《His Identity》


 Chapter 1

    Rita Anderson walked smartly into the office building dressed in a grey skirt over a light blue chiffon blouse. Her jet ck hair swished about as she responded to greetings from her staffs. She was the cynosure of all eyes, a typical example of beauty with brains. Not only did shee out with distinctions in school, she was also the best graduating student among her peers.


    Rita was the daughter of one of Spain¡¯s most richest men, Lawrence Anderson. Lawrence was the chairman of the Anderson¡¯s group, a conglomerate that dealt with general merchandise and the beautiful Rita was a board member and also the current President.


    At only twenty six years of age, Lawrence began his empire with a little ie lent to him by one of his business associates. Steadily, he grew to be a force to reckon with in the business world. He was the ruler of an empirerger and more powerful than most countries.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    He had no title or official position but was simply known as a business tycoon. He was one of the ten most wealthiest men in the world and his status was legendary. He could also boast of many assets he acquired over the years which includesrge fleet of cargo ships, an airline, gold mines and newspaper agencies.


    His tentacles were everywhere, inextricably woven throughout the woof and warp of the economic fabric of dozens of countries. The Anderson name was one everyone recognized, a name that everyone wanted to be associated with and this family was the one the beautiful Rita was born into.


    ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am¡±, her receptionist smiled, bowing a little.


    Rita gave her a dazzling smile. She wasn¡¯t one to frown or nag her workers like most of her associates do. She had a heart and a good one at that. Her chaffeur, Rodrigo Campbell stood dutily behind her, holding her bags.


    ¡°Good morning Yasmin, how are you?¡±, she said, signing in.


    Yasmin was a beautiful blonde of medium height, nted eyes and a gap tooth. She had been working for the Anderson cooperation for the past two years and she enjoyed every bit of it. As Rita signed the register that waspulsory for all workers, she waved a bit to Rodrigo who winked.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be in my office in case you need anything¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡±, Yasmin said.


    Rita nodded, making her way to her office. She walked into the elevators that took her straight to the topmost floor where all the executives of the organization had their offices. On getting to the lobby leading to her office, she met a face that she desperately did not want to see.


    Edmundo Brabra, son of the Senate President, her supposed bethrothed. Rita sighed as she walked slower and she could tell that Rodrigo sensed this change of mood.


    ¡°Are you going to be alright with him?¡±, he asked.


    Rita loved this about him apart from his handsome face which was to die for, she loved his sensitivity towards issues like this. For sometime now, she had been looking closely at him, a little bit too much and she wondered if he even noticed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, thank you. Just drop the bags, I¡¯ll take it from here¡±, she sighed.


    Rodrigo hesitated a bit before doing as he was told. He left soon and Rita was left all alone with the man she disliked.


    ¡°Edmundo, how lovely to see you¡±, she said, putting on a fake smile.


    Edmundo was a tall man with brownish hair that was explicitly cut to suit his muscr face. Though he was handsome, he was a pompous and arrogant self centered man who changes girls like he changes his suit. Rita knew all about his escapades with different girls and some of the stories behind it. She shuddered to think about what those girls had passed through in his hands.


    ¡°Lovely to always see you Rita¡±, he said, kissing her hands.


    Rita tried as much as possible not to cringe but she could hardly keep the look of disgust on her face. She ushered him into her office much to her displeasure but at that moment, there was nothing she could do. She didn¡¯t want to appear rude as that wouldn¡¯t speak well of her and her family.


    ¡°So, how is business?¡±, she asked, once they had settled down.


    ¡°Fine. Father is gradually handing over some of his businesses to me since he¡¯s almost at the age of retiring¡±, he said.


    ¡°I see¡±, Rita said.


    Rita couldn¡¯t imagine what it would be like running the Senator¡¯s business. Even though she hated Edmundo¡¯s guts, she had to give it to him. He was a very good business man, one of the best.


    ¡°There¡¯s this dinner with some expatriates holding tomorrow evening at the Mansion, I would love to take you along¡±, he smiled.


    Rita couldn¡¯t help but think of that smile as a shark¡¯s. It was all teeth, no warmth. Sometimes, she wondered what women saw in him. Yes, he was handsome but she had a feeling that he had no joy in him.


    ¡°I think i might pass on that offer. You see, I have a lot of things to do and I¡¯m not quite certain I¡¯ll be able to attend. I¡¯m sorry¡±, she said, politely.


    ¡°Ohe on Rita, tomorrow is the weekend. Surely you can make out a little time¡±, he pressed.


    Rita was at a crossroad now. She didn¡¯t know what to do. True, she was free but she just didn¡¯t feel like going out with him.


    ¡°Alright, fine¡±, she said finally.


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll pick you up by 6 p. m. Is that okay?¡±, he said.


    ¡°Sure¡±, she said, absentmindedly.


    Edmundo rose to his feet, giving her a light peck on her cheek. She was horrified but she stayed put, there was no use being rude since he was about leaving. It would only extend his stay here if he took offence.


    ¡°Ciao my darling. I can¡¯t wait till we get married¡±, he said, walking out of the office.


    She sighed, staring out of the window while twisting her engagement ring absentmindedly. The ring was given to her by Edmundo a few weeks ago and the only time she put it on was when she was sure she would see him.


    Rita shook off her gloomy feeling, going back to work. It was thest day of work for the week and she wouldn¡¯t waste it thinking about somebody as inconsequential as Edmundo.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a guest¡±, Yasmin said, through the inte.


    ¡°Who?¡±.


    ¡°Miss Theresa¡±, she said promptly.


    Theresa was Rita¡¯s closest friend all the way back in highschool. She was the daughter of a member of the Senate. Theresa was the only person she could count on to always tell her the truth. She was somebody she relied on, a friend indeed.


    ¡°Sure, send her in¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Right away ma¡¯am¡±.


    Rita smiled, at least there was one person who could make her not so gloomy day brighter and that was Theresa. She couldn¡¯t wait to tell her all about Edmundo¡¯s visit, she knew that they wouldugh over it. Theresa didn¡¯t like Edmundo. ording to her, he was a self centered bastard who cared for no one else except himself.


    Rita was happy to know that she wasn¡¯t the only one who disliked him. It made her feel better.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°Honey, is that you?¡±, Mrs Anderson said.


    ¡°Hi mum, yes¡±, Rita said as she walked into the living room.


    Her mother was watching a rerun of her favorite movie show, one that never seemed to grow old on her.


    ¡°Hey sugar, how was your day?¡±, she beamed.


    ¡°Fine mum, I¡¯m d it¡¯s over for today. Edmumdo came over then Theresa arrived muchter¡±, Rita said, slumping on therge couch.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The living room was adorned with a sparkling chandelier that rested in the middle. The tiles on the floor were ck but they sparkled when the powerful rays of the chandelier gleamed on it. This was the Anderson¡¯s Mansion, a building boasting of so many facilities and equipment one could hardly value the house.


    ¡°Oh how is Theresa? I saw her mum yesterday at the fundraising¡±, May Anderson said.


