my hand, but I withdrew it immediately. Was she really my mother? And Kim¡­my sister? ¡°Jeanne¡± she called tearfully. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re my mother?¡± I cut her off and she looked at me in surprise. She probably didn¡¯t think I¡¯d hear her. ¡°Is it true?¡± I asked and she started crying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± she whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for leaving you behind. I never wanted to. Please dear, forgive me¡±. She sobbed and tried holding my hand again and this time around, I couldn¡¯t resist her. But was this possible? Was Mrs Percival really my mother? All these while¡­she was my mother? And Kim my sister? Oh, God! Kim of all people? She wasn¡¯t even here in the room. ¡°Please baby, forgive me. I promise I¡¯ll exin everything to you. But for now, I just want you to forgive me, please¡±. She said and pulled me in a hug and I wept on her shoulders. I¡¯ve always dreamt of seeing my mum. She was the reason I couldn¡¯t leave Anna to go with Theo back then . And that was because I had fate she was going to return. But now, I¡¯ve finally gotten to see her, I don¡¯t know, but I feel so angry. Why did she ever leave me in the first ce? Why did she let me go through so much pains? And Kim¡­so, we¡¯re sisters? The same person that hated me for no reason and bullied me cause I didn¡¯t have a family? She¡¯s my sister? Kim¡¯s Pov: I sat quietly in the room, facing the window with Eva and Joyce behind me. I had been crying the whole time and Eva and Joyce had been trying to console me. ¡°This is really unbelievable¡± Eva muttered with a lifted cigarette her hand. ¡°So, the nobody actually turned out to be your sister- your only sibling¡±. ¡°So, what re you gonna do, Kim? Are you ready to ept her?¡± Joyce asked and I took in a deep breath. ¡°My measure concern right now is how to reconcile with her. I¡¯ve also been thinking about it. ¡°I don¡¯t have any intentions of being an enemy to my only sister. But¡­considering the fact it¡¯s Jeanne¡­and everything I¡¯ve done to her¡± I paused and shook my head. ¡°I really don¡¯t know, girls.¡±. ¡°And¡­If you really wanna reconcile with her, does that mean you¡¯re going to give up on Alex?¡± Eva asked and my heart leapt immediately. Give up on Alex? I can¡¯t; I don¡¯t want to. But¡­ Oh, heavens. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Joyce suddenly shriek, looking into her phone. Eva and I quickly turned to look at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eva asked curiously. ¡°My sister just sent a text to me. She said one of her friends is actually a nurse there at the Capitol hospital. And guess what she found? Jeanne¡¯s pregnant¡±. She replied and I felt fireworks all over my body. ¡°What???¡± I screamed. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I pulled away from the hug and looked at her in the face. ¡°Do you forgive me?¡± She asked but I couldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Jeanne¡± she called tenderly and held my palm. ¡°Why did you ever leave me?¡± I asked soberly. ¡°Was I really such a burden that you had to leave me with an whore?¡± She bent her head and busted into more tears and I felt my heart melting. ¡°Jeanne¡± Hettty called and ced her hand on my shoulder. She gave me a prodding look and slowly, I embraced her ¨C mum. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Jeanne; please forgive me¡± she cried as we hugged. I still felt angry, but somehow, I couldn¡¯t just watch her cry. I unlocked from the hug and cleaned off my own tears. Alex and Theo were just silent the whole time, probably not knowing what to say. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling, Jeanne?¡± Mrs Tristan asked and I sniffed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. ¡°Um¡­Please¡±:I paused and took my eyes to the floor.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°if you wouldn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d want everyone to leave the room. I want to have a word with Theo and Alex in private¡±. 87 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Every one was kind of surprised at my request, but they had to sumb. ¡°Um¡­are you sure you¡¯ll be fine?¡± Hetty asked and I just nodded. I could tell Mrs Percival ¨C mum ¨C was staring at me, but I didn¡¯t want to look at him. She stood up and left the room with the rest, while Theo and Alex stayed behind. Okay; now this is more difficult than I thought. How do I face them? What I have to say is important, but how do I say it? Both of them are really important to me, and I can¡¯t imagine what could possibly be running through their minds. ¡°Um¡­hi¡± I said in a feeble voice, staring at the floor. ¡°Jeanne¡± Alex called. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine¡± I replied. I looked at Theo who was staring silently at me. It was obvious he was dying of regrets. This was the same guy I yed around with; yet the same guy that almost killed me. . ¡°I asked to speak with both of you because¡­I wanted you to know I have my memories back and I recall everything that¡¯s happened between us. ¡°Theo¡­you were kind to me from the very start; loved me when no one cares for me. But, youter turned out to be my nightmare and almost killed me. ¡°Alex¡­you put my life at risk, handed me over to the criminals. But, I met and fell in love with you and you took great care of me; risked your life for mine¡± I paused and sighed. ¡°in everything, I just want you guys to know I hold no grudges against you. I¡¯ve decided to bury the past and forgive you both for the pains you made me go through in your own way. ¡°And I¡¯d want you, Theo, to please, forgive Alex for what he did. At least¡­I¡¯m alive. So, there¡¯s no more reason for vengeance. ¡°And Alex¡­Please, I¡¯d want you to forgive him as well, for whatever pains he¡¯s made you go through over thest four years. I¡¯d so much want that old friendship of yours to resume¡± I said conclusively, but they didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Jeanne¡± Theo finally broke the brooding silence. ¡°I um.. I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay. And¡­Thank you for forgiving me. ¡°And I just want you to know I regret every single pain I made you go through. If there was something I could do to revise the hands of time and treat you better, I¡¯d have done it. ¡°But since you¡¯ve forgotten me, thanks.¡± I stared at him and released a light smile, then look back at Alex. I couldn¡¯t deny it; the thought came shing through my mind; that dreadful thought. But, I didn¡¯t want to think about it. No; I couldn¡¯t. ¡°Are you fine¡­and the baby?¡± Alex asked after a little silence and it sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Y¡­Yes¡± I bent my head and replied. ¡°Uh¡­don¡¯t you think you need more . rest?