    Her mother¡¯s name was one they usually talked about often. True, she was born in the month of May but asides that, her parents thought it wise to give her that name based on how fair and beautiful she was as a kid.


    Rita took her mother¡¯s jet ck hair but now, since she was ageing, it had some grey undertones which made her all the more beautiful. Her greenish eyes sparkled whenever she was happy and they dulled when she got sad or irritated.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Edmundo invited me for a dinner party with some expatriates in his Mansion tomorrow¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s lovely. It would cement your rtionship with him. That¡¯s really lovely my dear¡±, her mother beamed.


    ¡°Mum, I¡¯m sorry to burst you and dad¡¯s bubble but I don¡¯t think I will marry Edmundo¡±, she said.


    For several minutes, her mother remained quiet, staring at her daughter like she had grown a second head.


    ¡°But darling, you know why we¡¯re doing this. For future coborations and opportunities, anyone associated with Senator Brabra is already made¡±.


    ¡°Mum, aren¡¯t we already made. We can boast of so many investments all over the world. For Christ sake mum, I¡¯m the President of the Anderson group. I really don¡¯t know what you and Dad want anymore¡±, Rita seethed, rising to her feet.


    ¡°You will marry Edmundo and no one else. There¡¯s nothing you can do about it¡±, her mother said.


    ¡°I see you want to y this game mother but bet it with me, I will emerge the victor. I¡¯m never going to marry Edmundo and that¡¯s final¡±, Rita said, walking away.


    ¡°You dare walk out on me Rita. I didn¡¯t raise you this way,e back here¡±, May screamed.


    Rita paid deaf ears to her mother¡¯s calls as she made her way out of the building. Her chaffeur, Rodrigo was already on standby. He opened the door to allow her in as he quickly entered the vehicle ready to drive off.


    ¡°To the private ce¡±, Rita said, quietly.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡±, he said, driving off.


    Tears streamed down her eyes on the journey to the one ce her parents wouldn¡¯t find her. She bought the house secretly when she was just twenty years of age and ever since then, it has been her fortress, a quiet ce where she could think and rx. She employed no butler or maid for fear of them ratting out to her parents on the location of the building.


    The only person that knew about the building was Rodrigo. Even her best friend, Theresa didn¡¯t know about it. Rita wanted to keep it a secret and a secret it had been for over six years now.


    Rodrigo drove slowly into the winding gates, parking the car in front of the double doors. Rita left the car, making her way into the building. She decided to stay here for the weekend, she would ditch the dinner, ditch her parents and everyone else for this weekend. She just wanted to be alone.


    ¡°Is there anything else I can do ma¡¯am?¡±, Rodrigo said, politely.


    Rita stared at him for some minutes, marveling at his handsomeness. She blushed when he gave her a small smile. For some days now, she couldn¡¯t understand the feelings she developed for him. Though he was just a chaffeur, Rita had the feeling that he was something much more. He had this air of confidence and bravery around him. He was everything she needed in a man. Her mother would rather die than watch her marry amon chaffeur.


    ¡°No¡­ Not really. Thank you, you may go. I¡¯ll call you if I need anything¡±, Rita said, sadly.


    Rodrigo gave her a quizzical look. He knew there was something going on, he had the mind to ask her if he could stay but she had already given her orders that she wanted to be left alone. He also had something doing too which was one of the main things that prompted him from airing his mind.


    He had to take care of his sick mother and he was the only one she depended on. He couldn¡¯t leave her alone but he promised toe back here once he certified that she would be alright.


    ¡°Alright ma¡¯am, I would be leaving now. Please call me the minute you need anything¡±, he said.


    Rita nodded as she watched him walk away. She was on the verge of calling him back but she stopped herself. She reasoned that he probably had a family, a wife and kids who would be waiting for him. Though she didn¡¯t notice any ring on his finger, she knew that most men didn¡¯t fancy wearing a ring especially when they were working.


    She sighed yet again as she made her way into the building. She went upstairs, straight to her room. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat anything. All her appetite had gone the minute she argued with her mum. She decided to settle for a cup of coffee since her stomach began protesting.


    Later on, as she prepared to sleep, in one brazen moment she imagined what would happen if she introduced Rodrigo as the man she wanted to marry. No doubt her parents would have a heart attack and she would get kicked off the board faster than she could say her name. Apparently, their name and reputation was much more important to them than her happiness. She cried silently, wishing that she could run away, run away from everything and everyone around her but she couldn¡¯t because she had a duty to her parents. She was the heir to the Anderson fortune and everything she does would be watched.


    As the first drop of rain hit the roof, so did her tears. They came pouring down in torrents, too fast for her to stop. She slept fitfully that night wishing that when she woke up, she would have an answer to her predicament.


    **************************


    The next morning, she was rudely woken up by a loud knocking at the front door. She tied her robes securely as she made her way downstairs to check who it was. She wasn¡¯t expecting anyone only Rodrigo but he could have called beforeing. As a precautionary measure, she took a kitchen knife as she slowly made her way to the door.


    On getting there, she looked through the peephole and discovered that it was Rodrigo carrying a huge package. She smiled, opening the door to allow him in.


    ¡°Wow, good morning ma¡¯am. I see you were prepared for any eventualities¡±, he said upon seeing the knife.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just wasn¡¯t sure who was at the door. Pleasee in¡±, she said.


    Rodrigoughed, cing the package on a nearby table. Rita discovered that it contained various food and she was secretly d at his thoughtfulness because at that moment, she was starved.


    ¡°Thanks for all these, you really didn¡¯t need to bother¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing ma¡¯am¡±, he said, staring at her.


    Rita looked away as her cheeks took on a rosy colour. She had a feeling that today was going to be an interesting one.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°So, tell me about yourself¡±, Rita said, over breakfast.


    Rodrigo smiled, sipping histte. Rita was surprised at the amount of food he brought. There were various types and she had a hard time choosing which one to start with.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing really much to say about me¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°But at least there¡¯s something right? I would love to hear it, I really don¡¯t know much about you except that you¡¯re my chaffeur which is not much to know is it?¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°True ma¡¯am¡±.


    ¡°Oh stop with all the ma¡¯am ish.. it makes me feel old. Rita is fine please¡±, she said.


    ¡°Alright Rita¡±, he said.


    She loved the way her name rolled off his toungue, it sounded grand. At that moment, she was happy over her name.


    ¡°Okay. My name is Rodrigo Campbell as you already know, I¡¯m thirty and an only child. My father passed on few years ago and so, I¡¯m left with taking care of my sick mother¡±, he said.


    Rita felt bad for him. She didn¡¯t know that someone so humble had faced a lot in life, she was proud at his sense of responsibility in taking care of his mother. Not many would do that, it made her respect him all the more.


    ¡°Oh I¡¯m sorry about your father¡¯s death. Please, i hope your mother is getting much better¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°To be honest, not really. She has this recurring ailment that never seems to go away no matter the drugs we use¡±, he said sadly.