¡± Theo asked and I shook my head. Immediately, we heard a knock on the door and it made me wonder who it was since I had told them I needed a moment with Theo and Alex. ¡°Y¡­Yes¡± I replied, since Theo and Alex remained silent. Then, the door opened and Kim came In. Woah. Kim? What¡¯s she doing here? Wow! I never thought she¡¯d ever show up here to see me. Or, could it be possible she¡¯s here to bully me as always? ¡°Um¡­¡± she stuttered when she came in and looked at Theo and Alex. ¡°Sorry, I¡­I had no idea you¡¯d be busy. I just wanted to have a word with¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Theo cut in. ¡°You can go ahead¡±. He turned and gave Alex a stare which I didn¡¯t understand and they left the room together. I took my eyes to the floor as I felt Kiming closer. ¡°Um.. Jeanne¡± she called but I still couldn¡¯t look at her. I just kept staring at the floor. What does she want to say? Geez! I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s my sister. I mean, all these while, I never felt a thing and neither did she. She stood in front of me and interlocked her fingers. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± She asked and it sounded so strange hearing it from her. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine¡± I replied and cleared my throat. I heard her heave a huge sigh. ¡°I was surprised as well when I heard the news¡± she said. ¡°i mean¡­it¡¯s really strange isn¡¯t it? Who would¡¯ve ever thought we were sisters?¡± She paused and sighed again. I could imagine how heavy it must be for her. ¡°Jeanne¡­I don¡¯t know how this might be sound to you, but I want you to know I¡¯m really sorry for everything that¡¯s happened between us. I¡¯m sorry for all the ill treatments I made you go through. And all the time I mocked you about your family. I just want you to know I¡¯m sorry and I deeply ask for your forgiveness¡±. I was forced to look at her when she was done cause it was too shocking. Was that reallying from Kim? The rude model? Wow! Was this a dream or what? She stared into my eyes with a pathetic look and I slowly stood on my feet. ¡°Well¡­I guess, you¡¯re right. Who would¡¯ve ever thought we were sisters?¡± I asked and chuckled. ¡°you know, I¡¯ve always liked you, Kim. I mean, you were my role model. But, I became heartbroken when you started acting strange towards me ¨C always picking on me for no reason. ¡°But you know what? It¡¯s okay. I mean, I can¡¯t stay mad at my only sister. So, yeah; I forgive you¡±. Her eyes beamed immediately as she smiled. ¡°You¡­You do?¡± She asked and I smiled and embraced her. Alex¡¯s Pov: Theo had signalled me to follow him out and when I did, he took me to a quiet room. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I asked when we got to the room and he went ahead to stand by the windows, backing me. ¡°I guess we have a lot to talk about¡± he said after taking a deep breath. ¡°But first and most importantly, I want to apologise for everything I did. Although, I¡¯m not the only one at fault, but I just want you to know I¡¯m deeply sorry¡± he said, calmly, staring out the window. ¡°Yeah. And I guess I owe you an apology as well. I¡¯m sorry for betraying you in the past. My hands were tied and you know it. But, I¡¯m sorry¡± I replied. He didn¡¯t say a word and we both kept silent for a while. ¡°I spoke to Pen¡± he broke the silence. ¡°I went to see her at the cell today and she gave me a hint on who had paid her to do what she did.¡± I arched my brows as it gripped my attention. ¡°Well¡­who¡¯s it?¡± I asked curiously and he dallied for a moment. ¡°She said it¡¯s a loverboy¡± he replied and I almost fell due to the shock I received. What? A¡­A what? What the hell¡¯s that? ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand. What loverboy?¡± I asked confounded. It just wasn¡¯t possible. ¡°Well, she wouldn¡¯t say. and the police didn¡¯t give me enough time with her and insisted on handling it themselves. So, I had no idea¡± he replied and I felt my heart beating rapidly. No; she¡¯s probably lying. I mean, I know she was definitely sent by someone, but not a loverboy. I mean, no; it can¡¯t be. Who would ever do such a thing?C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Alex¡± Theo called, but I couldn¡¯t answer at that moment as my lips were too heavy to say a thing. Who among the rest of the boys could be a traitor? ¡°Alex, we need to talk¡± he said, but I still couldn¡¯t say anything. But, I felt my heart skip when I heard him call her name. ¡°We need to talk about Jeanne¡±. What? 88 Alex¡¯s Pov:Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. My curiosity increased. What does he want us to talk about Jeanne? ¡°You know, I love her, Alex¡± he said. ¡°She was my first love; despite the fact she was ugly. She was the reason I became a monster. It was all because of my love for her.¡± He paused and turned to look at me. ¡°Neither of us nned for this to happen. But I want you to know, Alex, that I still love her¡± he added and my heart skipped. What? I heard a loud bang in my head as conniption gripped me. This was exactly what I¡¯ve been afraid of. This was the moment I¡¯ve dreaded. I bent my head and couldn¡¯t say a word. The pains were staring. ¡°You loved her when she was Olivia¡± I finally spoke out, my eyes on the floor. ¡°Back then, she was yours and I never dragged her with you. But, right now, she¡¯s Jeanne and I love her a lot. She¡¯s pregnant for me, Theo; and I¡¯m not ready to lose her. I¡¯m sorry¡±. He looked at me and scoffe, then turned to face the window. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the baby, Alex; it doesn¡¯t stop me from loving her.¡± He said and turned to look at me again. ¡°I decided to approach you this way to see if we could settle this amicably. We¡¯ve been at loggerheads with each other for four years now and I really didn¡¯t want us to continue that way. So, I¡¯d suggest you think about it¡±. and with that, he walked away. Megan¡¯s Pov: I stood outside the hospital and kept staring in, like, I¡¯d be able to get a glimpse of her. I wanted to see her ¨C Jeanne ¨C but I felt so scared going in. What would her reaction be if she sees me? Together with the rest of the boys? My mother was the reason her life became a mess. She put her life at risk. She offended them all and I¡¯m not sure she¡¯d want to see me now. I stared pathetically for a long time and decided to leave. It was so painful. I sniffed and turned around to leave and discovered a ck Suv which was about entering through the gate, suddenly stopped in front of me. The back door opened and Malcolm came out. Hah! Loverboy Malcolm. I quickly wiped my eyes as he came towards me. Why did he stop? And why¡¯s heing towards me? ¡°Hey¡± he called as he stood in front of me. ¡°aren¡¯t you¡­you were one of the contestants, right?¡± He asked and I nodded. ¡°Good evening sir¡± I greeted nervously with a bow. ¡°Yeah. What re you doing here? And why were you crying?¡± He asked and I sniffed again. ¡°I¡­I came to see Jeanne¡± I replied. ¡°Jeanne? So, why re you here, then? Why didn¡¯t you go in?¡± He asked and I shook my head. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t. She¡­¡± I stuttered and bent my head, not knowing what to say. ¡°Hold on; you¡¯re Pen¡¯s daughter, right?