    Rita felt a pang in her chest. Right at that moment, she decided to find out who his mother was and ce her on thepany¡¯s health care system. After all, she was the President and she could do anything she so desired.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, she¡¯ll be fine. Please if there¡¯s anything I can do to be of assistance, do let me know¡±, she said.


    ¡°Thank you so much, I really appreciate it¡±, Rodrigo said, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.


    Rita was taken aback by this but she quickly covered up her surprise by squeezing his hands back. Rodrigo drew his hand back quickly, surprised at this show of careless abandon.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not going to run yelling to daddy that you touched me¡±, Ritaughed.


    Rodrigoughed too and for the first time ever, she noticed that he had a dimple.


    Just then, her phone rang, distrupting the moment in the air. The caller ID showed that it was her mother calling, no doubt calling to remind her about the stupid dinner party with Edmundo.


    ¡°Please I need to take this¡±, she said, walking towards the balcony.


    Rodrigo nodded, watching her leave. He couldn¡¯t help it, he knew he was falling for her but he had to control himself. She was an untouchable, someone he could only dream of having. She was Lawrence Anderson¡¯s daughter and bethrothed to the Brabra family, he wasn¡¯t in their league and there was no use trying to win her heart.


    At the balcony, Rita picked up the call. Her mother¡¯s screams were what greeted her the first minute she ced the phone on her ear.


    ¡°Where the hell are you? We¡¯ve been looking all over for you¡±, she screamed.


    ¡°Mum, I don¡¯t want to be rude to you but please would you stop shouting. I¡¯m not dead as you can see¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°That¡¯s no way to talk to your mother. Today¡¯s Edmundo¡¯s dinner party and you¡¯re no where to be found. I¡¯ve been calling that damn chaffeur but his line isn¡¯t going through¡±.


    ¡°I would love it if you would respect my staff. Mum, I¡¯m not going to be attending Edmundo¡¯s dinner party, I have better things to do¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°What has gotten into you. He¡¯s your fiance for Christ sake, don¡¯t do this Rita¡±, her mum begged.


    Rita had the mind to end the call at that moment but that would be in rude. She sighed, staring at the ocean far away.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be there soon¡±, she said, cutting the call.


    Rita made her way into the house, sad that she would cutting her time with Rodrigo short but she vowed to make it up to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go back home. Duty calls¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, are you ready to leave now? Let me get the car ready¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be ready in the next twenty minutes¡±, she said.


    Rodrigo nodded before making his way out of the living room. Rita packed the left over food, dumping it into the thrash can. She hurriedly took a bath before meeting Rodrigo downstairs who had already started the car.


    ¡°What¡¯s your mother¡¯s name?¡±, Rita said on the drive home.


    ¡°Camille. Camille Campbell¡±, he said.


    They soon got to the house much to her disappointment. Just before she got down from the vehicle, he took her hands, giving it a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°Please call me if it gets too overwhelming and that includes here¡±, he said.


    ¡°Thank you, I will¡±, Rita smiled, getting out of the car.


    Rodrigo drove off, parking the car in the huge garage before he left the Anderson¡¯s mansion. He was going back home to care for his mother, that was the only thing that mattered to him now, her and a certain ck haired beauty.


    Rita on the other hand walked into the mansion, dropping her bags on the stairways. No one was in sight and she used that opportunity to sneak into her room.


    ¡°Wee dear¡±, her mother said,ing out of the adjoining room.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Rita nodded, emptying the contents of her bag. Her mother hobbled about and she could tell that she was nervous about something, no doubt there was something on her mind.


    ¡°Just spit it out mum¡±, she said.


    ¡°Have you seen the papers yet?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°No, what¡¯s on it?¡±, Rita asked.


    She was a bit curious about thetest news. Just then, her phone pinged announcing that she had a new message. She swiped her phone and sure enough, the same message her mother didn¡¯t want her to see was boldly written on the phone.


    There was a photo of Edmundo wrapped around a young brte. They were clearly in a club and Rita could tell that they just gotid. She hissed, throwing her phone back on her bed.


    ¡°This is the person you want me to get married to. This man whore, fat chance¡±, she seethed.


    ¡°I know but I believe he¡¯ll change as time goes on. You have to believe me¡±, her mother said.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going to this dinner party because I don¡¯t want to disappoint you and Dad. Don¡¯t test my patience mum¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s all I ask¡±, her mother smiled.


    She left soon. Rita slumped on the bed, sighing at how her life was going. Feeling inquisitive, she opened the message rting to Edmundo as she read the contents. She hissed, disgusted at how someone whom most people respected his family could be a whore.


    She wasn¡¯t ready for this and she hoped desperately that something would rescue her from predicament.

 Chapter 4

    Rita walked into the mansion, hand in hand with Edmundo and she couldn¡¯t help feeling like a throphy wife. This wasn¡¯t her life, all this pretence she was suddenly thrown into. She was dressed in a long baby pink gown with a gold bracelet adorning her wrist. Her long jet ck hair was tied in a severe bun, entuating her beautiful face that was make up free.


    Rita never bothered with makeup because she didn¡¯t see the use. The only time she applied makeup was if her face had a blemish she had to hide. Rodrigo was behind them and Rita felt drawn to him. He was dressed smartly in a navy blue suit, his hair was styled in an updo fashion and he easily beat Edmundo who wore a jet ck suit.


    Edmundo left her soon, going over to greet some of the expatriates. Rita was left standing alone as she tried to blend in with the people she didn¡¯t quite know.


    ¡°You look beautiful Rita¡±, Rodrigo said.


    Rita turned towards him, smiling at this show ofpliment. She desperately wished she could leave here with him, somewhere far away from all these strangers.


    ¡°Thank you Rodrigo and you look dashing¡±, she said, moving closer to him.


    Rodrigo took a step back when he sensed someone watching them and sure enough, Edmundo gave them the stink eye as he moved towards them.


    ¡°Shall we dance darling¡±, he said, taking her away.


    Rita hated to leave Rodrigo¡¯s side but she had no other option but to go. Edmundo led her to the dance floor, gripping her waist possessively.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve be very familiar with your chaffeur¡±, Edmundo said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re jelous of an ordinary chaffeur Edmundo¡±, Rita said, her heart racing.


    She had to think of a way by which she could divert his mind away from him. She didn¡¯t fully trust him not to do anything rash to him. She had to protect him with everything she had.


    ¡°Of course not. I just see you¡¯re getting closer to him each day¡±, he said.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Well, if you must know I only just recently promoted him as my personal guard. So you¡¯ll be seeing him around me a lot¡±, she said.


    ¡°I see. Don¡¯t forget Rita, you belong to me and no one else. I ced that ring on your finger and it¡¯s a sign that we would get married very soon. Don¡¯t forget that Rita¡±, he said.


    ¡°I know Edmundo, you¡¯ve made that clear from the start¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°Good¡±, he simply said.


    Rita decided that she really needed to speak with her dad. The way Edmundo was going, she didn¡¯t like it. He was more possessive than ever before and that was something she wasn¡¯tfortable with.