¡± He asked and it made me wonder how he knew. ¡°Yes¡± I replied almost inaudibly, staring at the floor. I didn¡¯t hear him say anything for a while. ¡°So, you¡¯re scared to see her?¡± He asked and I just nodded. I couldn¡¯t speak freely with him. I mean; he was a loverboy. ¡°Come on; your mum¡¯s the criminal here, not you. Besides, you should know Jeanne would never send you away. So,e on, let¡¯s go in¡± he said and held my hand and it made me shiver. What? I lifted my eyes to look at him and saw him staring back at me. ¡°Come on¡± he prodded me and I hesitantly followed him to the car where we proceeded to the hospital. Unknown¡¯s Pov: This whole thing¡¯s bing a mess. I can¡¯t believe they¡¯ve apprehended Pen. What if she exposes me? I never wanted this to go far. I had my reasons. But now, it seems the whole thing¡¯s getting out of hand already. I need to find a way out of this. 89 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I was surprised Megan actually came to the hospital to see me. I never thought she would want to see me since I¡¯m kind of the reason her mother was in jail. Although, I know her mother was wrong, I just thought she might hold grudges against me. She cried in my arms as she apologised to me on behalf of her mum and I hugged her. I wonder why she¡¯s so different from her mum. She¡¯s too kind to be the daughter of a criminal. I really feel for her. Alex had to tell the rest of the loverboys about me being Olivia and it was really of a great shock to them. But, right now, I really don¡¯t know what to do. Am I to stick to Alex? I mean, I do love him. But, Theo¡­could it be possible he¡¯s ready to let me go? He¡¯s gone through a lot for me already. He became a monster because of me. He was the only one who epted me when no one else wanted me. He cared for me when every other person despised me. Am I really going to leave him?Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. But Alex, he sacrificed a lot for me already. He¡¯s the father of my child and I love him as well. I also don¡¯t want to lose him. Oh, God! its just like I¡¯m stuck between the devil and the blue sea. I¡¯m scared of hurting anybody¡¯s feelings. I really don¡¯t want to. Mum came to meter on and asked for forgiveness. I can¡¯t believe I even called her mum. But, this time around, she exined everything to me ¨C how she was running away from the police and had to keep me with Anna. Then, she returnedter on to look for me but couldn¡¯t find me and since then, she¡¯s been searching for me. I was really mad at her, but she was still my mother and I couldn¡¯t stay mad at her for long. I had to forgive her. I called Dadter on ¨C Mr Raymond ¨C and told him the good news that I¡¯ve found my family. Mum also spoke with him and thanked him for his help and he promised to let us know as soon as he was in the country. * * ¡°So, Jeanne, are you going to stick to Alex?¡± Hetty asked when I was alone In the room with her. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know, Hetty. I want to, but¡­¡± I paused and sighed. ¡°That Theo¡¯s really a jerk¡± she said angrily. ¡°Would you believe he actually made Mark rape me?¡± She asked and my eyes dted in shock. ¡°What?¡± I shrieked. ¡°Yes. He had abducted me and forced me to give up your locations and even after I did, he made mark force himself on me.¡± My heart skipped when I heard her say that. Did Theo really do that to her? I shook my head and didn¡¯t know what to say. Indeed, Theo became heartless. And it¡¯s so painful to know I was the reason behind it. ¡°So, he really loved you in the past, huh?¡± She asked and I bent my head and nodded. ¡°He was the first person to care for me¡±. She rolled her eyes and huffed. Oh, God! Why am I this confused? Just then, the door opened and¡­Oh, my God! He came in! yes, Theo. Oh, my! What¡¯s he doing here? I mean¡­I don¡¯t know. I just feel nervous seeing him. He paused by the door before proceeding in, taking gradual steps. Immediately, Hetty scoffed and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, Jen¡± she said to me and walked out. She was really so mad at him. He turned and shot her a stare as she walked out the door then, brought his eyes back to me. ¡°Hi¡± he said coldly as he stood in front of me. I couldn¡¯t even look at him in the eyes. I mean, he was the same guy that almost killed me, he was the first guy that ever loved me. It was just tooplicated. ¡°Um¡­h-hi¡± I said with a little crack in my voice, staring at the floor. I heard him sigh and didn¡¯t say anything for a while and it made me really nervous. ¡°Jeanne¡± he finally called in a broody tune. ¡°I¡­I know you must have a lot of mixed feelings about me right now. But I want you to know, Jeanne, that I never wanted to do all the things I did. I never wanted to be so heartless. I was only driven by anger and revenge. I was scared you were dead and it took away my humanity. It made me lose control of myself. I was so scared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jeanne. I really want you to forgive me¡±. I was stunned listening to what he said. It brought back the acrimony. ¡°Theo,¡± I called. ¡°I¡­I already spoke to you and Alex, right? And I told you I¡¯ve forgiven you both for everything. So, you don¡¯t need to apologise anymore. I hold no grudges against you.¡± . He didn¡¯t say anything after that and slowly, he came closer to me and took my hand. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called softly. ¡°Do you remember I loved you?¡± He asked and I was forced to lift up my eyes to look at him. What? Oh, God! He held my hands firmly and stared into my eyes. ¡°I loved you, Jeanne, and I still do¡± he said and kissed my palm after a short pause. I felt my heart beating rapidly. Is¡­is this a dream? I¡¯ve always been scared of this. I had a feeling it was going to happen. But¡­ Oh, God! I¡¯m not ready for this. I¡­I don¡¯t even know what to say to him. This feels like a dream to me. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called tenderly and immediately, the door went open and Alex showed up at the doorway. No. No. His eyes shed with anger as he stared at Theo who was still holding my hand. Theo also turned and looked at him with an rming look. No; Alex! 90 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I quickly withdrew my hands from Theo¡¯s as Alex walked into the room. He stood at a distance and stared at me and I didn¡¯t know when I got on my feet. ¡°Alex¡± I called and went silent, not knowing what else to say. My heart was beating rapidly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked after a pause and I looked at Theo, then back at him. Before I knew what was happening, he bounced on Theo. Whaaat? ¡°Alex!¡± I called as he punched him. I gasped and covered my mouth as fear gripped me. Theo also gained his bnce and retaliated with a punch and they got involved in a fist fight. ¡°No! Stop it!