    ¡°Edmundo darling¡±, a voice said.


    Rita broke away from him, staring at the blonde who just spoke. She was tall, taller than most of the women here. Immediately she saw her, Rita knew that she had imnts. Her breasts were clearly fake, no doubt spending millions of dors to get it done.


    ¡°Trisha, how lovely to see you¡±, Edmundo said, giving her a peck.


    ¡°Hello¡±, Rita said.


    She really didn¡¯t care about greeting the woman but she found it to be rude without at least, introducing herself.


    The woman gave her a condescending smile one that Rita knew was fake. She shook her handsmely all the while her eyes were on Edmundo.


    ¡°Oh forgive my manners. Rita, please meet my friend Trisha, Trisha meet my fiance¡±, Edmundo said.


    ¡°How lovely. I can¡¯t wait to attend your wedding if it ever holds that is¡±, she chuckled.


    Rita smiled, not taking offence. As a matter of fact, she hoped that the wedding doesn¡¯t hold too.


    ¡°Trisha, what hase over you?¡±, Edmundo said, steering her away.


    Rita was once again left alone. She needed some fresh air from all the drama she had just witnessed. She made her way towards the balcony, stepping onto the patio.


    ¡°Badpany¡±, a voice said.


    Rita whipped around until she discovered that it was only Rodrigo. She smiled, happy that he found her the minute she needed him.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t stand all those people. They¡¯re fake and I hate people who are fake¡±, she sighed.


    Rodrigo moved closer, taking her hands in his. He gave it a little squeeze as they both watched the moon shining down brightly upon the earth.


    ¡°Come on, I want to show you something¡±, he said, leading her downstairs.


    Rita had never been so excited as much as this before. She wondered what he was going to show her and she couldn¡¯t wait to find out what it was.


    Rodrigo led her towards a fountain at the back of the building where the party was being held. They walked towards it, taking the seats they found there. He released her hands, pulling out two coins from his pocket.


    ¡°Ever heard the tale where you throw a penny into a fountain under the moonlight and make a wish?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°My grandmama used to tell me that but I never really believed it. I thought it was an old child¡¯s take¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Ah my dear, you would be surprised that wishes doe true¡±, Rodrigo smiled.


    He handed her a coin, smiling as she stared at the coin in wonder. Sometimes, he wondered how she grew up especially with no sibling around. At least, he had his cousins who constantly came to visit so he didn¡¯t feel alone.


    ¡°Go on, make a wish¡±, he smiled.


    Rita whispered into the coin, throwing it into the fountain as she watched it sink to the very bottom before the water covered it.


    ¡°Your turn¡±, Rita smiled.


    Rodrigo did the same, immediately throwing his into the fountain. They watched as the coin sank to the bottom before the water covered it.


    ¡°Thank you, it was beautiful¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°My pleasure. I just needed to rescue you from those people before you lost your mind. I could see that you really needed saving¡±, heughed.


    ¡°Honestly. Sometimes, I wonder how Edmundo could be so insensitive and he calls me his fiancee. It¡¯s just really annoying. I just don¡¯t understand why my parents can¡¯t see under his guise¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°Sometimes, people put on a perfect deception and it would really be hard before you can determine if they¡¯re genuine or not¡±, Rodrigo said with a far away look in his eyes.


    ¡°You seem to speak from experience, is there a story behind this¡±, Rita said.


    She didn¡¯t mean to pry but she was quite inquisitive. Rodrigo smiled, throwing a stone into the distance.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t an only child. I had a younger sister, she died¡±, he said.


    ¡°Oh Rodrigo¡±, Rita sighed, taking his hands in hers.


    ¡°She had an ident caused by her then boyfriend. When she met him for the first time, she was swayed by his sweet words. I knew right away that he was a fake, someone who could not be trusted¡±, he said.


    ¡°What did your mother do?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°You know mothers, she screamed and threatened to disown her but my dear sister paid deaf ears to our warnings until one day, she absconded with this guy and they got involved in an ident. Thest I saw of my sister was her mutted body, both of them died on impact¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, it must have been hard on you and your mother. What is her name¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Sophia, she was the most beautiful thing I¡¯d ever seen¡±, Rodrigo said.


    Without thinking, Rita hugged him. Rodrigo was taken aback by this but he waved away his surprise, hugging her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m always here if you ever need me. Please don¡¯t see me as only your employer but as a friend and a confidante¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°I should get back in, I don¡¯t want Edmundo suspecting anything¡±, she said, rising to her feet.


    They made their way into the building, hand in hand. Upon getting into the reception, Rodrigo dropped her hands but not before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Rita smiled at this show of affection before she moved towards Edmundo who had no idea she was gone.


    She smiled because she had just found a new friend in her chaffeur. One she hoped was more genuine than Edmundo¡¯s.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±, Edmundo asked.


    ¡°Oh, no where. I just took a stroll because I was feeling the heat get to me¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go greet some of my friends before we leave¡±, he said.


    Rita sighed inwardly. No doubt, this would be another round of boring talks and short conversations that never seemed to lead anywhere.


    She endured it all and when they were done, she felt much happier.


    ¡°Such a lovely party¡±, Edmundo said.


    Rita sighed, wishing to never experience any of that again.

 Chapter 5

    The next morning, Rita paid a visit to her dad. Lawrence Anderson was getting on in years. His usual brown hair had a lot of grey undertones. He was a man of medium height with an oval face and a strong jaw. Rita took hisplexion, a bright caramel that seemed to sparkle under the sun. His eyes were a deep blue, just like the ocean. It usually drew people in especially prospective investors.


    It was no wonder why he had a lot of clients, wanting to associate with the Anderson group. Apart from his attractive physique, Lawrence Anderson was blessed with the gift of convincing people. He had a sugarcoated mouth that moved investors and clients and before they knew what was happening, they had already signed a deal. It wasn¡¯t a surprise to anybody that his daughter had taken his traits, one she used judiciously in running the empire.


    ¡°Hi Dad¡±, Rita beamed, pecking his cheeks.


    ¡°d of you toe see me, it¡¯s been so long. How are you?¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry dad, I know my visit is long overdue. I¡¯ve been so busy that at times, I don¡¯t even have time for myself¡±, Rita sighed, taking a seat.


    ¡°You should make out time for yourself my dear. No one can take care of you better than yourself, always remember that. I know it¡¯s not easy running an empire asrge as ours but I know you can do it, all the more reason why I put you there¡±, Lawrence said.


    Rita remained quiet for sometime, mulling over his words. Her father was a wise man, one who hardly makes mistakes. She had a lot to learn from him especially if she was to run the empire smoothly.


    ¡°Dad, something has been bothering me that¡¯s why I came to see you. I tried talking to mum about it but she wouldn¡¯t listen to me¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°Go on, I¡¯m listening. What¡¯s the problem?¡±.


    ¡°Dad, I can¡¯t marry Edmundo. I just can¡¯t¡±, she blurted.


    For several minutes, the patriarch remained quiet, thinking about his daughter¡¯s words. Rita could see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to give her a reply.


    ¡°You have to marry Edmundo¡±, he said quietly.


    Rita slumped on her chair, defeated. She hoped, just a little that her father would support her on this but as it was, her parents were bent on her getting married to Edmundo, a yer and a pompous man.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry for wasting your time¡±, Rita said, walking away.


    ¡°In time, you¡¯ll see the reason for this decision¡±, he said before Rita finally left his home office.


    She made her way downstairs, needing to be far away from everything. It was one thing for her to attend the party yesterday and another thing to spend the rest of her life with someone she loathed.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Just drive Rodrigo, I don¡¯t know. Anywhere but here¡±, Rita said.


    Rodrigo sighed, speeding away. Sometimes, he wished he could help her but as poor as he was, there was nothing he could do.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, he said quietly, looking at her through the rear view mirror.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry, you didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s now confirmed that I¡¯ll be spending the remainder of my life with someone like Edmundo. So I think it¡¯s best I enjoy this little freedom before it¡¯s all over¡±, she said.


    Rodrigo smiled sadly at the state his employer was in. He drove round the area for several minutes until he finally stopped in a clear open field. Rita came down from the car barefoot, not bothering to put on her shoes. Rodrigo joined her and together, the duo walked towards the open field.


    ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful, I feel free here¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it that¡¯s why I brought you here. My mum said my father used to take us here when we were little. I don¡¯t remember much of it because I was only little then¡±, heughed.


    Rita couldn¡¯t imagine how one person could be so handsome and kind. She always looked forward to seeing him and now that they were here, she loved every minute of it.


    They sat down on the open field, trading stories of old. Rita got to learn a lot about him and she also told him some things about her.


    ¡°Are you kidding me, you began cooking at the age of nine?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Yeah, my mum made us learn. Even though my sister wasn¡¯t bothered about it, we still learnt and I can proudly say that I¡¯m an aplished cook¡±, heughed.


    ¡°Well, I guess I should really have a taste of your cooking one day¡±, she said.


    ¡°It would be an honor. Just inform me when you¡¯re ready so I would prepare beforehand¡±, he said, throwing a little stone in the air.


    He faced her, staring into her eyes. Rita could tell that the moment had changed, there was a static feeling in the airced with deep emotions they felt for each other.


    ¡°You¡¯re really beautiful¡±, he said, cupping her face.


    Rita looked away, shy all of a sudden at this show of emotion. He traced her lips with his fingers, a soft gentle touch thst had her swooning.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, she simply said.


    Without warning, Rodrigo kissed her. Rita was a bit surprised but she waved it off, kissing him back with everything she had. She had waited for this moment for a very long time and now that it was here, she wouldn¡¯t ruin it.


    ¡°And you have the softest lips, just as I imagined¡±, he grinned once they broke away.


    ¡°We.. we really shouldn¡¯t be doing this. I mean, it¡¯s not proper¡±, she said, taking a step back.


    Even though it pained her to do that, it was the right thing. Even though she disliked Edmundo, he was still her fiance and his ring was currently sitting atop her finger.


    Rodrigo had a hurt expression on his face, he didn¡¯t know what he was thinking when he kissed her. She was right, what they were doing was wrong and he hated to think about what would happen if anyone finds out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, I was so stupid. It won¡¯t happen again¡±, he said, taking a step back.


    ¡°Rita..  Rita is fine please. I guess my emotions are all over the ce, it¡¯s okay you don¡¯t need to apologize¡±.


    ¡°All the more reason why I shouldn¡¯t have taken advantage, it¡¯s not the proper thing to do¡±, he said.


    Rita had a hard time staying put. She almost broke her shield and ran back to him but she stayed put. It was for the best, the game they were ying was risky and the parties around them were even deadlier.


    ¡°Please, let¡¯s just go¡±, she said, walking back to the car.


    Rodrigo nodded, walking behind her, a little distance. He couldn¡¯t trust himself not to touch her and so, he simply settled with staying behind her. They drove off soon and the tension in the car was palpable.


    Rita felt awkward and she didn¡¯t know how to breach the gap that had suddenlye up. She was a decent girl and she knew what they were doing was wrong but sometimes, she wished she could throw decency to the wind and chase what she truly wanted.


    Soon, they got to the house. Rodrigo helped her all the way to the front door. When it was time to depart, Rita felt as if this would be thest time she¡¯d be seeing him even though he was to pick her up to work tomorrow.


    She gave him a single nod before she ventured into the mansion, her heart in disarray.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°Please no visitors today Yasmin except if it¡¯s very important¡±, Rita said through the inte.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡±.


    ¡°And please call me the head of the Health department, I need to have a word with him¡±.


    ¡°Alright ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll send him up¡±.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, Rita said before switching off the inte.


    Few minutester, there was a knock on the door. Matthew Das, the Head of the Health Department of the Anderson empire walked in.


    ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am, you sent for me¡±, he said.


    Even though Matthew was a bit older than her, he still addressed her as if they were of the same age group.


    ¡°Please sit down. You really shouldn¡¯t address me like that. Rita is fine please¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it ma¡¯am, I¡¯m perfectly okay with it¡±, he said.


    His salt and pepper hair was styled neatly to the side, entuating his face. He was a handsome man, gradually ageing. Rita couldn¡¯t remember when he began working for the organization but she knew that it had been a long time, longer than when she began working.


    ¡°Okay, so the reason why I called is that I would like to include someone into the Health system. I would love the person to benefit from the organization¡¯s health system¡±, she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem Miss but if I might ask please, who is this person¡±, he said.


    Rita didn¡¯t know whether to divulge this information or simply remain quiet about it. She chose thetter as she didn¡¯t trust him not to divulge the information to someone else she didn¡¯t trust.


    ¡°Let me just hold on to that information for now¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Alright ma¡¯am, whatever you wish. I would need the person¡¯s details before I begin due process¡± he said.


    Rita didn¡¯t know anything about Camille except for the little Rodrigo told her. She was at a crossroad on what to do but she vowed to get this information at all cost.


    ¡°Okay, give me a day or two let me get this information then I¡¯ll get back to you¡±, she said.


    ¡°Alright ma¡¯am¡±, he said, taking his leave.


    When he left, Rita summoned Yasmin to her office. She wanted to find out whether Rodrigo was still within the building. She couldn¡¯t trust the inte. After all, it could be tapped. She couldn¡¯t take that risk and preferred her toe physically.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, you sent for me¡±, Yasmin said.


    ¡°Yes. Do you know if Rodrigo is within the building?¡±, She asked.


    If Yasmin was surprised by this question, she hid it well. Thinking about it now, Rita realized how awkward it sounded.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s downstairs. Do I send for him?.


    ¡°Please do. And Yasmin, let this little meeting be just between us¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, I perfectly understand. Rodrigo would be with you shortly¡±, she said as she left the office.