¡± I cried and ran to them. Alex was able to push Theo to the floor but Theo kicked him and stood on his feet again. ¡°Alex! Theo! Please stop it¡¯ I cried and forced myself to their middle. I held Alex back by the chest and prevented him from going to Theo and Theo froming to him. ¡°Please, stop it! This is insane¡± I said and busted into tears. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, Theo; you¡¯re just wasting your time. Stay clear of her!¡± Alex barked angrily. ¡°You son of a bitch! You took her away from me in the first ce and stupidly fell in love with her . And now, you want me to let her go? Never, Alex! She¡¯s always been mine and I¡¯m not letting her go¡± Theo said raucously and it brought more tears to my eyes. ¡°Please¡­just stop it. I beg of you¡± I whimpered, bending my head. Immediately, Theo stormed out of the room. Since I was standing close to Alex, I rested my head on his chest and wept. Normally, he¡¯d have wrapped his hands around me andforted me, but this time around, he didn¡¯t. Could he be mad at me? He left me and walked some steps away, backing me. ¡°I know I wronged you in the past, Jeanne, but I hope you know it wasn¡¯t intentional. I love you and I¡¯m sure you know that. So, I don¡¯t get why you¡¯re trying topromise everything now.¡± He said and touched his forehead. I looked at him from behind and he turned to look at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jeanne. But the truth is, I really do love you¡± he spoke calmly this time around and came up to me, cing his hand on my tummy.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°And my baby¡± he added and walked out of the room. I tried calling after him, but couldn¡¯t. My lips couldn¡¯t move. I just fell back on the bed and busted into more tears. What am I even doing? What am I supposed to do? Why¡¯s everything bing soplicated? Alex¡¯s Pov: I swear, I¡¯m going to kill that animal. How dare he make advances at Jeanne? He has no right. I know I¡¯m at fault; we¡¯re both at fault. But he has no right to act smart and try to win Jeanne away. I sat angrily on the bed and thought about the whole thing. What could Jeanne be thinking? Would she really dump me and go for Theo? Is she capable of doing that? No; I won¡¯t be able to survive it if she leaves me. I love her and can¡¯t bear to lose her. I really don¡¯t want to lose her. Immediately, my phone buzzed and I reluctantly checked to see a strange number calling. The Unknown: I never thought a day like this woulde when I¡¯d have to do something like this. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this today. I know it¡¯s risky, but I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s definitely going to reveal my identity and what I¡¯ve done, but I still need to do it. I just wish none of this ever happened. Well, I guess it¡¯s toote to back out now. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°The doctor said you can be discharged tomorrow¡± mum said as she sat in the room with me, together with Kim. I justid quietly on the bed and couldn¡¯t say a word. The incidence between Theo and Alex kept reying in my head. ¡°Jeanne,¡± Kim called. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I breathed out heavily and nod. Mum held my hand gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. Everything will be over soon¡± she said and all I could do was stare. Immediately, the door flung open with Mrs Tristan rushing in, looking like someone who was in trouble. ¡°is¡­Is Alex here?¡± She asked, breathing heavily. I was forced to sit up. ¡°No¡± I replied perfunctorily, even if it was obvious he wasn¡¯t in the room. ¡°Ma¡¯am Tristan, is there something wrong?¡± Kim asked, curiously and she started crying. ¡°I can¡¯t find Alex! He¡¯s not in his ward. He¡¯s not here in the hospital. I¡­I can¡¯t reach him either on phone. I have no idea where he is!¡± She said tearfully and I sprang on my feet immediately. What? ¡°I¡­What re you talking about, ma¡¯am Tristan? He¡­He was here not long ago¡± I stuttered, fearfully. ¡°Where¡¯s Theo?¡± I asked. ¡°I have no idea either. I¡¯ve tried looking for him, but he¡¯s nowhere to be seen¡± she replied and I felt my heart splitting up. God! No, no. What is going on? *************** 91 Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I felt my heart beating rapidly as Mrs Tristan stood, shaking in front of me. What¡¯s she talking about? What does she mean Alex¡¯s missing? And why¡¯s Theo not in the building as well? I felt conniption grip me as so many thoughts ran through my mind. Immediately, the door opened and Hetty showed up. She seemed kind of nervous but tried to dissemble it when she saw other people in the room. ¡°Um¡­Jeanne¡± she called after breathing out softly. ¡°C¡­Can I speak with you privately, please?¡± She asked and I flinched. Privately? ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± Mum asked immediately. ¡°Um¡­Please, it¡¯s nothing to worry about. I just need to show something to Jeanne. It¡¯s between both of us¡± she said and came up to me and swiftly, she of my hand and ran out of the room with me. I felt like screaming her name as she hurriedly took me through the passage. I suddenly felt scared and twitchy. What is going on? She didn¡¯t say a word until she took me to the restroom which was empty. ¡°Hetty!¡± I called as she finally let go of my hand. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She sighed and looked around, probably trying to make sure there was no one around. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I frightened you. But someone called me ¨C a strange number ¨C and he had requested me to give the phone quietly without anyone getting to know about it. I had refused at first; but he told me it involved Alex and Theo and they¡¯d be dead if I didn¡¯t do as he said. So, that was why I had to give you the phone¡± she exined and all I could do was stare. What? What¡¯s she talking about? She turned on her phone and dialled a number on the screen and it ringed for only a short time before being replied. She handed it to me immediately, putting it on speaker. I just ced the phone on my ear, not being able to say anything. ¡°Hello?¡± I heard a thick cold voice from the line. I still couldn¡¯t say a word ¡°Is this Jeanne?¡± He asked and Hetty prodded me to say something. ¡°Y¡­Yes¡± I replied with a nervous gulp. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called and paused. ¡°Good. Now, I want you to know I¡¯m in possession of Theo and Alex and if you want to see them again, you¡¯ll do exactly as I say.¡± I looked at Hetty who also seemed curious. ¡°First, I want you to leave the hospital ande straight to PR lounge ¨C alone. I repeat, you muste alone else, you won¡¯t like the turn out. ¡°You have 10 minutes to get there¡± he concluded and ended the call. The phone almost fell from my hands, but Hetty was quick enough to grab it. I felt my heart skip and feared I might pass out. ¡°Jeanne¡± Hetty called and held me. It took me sometime to gain back my stamina. ¡°Wh¡­What do we do?¡± She asked. I touched my head and closed my eyes. Oh, God! What¡¯s happening? Ten minutes¡­I had just ten minutes to get there? ¡°Give me your car keys, Hetty¡± I said frazzled and she scoffed. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re not trying to go there, are you?¡± She asked. ¡°You heard him, Hetty! He¡¯s in possession of Alex and Theo and he wants me there in ten minutes. So please, give me your car keys¡± I replied rather frustrated. ¡°But¡­you don¡¯t even know how to drive. And¡­It might be risky.¡± I sank my fingers into my hair. Its true; I don¡¯t know how to drive. How do I get there? ¡°Hetty please, I need to get there¡± I pleaded. ¡°But it¡¯s risky, Jeanne. Why don¡¯t we inform someone or the police?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear him? He wants me to .e alone. I can¡¯t risk it¡±. We both remained silent, lost in thoughts. Then, I tried running away, but she held me back. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you there¡± she said. * * She had to stop far from the bar to avoid being seen and we had concluded if she didn¡¯t hear anything from me in the next five minutes, she was to call the corps. I left the car and walked the remaining distance to the lounge, feeling so scared. I had taken her phone along with me. The lounge was shut down and no longer active and it dimmed on me that I was going to a deserted area thatte at night. Immediately I got to the lounge, Hetty¡¯s phone with me started ringing and it was the strange number calling. I gulped nervously before picking up. ¡°Come straight to the back of the lounge¡± he said and ended the call. Hold on; could he see me? My nervousity increased as I walked slowly to the back of the lounge which was a grassy area. Immediately I got there, I sighted Theo and Alex being tied to a tree. Whaaat? What the hell? What¡¯s going on? The phone started ringing and this time around, I picked up without reluctancy. ¡°Take your eyes to the top of your building, Jeanne¡± he said and I lifted my eyes to see a sniper standing high at the top of the lounge with his gun being pointed down at the direction of Theo and Alex. Oh, my God! What¡¯s going on? ¡°I want you to make a choice between Theo and Alex.¡± The caller further said. ¡°Whoever you chose will be set free, while the other dies¡± he added and a tear escaped my eyes. What? . . Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I fell on my knees and wept. Who¡¯s behind you? How can they ask me to do such a thing? How can they ask me to chose between Theo and Alex in such manner? Oh, God! Uncontroble tears rushed down my cheeks as I thought about it. The sniper was still there at the top of the building with his gun aimed at Theo and Alex. The call came up on my phone again and I felt so scared picking up. My hands shivered as I received the call and put it out on speaker. ¡°You have 60 seconds to make a choice, else, I¡¯ll kill both of them¡± he said in that cold voice of his and I wept even more. 60 seconds? I weakly stood on my feet and looked at Alex and Theo as they remained stranded to the stand where they were tied. Who do I chose? How can I chose? why¡¯s this happening? My mind reflected back to the fact I had just 60 seconds to chose. I can¡¯t lose them both. I started walking slowly towards them; more tears streaming down my cheeks. Theo- he¡¯s the first guy whoever loved me; whoever made me feel human, when everybody else hated me. He was rich and popr, yet he loved me when I was nothing. He overlooked my ugliness and went for me. Because I went missing, he turned into a monster and did crazy things because of me. Alex ¨C he¡¯s the first guy I really got to experience love with. He risked his own life to save mine; done a lot for me. He¡¯s the father of my unborn child and with him, I¡¯ve always been so happy and wished to spend the rest of my moments with him. No doubt, I¡¯m in love with him. But Theo¡­ I finally got to where they were and stood in between them. What do I do? I guess the countdown should be less than 20 seconds now. I Couldn¡¯t even look at any of them. Alex was right by my right and Theo by my left and I could tell they were both staring at me. My heart was melting. I can¡¯t do this; I don¡¯t want to. They¡¯re both important to me. My phone started ringing again and it made me really nervous. Slowly and fearfully, I turned to my right and my eyes ran into Alex¡¯s which were glistening . He stared at me as I started walking towards him. His lips shook. I went to him and ced my hand on his cheek and a tear escaped his eye. Oh, God! I couldn¡¯t help it. Did I really chose him? I held his cheek and ced my forehead on his. I really did this. I chose Alex over Theo. It really happened! ¡°J¡­Jeanne¡± he whimpered my name but all I could do was shed more tears. Oh, God! But Theo¡­ I turned to his direction and caught him staring at me, his eyes red and sore. I felt a deep cut in my heart as those eyes of his bored into mine. Oh, God! He¡¯s really hurt. I looked up to the sniper in fear, only to see him walking away. What? He¡­He didn¡¯t¡­ I thought he was going to kill Theo? I looked back at Theo and he was now staring at the floor. But Alex¡­He was still staring at me. I untied his hands ¨C Alex¡¯s hands. But before I could get to Theo to untie his, he already fred himself and I was stunned. Wasn¡¯t he tied properly? I looked at him as he stood mute and stared at the floor. His lids were already wet. ¡°Theo¡± I called in a frail tone and he lifted his eyes to look at me. I saw anger in them; sadness, pains. I shouldn¡¯t have done this to him. But I had no choice. I tried touching him, but he withdrew himself. I suddenly felt so scared. He stared at me for a long time and walked away. I tried calling after him, but my tears wouldn¡¯t let me. I covered my mouth with my palm and wept and I felt Alex touching me. I turned and looked at him and he hugged me immediately. I buried my face in his chest and cried like a baby. I felt so bad for Theo. But I had no choice. I was stuck in a difficult decision. What would I have done? ¡°Jeanne¡± he called and I suddenly pulled away from the hug. The whole thing was hurting a lot. I moved backwards and he tried following me but I stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± I whimpered and ran off in tears. Theo¡¯s Pov: I turned thest drink in the bottle into my mouth and sent it crashing to the floor. One of the waiters ran upto me immediately. ¡°Sir?¡± He called, frightened, probably at the way I had broken the bottle on the floor. I didn¡¯t even look at him but just took a full bottle from the table and started gulping it down immediately. My head was muzzy already and all I felt were pains. I kept rushing the whole thing down until the bottle became empty and that was when I realised there was no more left on the table. I sank my fingers into my hair and tried standing up on my feet but only ended up staggering. I almost fell but was able to hold onto the table for support. One of the waiters tried holding me, but I signalled him not to touch me and he stood back. Then gradually, I started tottering out of the empty bar ¨Cpletely bombed. The memories of everything that¡¯s happened came shing back to me and they blinded my eyes with tears. Jeanne chose Alex over me ¨C my Olivia. She preferred saving his life and watching me die. But why? Does she really love me that much? Far more than me? I¡¯ve always been scared of this. I¡¯ve always felt she was going to chose Alex over me. I just never wanted to give a thought to it. Oh, Jeanne; but I really love her. Why can¡¯t I have a chance with her? she was mine before ¨C before everything got ruined. I really did love her. Why does everything have to change this way? Oh, God! I got to my car and tried opening the door, but couldn¡¯t. Instead, I fell, leaning on it. I felt so pained and heartbroken. This was more than an heartbreak to me. ¡°Theo?