    Rita rxed on her chair. She congratted herself on how well she handled the issue. She had to look for a way to get the information from Rodrigo without him suspecting and the best way she could do that was to summon him here. She was going to be a distraction to him. Even though she hated using him this way, it was for the best. She wanted his mother to have the best care.


    He arrived a few minutester and seeing him afresh each day stole her breath away. It was as if every minute away from him made him all the more handsome. He was dressed in his official work clothes which made him smart and handsome.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m sorry I sent you all the way up. I just need a little of your time¡± Rita said.


    ¡°No ma¡¯am, you don¡¯t need to apologize. I¡¯m at your service any day¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Please have a seat¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Thank you. I hope everything is alright or do you need rescuing¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Ha ha, very funny. No kind sire, i do not need rescuing. What I need to do now is ask you some questions¡± she said.


    He had a confused expression on his face. His mind turned, thinking about all the possible things she could ask.


    ¡°Okay, please go on¡±, he said.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about what you told me about your family and I think I knew your mother somewhere but I can¡¯t quite ce where. Could you tell me a little bit about her, maybe I would remember her that way¡±, Rita said.


    She liked the way she began the conversation. It was smooth and she knew that he wouldn¡¯t suspect a thing.


    ¡°Well, she hardly ever talks about her childhood days but there was a particr day she just spilled it all out. My mumes from arge family, she¡¯s the second child of six children. They lived in arge farm house on the outskirts of the city. Sometimes, I take a drive there just to see how the old folks are doing. That¡¯s really all she¡¯s ever told me¡±, he said.


    ¡°Ohh wow. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t mean to pry but did she ever have this ailment. I mean, when did it begin?¡±, Rita asked, surreptitiously jotting some things down.


    Rodrigo thought about this for some time. His mother¡¯s ailment truly began about three years ago when he was still on the streets, looking for a job. Ever since he had gotten something to do, it has been manageable especially with his fat srying in.


    ¡°About three years ago¡±, he finally said.


    Rita gasped, covering it up with a cough. Rodrigo left his seat, rushing to help her. Rita grabbed his hands as the cough continued for the worse. Somehow, she found herself sitting on hisps and he on her chair.


    ¡°Are you alright¡±, he said, smoothing her hair.


    ¡°Yes, thank you. I just had something stuck in my throat¡±, Rita smiled.


    He continued smoothing her hair and she couldn¡¯t help it when sheid her head on his chest, she fit so well in his body and she wondered if fate wanted her to be with him.


    ¡°I should go, anyone could walk in here¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°No, please stay. Just for a moment, I really missed you¡±, Rita said, burying her face in his chest.


    His cologne soothed her nerves and she wished she could stay in his arms for as long as she liked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing. I think I need to tell you the truth¡±, he said.


    Rita sat up but still on hisp. She could tell that whatever he wanted to say was serious and for that, he needed her attention.


    ¡°I love you Rita Anderson. I know it sounds crazy, knowing I only recently began working for you but that¡¯s how I feel. I¡¯ll understand if you don¡¯t feel that way about me.  After all, you¡¯re engaged but I just needed you to know, to get it off my chest¡±, he said, stroking her face.


    Rita kissed him, taking him by surprise. Rodrigo drew her closer and together, they explored ces they couldn¡¯t dream of doing few weeks back. Rita gave everything she had into the kiss, silently telling him that she felt the same way.


    She didn¡¯t know how they were going to manage it, but they would try. After all, there was no harm in trying.


    ¡°I love you too Rodrigo, from the moment I saw you, I¡¯ve always loved you¡±, Rita said when they finally broke away.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s risky what we¡¯re doing but I can¡¯t seem to stop myself especially when I¡¯m around you¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°Shhh¡­ Don¡¯t think about it too much, I know it¡¯s still early but let¡¯s take it slow. We¡¯ll figure everything out along the way. Trust me on that¡±, Rita assured him.


    He kissed her again, this time slow and sensous. She could get used to this, get used to the feel of his arms around her body but like a switch had been turned off, she remembered she had work to do.


    ¡°I should get back to work Rodrigo¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Must you¡±, he groaned, burying his neck in her bossom.


    ¡°Yes, I must¡±, sheughed, hitting him yfully on his head.


    ¡°You smell so good, I could eat you¡±, he grinned.


    ¡°Rodrigo!, I never knew you had such a naughty mouth¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised at the other things I could do with it¡±, he smiled, pulling her lips to his.


    There was a knock on the door which startled them both. Rita scrambled to her feet but Rodrigo wouldn¡¯t let her go.


    ¡°Are you crazy, you need to let me go. Someone is at the door¡±, she whispered.


    ¡°I know but you need to calm down first. Anyone could easily see you were up to something, your pulse is beating rapidly¡±, he said.


    Rita knew he was right, she needed to stay calm if she was to hide what they were doing. She took a deep breath before she felt some calmness return to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s much better¡±, he said, cing her on her feet.


    She adjusted her dress,bing her hair too. When he certified she was okay, she gave a huge sigh of relief.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at the close of work today. I¡¯ll be downstairs if you need me¡±, he said, stealing another kiss.


    Rita nodded, kissing him back. The persistent sound of the knocking drew them apart as she walked towards the door to see who was behind it. When she opened it, it was as if all her fears had finallye to the surface. Edmundo stood behind the door with fury in his eyes.

 Chapter 7

    ¡°Darling, how lovely to see you¡±, Rita faked a smile as she hugged him.


    Rodrigo stood at a corner, his hands fisted at the back of him. He hated to see her with a man who didn¡¯t give a shit about her.


    ¡°What took you so long to get the door, I¡¯ve been knocking for a long time¡±, Edmundo said.


    He walked in without any care in the world like the pompous man he was. Rodrigo remained where he stood, watching the scene before him.


    ¡°Sorry, I was in the inner office going over an important file¡±, she lied smoothly.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I shall take my leave now¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting. Thank you, you may go. Please pick me up at the close of the day, thank you¡±, she said.


    Rodrigo nodded, leaving but not without giving her a wink unbeknownst to Edmundo who was facing the other side.


    Rita smiled, watching him leave. She shuddered when she remembered she was here alone with Edmundo.


    ¡°Would you like anything to drink darling?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°You know Rita, I really don¡¯t like your chaffeur¡±, Edmundo said.


    She stopped abruptly on her way to the liquor cab. She didn¡¯t understand what he was saying and only prayed it was apletely different thing.


    ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡±, She asked.


    ¡°He has this leering look in his eyes, you should be careful of him. In fact, I suggest you terminate his employment here¡±, he said


    Rita couldn¡¯t understand how someone could be so selfish and heartless. There was no way she was going to do that. She was the President of the Anderson group and she wouldn¡¯t stand here and allow him dictate how she was to run the organization.


    ¡°Rodrigo isn¡¯t like that, trust me. If you get to know him, you¡¯ll see that you¡¯re wrong¡±, she said, pouring a drink in a ss cup.


    ¡°Easy for you to say. Since it seems you¡¯re so close to him¡±, he mumbled, taking a sip of his drink.


    Rita had a good mind to spill her drink on his face, she couldn¡¯t stand how insolent and insensitive he was.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m close to him and that¡¯s because he¡¯s under my pay and if you do not like it Edmundo I suggest you deal with it¡±, Rita said.


    She was tired of his childish habit, a habit she found disgusting. Edmundo stared at her, a mischievous look in his eyes.


    He ced his drink on a nearby table, moving towards her. Rita took a step back, she knew that look on his face but she wasn¡¯t ready for anything he wanted to do.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re looking gorgeous by the way¡±, he said, wrapping his hands around her.


    Rita likened his hands to those of an octopus about to catch it¡¯s prey, his eyes were sleazy and she knew that if she didn¡¯t act fast, he would have her in his hold.


    He kissed her as she fought the urge to gag. She didn¡¯t like him touching her but she didn¡¯t know how she could stop him.


    ¡°Edmundo, I¡¯ve got a lot of work to catch up on. Can we do thister?¡±, Rita said, giving him a sugary sweet smile


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a promise¡±, he said, kissing her before leaving her office.


    ¡°Fat chance¡±, Rita said, settling in her desk.


    She rung Matthew once again to give him the information but this time around, shemunicated what she had to say through the inte. It was a risk she was willing to take. When she was done with this, she settled down to read the new file Yasmin had just faxed to her.


    It was an invitation to the opening of a restaurant from one of their major investors and it would be taking ce in Los Angeles this weekend.


    The Andersons were major shareholders of thispany and they couldn¡¯t afford to miss this grand opening. Rita sent off a message, acknowledging her attendance. When she sent it off, a thought passed through her mind.


    She would leave Yasmin here to take care of the ground work. After all, the girl was really good at what she does while she takes Rodrigo. He was a chaffeur and she reasoned that he should apany her since he doubled as her personal guard.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The problem she faced now was how to tell Edmundo this. No doubt, he would look for every avenue to stop their going together and that was something Rita tried to avoid. Right there and then, she made up her mind not to inform him. After all, when he goes frolicking with some of those prostitutes, he never told her. She made up her mind to do this, he wasn¡¯t the boss of her and there was absolutely nothing he could do even when he finds out that they went together.


    Later on, at the close of the day, Rita was putting the final touches to her work when a knock distrupted her thoughts. She ushered the person in without looking up. When the scent of a familiar cologne hit her, she looked up to see Rodrigo standing there with a grin.


    ¡°It¡¯s closing time ma¡¯am and I¡¯m at your service¡±, he smiled.


    Rita left her table, throwing her hands around him. Rodrigo shut the door with his foot, he couldn¡¯t be so sure about someone not seeing them.


    He kissed her, reveling in the taste and pleasure her lips gave. Her body fit perfectly to his and he blessed the day he applied to be her chaffeur.


    ¡°Okay, we should really go¡±, Rita said, breathlessly.


    Rodrigo smiled, carrying her to the edge of the table. He ced her on the edge and she was again attacked get with kisses. Rita moaned, loving how hard yet soft he was.


    ¡°You¡¯d be the death of me¡±, Rodrigo said when they finally broke away.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ll be with your insatiableness¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°How was work today?¡±, he asked, toying with the button on her blouse.


    ¡°It was fine lover boy, how was yours?¡±.


    ¡°Boring without you but I know as far as I¡¯m in the same building with you, I can manage¡±.


    ¡°Rodrigo, I want to ask you something¡±, Rita said, pulling him closer with his tie.


    ¡°Go on lover girl¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Would you go with me to Los Angeles?¡±, she asked.


    She held her breath as she waited for his reply. She didn¡¯t know if her question sounded offensive and she hoped he wouldn¡¯t get angry over her insensitivity.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to but my mother, she has no one to take care of her except me¡±, he said.


    ¡°I thought about that and it¡¯s all sorted out. I¡¯ve hired one of our most trusted maids to take care of her for how long we¡¯d stay. Trust me Rodrigo, your mother is in safe hands¡±, she said, stroking his face.


    ¡°Thank you, you really don¡¯t know what this means to me¡±, he said, cupping her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. One of our investors is opening a multi ss restaurant and they¡¯ve requested my presence and I thought of you¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°You really can¡¯t do without me. It¡¯s great to know that I have a pretty woman falling head over heels for me¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°You pompous man¡±, she said, smacking his chest. ¡°And yes, if you must know, I can¡¯t do without you. I love you¡±, she said.


    ¡°I love you too, I love you so much that at times it hurts especially when you¡¯re with that fiance of yours¡±.


    ¡°Oh Rodrigo, are you jealous?¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t even lie. Yes, I am. I don¡¯t want to share you with anyone else, you¡¯re mine and mine alone¡±, he said, drawing her closer.


    By now, she could feel the bulge in his trouser and he wasn¡¯t even making any effort to hide it. Rita smiled, happy that she had this effect on him.


    ¡°You see what you do to me right? How you affect me, that¡¯s how my love for you is. It¡¯s a drug that I would take for life¡±, he smiled.


    She kissed him, happy at the sweet words he showered down on her. She wasn¡¯t ever going to let him go. Not in this life or the next.


    ¡°Okay, I think we should really go now¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°Yes or else, the security woulde in here since your office lights are still on¡±, Rodrigoughed, helping her to her feet.


    She quickly shut down herptop, packing some of the files she would be working with at home. Rodrigo took the bags from her as they made their way downstairs.


    ¡°It sucks that I can¡¯t touch you in public¡±, he groaned.


    ¡°Keep your hands to yourself while we¡¯re in the open fiesty boy¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Even in the elevator?¡±.


    ¡°Yes. There are cameras all over the building well except my office, that¡¯s off limits¡±, Rita said.


    They got to the car soon just as the first drop of rainnded on them. Rita sighed happily, she could get used to this treatment from someone she loved.


    She gripped his hands, giving it a gentle squeeze as he brought their conjoined hands together, giving it a kiss. The car drove off into the evening, heading towards her home.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°When are you leaving for Los Angeles?¡±, Edmumdo said, over lunch the following day.


    Rita could see some changes in him. His eyes were hollow and his cheek bones seemed to be sunken.


    ¡°On Friday, this week¡±, she simply said.


    ¡°I see and who is going with you? Yasmin?¡±, he asked.


    This was the part she hated, the part were she would tell him that it wasn¡¯t Yasmin but Rodrigo who would apany her.


    ¡°Rodrigo, my chaffeur¡±, she said.


    She waited for his outburst but when none seemed toe, she looked at him, willing him to say anything and not just smile like a deranged fellow.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re getting too close to this chaffeur of yours. I might have a word with your father to terminate his appointment if you wouldn¡¯t do it¡±, he smiled, sadistically.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare. Edmundo, this is my empire and I decide who gets to stay or not. I don¡¯t need you meddling into my affairs¡±, she seethed.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised at the things I can do. Remember, you¡¯re my fiancee and one word to your father would change a lot of things¡±, he said, rising to his feet.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll show you that I¡¯m not scared of you and your threats. Just because you¡¯re the son of a Senator doesn¡¯t mean you can do anything you like. Dio mio! Edmundo, do you even have a conscience¡±, she screamed.