¡± I heard someone call behind me ¨C someone familiar. I tried turning to take a look, but couldn¡¯t. My hands couldn¡¯t even move. I felt a hand touch me and that was when I passed out. Alex¡¯s Pov: I returned home weak and frazzled. Jeanne¡­why did she run away from me again? The thought of her choosing me clouded my mind and gave me so much joy. But why did she run away from me again? I really wanted to be with her. I entered dazily into the sitting room and found the boys ¨C Carl, Daniel and Malcolm all seated like they were waiting for me.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Gosh! I¡¯m not in the mood for this. ¡°Please Alex,e over¡± Daniel called me back when I was about taking the stairs. ¡°Please, I just need to be alone¡± I replied and tried walking away again. ¡°it¡¯s important, please. I need to speak to you all¡± he said and I sighed and touched my forehead. Then reluctantly, I went closer and took a seat separate from theirs. What does he want to say anyway? ¡°So¡­now he¡¯s here, Daniel. We¡¯re all listening¡± Carl said and Daniel stood up and rubbed his palms together. ¡°Too bad I can¡¯t reach Theo. I really wanted the five of us to be together while I say this¡± he paused and took in a deep breath and it kind of made me curious of what he wanted to say. ¡°I have a confession to make¡± he started. 92 Alex¡¯s Pov: ¡°I have a confession to make, guys¡± he started ¡°Something terrible and foolish I did in the past. I know you must all think I¡¯m a monster after hearing this, but I want you to know I regret every bit of it and was just blinded by greed¡±. He paused and bent his head and we all stared keenly at him. What¡¯s going on? ¡°I¡¯m the person behind the conflict behind Theo and Alex¡± he said and I felt a loud bang in my head. What? ¡°I ordered the woman ¨C Pen ¨C to adopt Alex¡¯s mum and make Alex kidnap Olivia in exchange for her. Since Theo was in love with Olivia, I knew Alex kidnapping her would make Theo mad and definitely cause a rift between them. ¡°All I wanted was just to split them up. I never wanted any body¡¯s life to be taken. That was why I requested for a facial surgery to be carried out on Olivia and after that, she¡¯d be made to lose her memories so she wouldn¡¯t be able to return here. I didn¡¯t see her face after the surgery, but Pen took care of everything. Little did I know she was Jeanne. ¡°All i wanted was just to spilt Theo and Alex because I knew by making Alex take Olivia away from Theo, it¡¯d definitely make them enemies. But I had no idea Theo would take it to the extent of killing Alex¡¯s girlfriends. I never wanted murder to be involved. And that was why when it happened, I began looking for pen immediately; not until the whole truth got exposed and I couldn¡¯t hide anymore. ¡°I know you must all be wandering what my reasons were. Well, like I earlier said, it was foolishness and greed. ¡°I was jealous ¨C jealous of the close rtionship between. Theo and Alex and I wanted to take over as the band leader. So, I thought by splitting them up, it¡¯d cause an imbnce in the band and make the position vulnerable and I¡¯ll be able to take over as the leader. ¡°Indeed, it almost worked for me. I mean, Theo left the band and position, but Unfortunately, Alex was forced to take over and that was how my n failed. ¡°I know I¡¯m crazy for what I did. I turned Theo Into a monster; put Olivia In a difficult twist. It was so foolish of me and I¡¯m ready to pay for my crimes. I¡¯ve put a call to the corps already and they¡¯ll be here any minute. ¡°I was ungrateful and blinded by greed any I just wish you guys, no matter how difficult it may be, will forgive me. I¡¯m so sorry¡±. I felt my lids bing sore and red. My lips shook as I listened to him. My heart tore apart. Daniel? He was the traitor? He betrayed us? All for greed? I scoffed and noticed a tear drop from my eye. eye . This is the worst pain I¡¯ve ever had to feel ¨C someone I called a brother? ¡°Daniel?¡± I heard Malcolm call faintly. Immediately, I sprang on my feet and bounced oon him, punching him hard to the floor ¡°You monster!¡± I snarled as I stayed on top of him on the floor and released angry punches at him. ¡°Alex!¡± ¡°No!¡± Carl and Malcolm called and rushed to me, trying to stop me. I felt so much pains, so much bitterness. ¡°Alex, please stop it¡± Carl said and tried pulling me up, but couldn¡¯t. How dare he? I saw blooding out of his nose and immediately, I heard the sounds of sirens outside. Jeanne¡¯s Pov: ¡°You mean, you chose Alex¡¯s life over Theo¡¯s?¡± Hetty asked as I sat in the room, facing her. I just sniffed and didn¡¯t say a word and she left the window where she was standing and came close to me. ¡°So, why¡¯re you feeling bad about it? It¡¯s obvious you love Alex¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡­I just¡± I paused and sniffed again. ¡°Theo has been through a lot already. I just feel¡­He doesn¡¯t deserve such treatment.¡± ¡°Jeanne¡± Hetty called and held my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you see? You don¡¯t love Theo; you only pity him¡±. I paused and stared at her as it niggled at me. ¡°You only pity him because of the past you share with him. You don¡¯t want him to get hurt or feel betrayed. But in the right sense, Alex is the one you truly love. So, stop trying topromise. Go for what you really want, Jeanne, so you don¡¯t end up in regrets.¡± She concluded and I stared at her for a while and took my eyes to the floor. Undoubtedly, I love Alex, much more than can be imagined. But, I just feel for Theo. . Kim¡¯s Pov: I entered the room with the bowl of cold water and napkin and went to the bed where heid. I sat and stared into his face as he slept so soundly. I really pitied him. What would¡¯ve happened if I hadn¡¯t passed along that way and saw himing out of the bar? Struggling to walk? Why did he end up so drunk In the first ce? I dipped the napkin into the cold water and brought It out, squeezing and cing it on his forehead. He was so handsome. Oh, Theo! I¡¯ve always had a crush on him; he¡¯s just never paid any attention to me. I dipped the napkin again and ced it on his head. I hope he wakes up soon. He probably got drunk because of Jeanne. The issue has really been a mess. I stared into his face and suddenly had so many desires. I wish to be with him. Too bad he¡¯s too obsessed with jeanne. I brushed his hair with my palm and sighed. How perfect it¡¯d have been. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so unlucky when ites to love. All the guys I truly love don¡¯t ever love me back. I looked at his lips and suddenly felt like kissing them. Perhaps, this was my only chance to kiss a guy I truly love. I leaned forward and closing my eyes, I kissed him. I kissed him tempestuously and wished it couldst forever. Somehow, I felt him kiss me back. Huh? I quickly opened my eyes and found his open, staring at me. I gasped and pulled away from the kiss, my heart beating rapidly. Oh, my God! I¡­I thought he was asleep? ¡°Kim?¡± He called in a low tune and I sprang on my feet. ¡°Theo, I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry. I really didn¡¯t mean to. I had no idea you were¡­I¡¯m¡­¡± I ran out of words and he sighed and sat up. He looked around and touched his head. ¡°Did you bring me here?¡± He asked and I nodded nervously. ¡°I um¡­saw you around the bar and you were really drunk. So, I decided to be of help¡± I replied and he breathed out heavily. ¡°Thanks¡± he muttered and I stared at the floor. We both went silent and getting puzzled, I decided to look at him and there I found him staring at me. Alex¡¯s Pov: The following morning, I stayed indoors the whole time, wanting to be alone. Daniel¡¯s betrayal and everything that¡¯s happened kept niggling at me. How could he ever think of doing such a thing to us? We were like brothers. Why did he have to go that far over a temporary position? I was so bittered and hurt. Because of him, we¡¯re all in this mess. So many things happened; yet; he stood by me every single moment. What got into him? I heard a knock on my door which snapped me out of my thoughts. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s someone here to see you¡± a voice said from outside. It was Evans. ¡°I want to be alone¡± I replied cheerlessly; still sitting on the chair in front of the window. ¡°It¡¯s Jeanne, sir¡± he said and my eyeeyes beamed. What? I sprang on my feet immediately and ran to open the door. ¡°Wh¡­Where¡¯s she?¡± I asked him. ¡°She¡¯s downstairs, sir¡± he replied, bowed and left and I followed suit immediately. I rushed downstairs and found her there in the sitting room with Molly, ying. Oh, God! I stopped and watched her as sheughed and carried Molly on her shoulders who was also giggling. I stopped and stared at how happy she was, but unfortunately, she saw my and stopped ying. ¡°Shuu! Alex, go away. Come on nanny, let¡¯s continue¡± Molly said and tried getting on her shoulders again, but wasn¡¯t allowed. ¡°Um¡­baby, we¡¯ll yter, okay? Nanny needs to do something first.¡± Jeanne said and she faked a frown, but brushed it off with a smile. Then she ran away . Jeanne¡¯s Pov: I stood, staring at Alex as he remained on the stairs, staring at me as well ¡°Um¡­hi¡± I said warmly and that was when he climbed down the stairs. But we still stood apart from each other. He didn¡¯t Say a word, but just kept staring at me and it got me cringing. ¡°I um¡­I came to see you¡± I said, but he still didn¡¯t make a move.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Could he be mad at me or something? I walked closer to him and stood in front of him. I stared into his sparkling eyes as they stared into mine. Then, I kissed him. I ced my hands on his cheeks and kissed him so tenderly, but he didn¡¯t reciprocate. ¡°Alex¡±:I called after unlocking from the kiss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for trying to run away. I was only being scared. The truth is, I love you. I love you so much and I¡¯m ready to spend the rest of my life with you. And not just me;¡± I paused and took his hand, cing it on my tummy. ¡°But your baby too¡± I added and that was the first time he smiled. I chuckled when he smiled and he took his hand from my tummy and ced them on my cheeks. ¡°You really do love me, huh?¡± He asked and I nodded with a smile. Then, he hugged me. ¡°I was scared I was going to lose you, Jeanne¡± he spoke softly while holding me. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never want to be with me again, but you chose me. Thank you¡± I smiled as he spoke to me and next, he disengaged from the hug and went for my lips instead. I smiled as he kissed me so perfectly, holding my hair. ¡°I love you¡± he said when we broke the kiss. ¡°I love you too¡± I replied, brimful with happiness. We were about kissing again when the door suddenly opened and we turned to see two figures standing at the entrance. Huh? Final chapter Jeanne¡¯s Pov: Huh? Kim and Theo? I watched In awe as they both started walking in after standing there for a short time. Surprisingly, Kim¡¯s hand was wrapped around his. what¡¯s going on? ¡°Hey, sis¡± she called with a smile as they both stood, facing us. ¡°Um¡­h-hi¡± I stuttered, taken abacked by the whole thing. I didn¡¯t n on seeing Theo. I wasn¡¯t ready to face him. ¡°Jeanne¡± he called and it sent shivers down my spine. I slowly lifted my eyes to look at him. He stared at Alex and took his eyes to me. ¡°I¡¯m not here for trouble; just have something important to say¡± he said and took in a deep breath. ¡°Last night, about the abduction stuff and asking you to chose between Alex and I, it was all nned by us. I don¡¯t know if Alex has told you about it already¡± he said and I flinched and looked at Alex. what? ¡°Yes. We had wanted to know whom you really loved between both of us. I had a feeling you didn¡¯t really love me ¨C at least, not anymore. So I brought it up and¡­It turned out my guess was right ¡°Well, one thing¡¯s for sure, Jeanne; I really did love you in the past as Olivia. But things changed and I guess destiny never wanted us to be together. So, I¡¯ve decided to ept my fate and move on. Besides,¡± He paused and looked at Kim and they both smiled. Okay, what¡¯s going on? ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Jeanne, for all the pains I¡¯ve caused you. ¡°And you, Alex; I guess mere apologies won¡¯t be enough to tell how sorry I really am for everything I did to you. Yeah, you had a little fault, but I guess I shouldn¡¯t have taken it that far. Nevertheless, I¡¯m sorry for everything; I really am¡± he said in conclusion and silence took over. Alex and I were both stunned, staring at him. ¡°Are we just going to keep quiet for the rest of the day?¡± Kim asked and I scoffed and that was when I realised I was actually crying. ¡°I um¡­¡± I paused andughed dryly. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to say¡± I tried saying more, but ended up in tears and Theo pulled me in a hug. ¡°Please Jeanne; crying isn¡¯t good for the baby¡± he whispered into my ears and I chuckled ruefully. ¡°Thank you¡± I muttered and he patted me on the back. And we unlocked from the hug. Then, he stood and exchanged nces with Alex for a while and they finally went into each other¡¯s arms. They whispered something I couldn¡¯t hear and next, theyughed and disentangled from the hug. ¡°Um¡­I wish you both a happy married life¡± Theo said and we allughed. I sniffed and wiped the tears off my face. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten the news about Daniel¡¯s betrayal. I¡¯ll be going to see him at the station when I¡¯m done from here¡± he said. ¡°I¡­I think we should all go together¡± Kim suggested, staring at me. ¡°What do you think?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Forget it; I¡¯m not going¡± Alex cut in. ¡°Alex¡­¡± I called and sighed. ¡°I know what he did was pretty bad. But he¡¯s full of regrets already. Besides, he was just blinded by greed and didn¡¯t have any brutal intentions in mind. So please, let¡¯s give him a chance¡±. ¡°Are you serious, Jeanne? You want us to forgive him?¡± He asked in an rming tone. ¡°Come on, dude¡± Theo chipped in. ¡°We can talk about it when we get there¡±. He held Kim¡¯s hand and started walking out of the house and I looked at Alex and gave him a prodding look and he rolled his eyes and followed me out of the house as well. * * My Pov: It was little Molly¡¯s birthday and the entire family was there at the party. ¡°Come on, baby; make a wish¡± Jeanne said to her as they all stood around the birthday cake with litted candles around it. ¡°I wish to grow into a beautifuldy¡± Molly said and everyoneughed and she blew out the candles and cut the cake with the assistance of Jeanne and her mum. ¡°Happy birthday, baby¡± Jeanne said and pecked her cheek and so did the rest. * Hetty was standing with Carl when Theo walked up to her with a chastened look. ¡°Hi¡± he said, but she didn¡¯t reply him as she kept staring at him with Carl. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Carl asked. ¡°I um¡­I just wanted to speak to Hetty. ¡°Hetty, I know you have every reason to be mad at me, but I just want you to know I¡¯m sorry for what happened. Please, forgive me¡± he said in an appealing tone and she scoffed. ¡°Really? You want forgiveness?¡± She asked and chuckled. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say I might give it to youter; but for now, I¡¯m not so sure¡± she replied and tired walking away, but was held back by Carl. He gave her a long stare and she sighed and went back to Theo, embracing him. He smiled and rubbed her back. ¡°Thanks¡± he said calmly, still holding her. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, that¡¯s enough¡± Carl cut in and pulled her away from the hug and they allughed. He wrapped his hand around her waist and kissed her and Theo shook his head and walked away. * Megan was curious as Malcolm took her to a ce which was away from the party. ¡°is¡­is there something wrong?¡± She asked as they finally stood facing each other, in front of the fountain falls. Malcolm took in a deep breath and held her hand. ¡°Megan, there¡¯s something important I¡¯ve always wanted you to know¡± he said and her curiosity increased. He dipped his hand into his trouser pocket and brought out a fashionable box and when he opened it, it was a ring. Megan gasped. ¡°I really do like you, Megan; a lot. Will you please, be my date? Don¡¯t say no¡± he said and Megan covered her mouth with her palm as a tear escaped her eye. It was unbelievable! Being the girlfriend to lover boy. She thought she was all alone. ¡°Megan?¡± Malcolm called and she nodded tearfully. Then, he smiled and inserted the ring into her finger. ¡°I love you¡± he said affectionately. ¡°I love you too¡± she replied with a rueful smile and they kissed. * Alex took Jeanne to the rooftop where they could have a clear view of everything. Wow! Everywhere was beaming. Theo was with Kim, Carl with Hetty and Malcolm with Megan. She was so happy for Megan. Well, they were already working on her mother¡¯s case and were trying to make sure she serves a lesser penalty from thew ¨C same with Daniel. ¡°What do you think?¡± Alex asked as they both sat, snuggled next to each other, staring at the party below. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡± she replied with an ted expression. ¡°Every one¡¯s happy. I just wish it stays this way. ¡°Will Theo return to the band?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah. But I still remember the leader of the band. He doesn¡¯t want it¡± Alex replied and wrapped his hand around her shoulder. ¡°And how¡¯s my baby?¡± He asked and she couldn¡¯t help but blush.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Fine¡­I guess¡± she replied, picking at her nails. ¡°isn¡¯t it time you begin um¡­how¡¯s it called? Uncle-natal?¡± He asked and sheughed and hit him on the chest. ¡°it¡¯s called Antenatal. And¡­well, I don¡¯t know. I might have to register with a hospital soon¡± she replied and Alex smiled and pecked her on the hair. ¡°Would you want to give birth here in the country? Or, you¡¯d want somewhere else?¡± He asked and at that moment, she felt her head bing two. ¡°Well, I¡¯d want it here. I mean; around everyone¡± she replied and Alex nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s a boy,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll make every singledy on earth die for him. And if it¡¯s a girl, I¡¯ll make kings and rulers travel through the storm just to spend a second with her¡±. Jeanne couldn¡¯t help butugh and this time around, her entire face turned pink. ¡°Wow! I just pray you don¡¯t spoil my kids¡± she said with a lightughter because she was actually blushing. ¡°Um¡­Alex,¡± she called. ¡°in my condition, can I still be part of the lovergirls?¡± She asked and Alexughed. ¡°And whoever said you were gonna be part of the lover girls? I can¡¯t have the mother of my kids being under someone ¨C most especially, her younger sister. ¡°I¡¯ll make you independent, Jeanne. You¡¯ll be a diva on your own and every otherdy will have to bow to you. You¡¯ll be on your own and explore¡±. Jeanne gasped and stared at him in disbelieve. Was he for real? She ran out of words and all she could do was cry. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, do you want my baby to drown?¡± He asked and sheughed and hid her face on his chest. ¡°Thank you, Alex¡± she whimpered. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you think you should start calling me something else? I¡¯m thinking of babe, sweetheart, honeypie, sugar¡­what do you think?¡± He asked and sheughed and lifted her face from his chest. ¡°I love you, Alex; and I¡¯ll always do till I die¡± she said with her hands on his cheeks. ¡°Well, no matter how much you do, you¡¯re never gonna beat me to it cause I¡¯ll love you even after death¡± he replied and more tears came running down her cheeks. ¡°Thanks¡± she muttered and they kissed for a long time. * * * During the period see was pregnant, she kept receiving unlimited proposals from modellingpanies, mummies and kiddiesmercial adverts, pregnancy shows. Well, everyone wanted to have her on their tform because she was carrying the almighty Alexander¡¯s child. When she put to bed ¨C a baby boy ¨C Alex signed her into the music industry and she became independent. They got married ¨C of course ¨C and in two years, she became the richest female idol in the country. The End ? ~ ~ ~ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!