    She rose up from her seat angrily, dumping the napkin and cutleries. People around them stared but they dare not interfere in the matters of the elites.


    ¡°This meeting is over. I would report your nasty behavior to your parents¡±, he said, walking away.


    ¡°To hell with you. I don¡¯t care if you even report to the President¡±, she screamed as she watched him leave.


    She sat back down, sobbing into the napkin. Rodrigo stood nearby, wondering if he should take her away. He didn¡¯t want to raise any suspicions about the two of them. He decided to take the risk, after all there was nobody around that really knew them that well.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please let¡¯s go¡±, he whispered, cing his hands on get shoulder.


    Just one touch from him soothed her racing heart. She sniffed, drying the rogue tears that threatened to fall. Rodrigo¡¯s heart broke at the sight of her. He vowed to deal with Edmundo maybe not now butter. Even though he had no idea where he would get the resources to, he made a promise to himself to do so.


    ¡°Please, people are beginning to stare¡±, he begged.


    She stood up, walking towards the door. He scurried after her, holding her bags. He could tell that she was beyond pissed and he decided to leave her alone for sometime in order for her to get herself.


    He drove towards her office, his mind thinking of all the ways he could pacify her. He looked through the rear view mirror. Her face was stoked in concentration as she stared out of the window, her mind lost in thoughts.


    ¡°Rita¡±, he said, quietly.


    She seemed not to hear him. He called her again but he was met with the same silent response.


    Without thinking, he pulled over by the side of the road. The roads were barely plyed and he was d for that as he needed no disturbance whatsoever. He climbed into the back seat where she sat and it took a lot of rigorous shaking before she came through.


    ¡°Why did we stop. Is something wrong with the car?¡±, She asked with a confused look on her face.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, I came to give you this¡±, Rodrigo said before cing his lips on hers.


    Rita kissed him back, both of them fighting for dominance. The kiss wasn¡¯t one of love but one of anger at the things they couldn¡¯t control. At the end, the both of them settled on a neutral ground, silently promising the other that they would find a way to deal with everything that¡¯s been happening around them.


    Rodrigo discovered a little toote that she was crying. Her tears stained his cheeks and his heart broke at the sight of her tear streaked face.


    ¡°Please, stop crying. Please, you¡¯re breaking my heart¡±.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t my parents just see that Edmundo isn¡¯t the man for me. He doesn¡¯t love me and there¡¯s no telling what he¡¯ll do if I eventually marry him¡±, she sobbed.


    Rodrigo dried her eyes as best as he could but the waterworks seemed to fall more rapidly than ever before.


    ¡°I believe with time, they¡¯ll see reasons with you. Trust me Rita, they will¡±, he assured her.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if you weren¡¯t here, thank you¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re my Queen and there¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t do for you. Please don¡¯t thank me, it¡¯s what lovers do¡±, he said, cing a kiss on her head.


    ¡°I think we should go before we¡¯re arrested for indecent parking¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get out of here¡±, he smiled, moving over to the driver¡¯s seat.


    The rest of the drive to her office was rtively peaceful. When they got to the office, he dropped her off by the reception but not without giving her a quick kiss before leaving.


    Rita smiled as she made her way into her office. Somehow, a gloomy day just became a joyful day with the man she loved by her side.


    **********************


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, there¡¯s someone here to see you¡±, Yasmin said through the inte.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±, Rita asked absentmindedly while studying a file on herptop.


    ¡°Senator Brabra¡±.


    Rita stilled. She wasn¡¯t expecting Edmundo¡¯s father, this was quite a surprise and she hated not knowing what to expect.


    ¡°Is he alone?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Shall I send him up?¡±.


    ¡°Yes, please do¡± she said before switching off the inte.


    She prepared herself for his arrival, mentally giving herself a prep talk. She wasn¡¯t going to be scared, she was past that and there was nothing he could do that would scare her.


    A light knock announced to her that the Senator had arrived. Rita walked towards the door, opening it to reveal the face of one of the most respected men in the country.


    Senator Wilson Brabra was a tall hulking man with some grey undertones adorning the side of his head. He had an athletic shape and when he spoke, everyone was forced to listen to him which made him one of the most respected men in the society.


    ¡°Such a pleasant surprise Senator¡±, Rita smiled, kissing his cheek.


    ¡°I was just passing by and decided to see how you¡¯re doing. How are you my dear¡±, he said in his huge baritone voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you. How is Magdalene, is she back from her travels¡±, Rita said, taking a seat facing the Senator.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not. My wife likes to travel a lot but she¡¯ll be back this weekend¡±, he said.


    ¡°What shall I get you? Scotch, Whiskey, Brandy?¡±.


    ¡°Scotch any day¡±, he said.


    Rita fixed the drinks, returning with two sses. She handed him a ss, sipping her own drink.


    ¡°So, to what do I owe this visit?¡±, she asked.


    Rita wasn¡¯t fooled. She knew that the Senator was here for something and she had an idea of what that was. If it wasn¡¯t about Edmundo then there was nothing else.


    ¡°It¡¯s about my son. Actually, it¡¯s about the both of you. My dear, what is really going on. I¡¯ve heard some reports and they¡¯re quite not good¡±, he said, cing his drink on a table.


    Rita sighed, doing the same. Apparently, it was time to talk. Even though she didn¡¯t feel like doing any of that she needed to in order to get things clear with him.


    ¡°To be honest senator, your son is a despicable human being. He doesn¡¯t have any regard for people¡¯s feelings and when he talks, his words are that of a fool¡±, she said.


    Senator Brabra remained quiet for a while, mulling over her words. Deep within him, he knew that was the truth. His son was spoilt and arrogant, all thanks to his mother who made him that way.


    ¡°I quiet understand everything you¡¯ve just said but I¡¯m sad that your rtionship with my son is going downhill¡±, he said, sadly.


    Rita felt a bit sad for him. He was a nice man but his son was a different ball game, she didn¡¯t understand how two people from the same family could havepletely different characters.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this Senator but I don¡¯t think my engagement with your son would work¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I know and that¡¯s the main reason I¡¯m here. Please, I want you to try. I know my son can be difficult but I beg you to give him a chance, he¡¯ll change you¡¯ll see¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay but I¡¯m only doing this out of the respect I have for you. You¡¯ve been a great help to me and my family over the years and I wouldn¡¯t take that for granted¡±, Rita smiled.


    The senator stood up, smiling as he prepared to take his leave. Rita was a bit relieved that he was going as she had a ton of work to do.


    ¡°Thank you my dear, I really appreciate this¡±, he said.


    ¡°My pleasure. Please my regards to Magdalene¡±, Rita said as she watched him leave.

 Chapter 9

    ¡°A little birdie tells me that the Senator stopped by at the office today¡±, May said as soon as her daughter walked in.


    Rita groaned, wondering why her mother was bent on frustrating her life. She never gave her a moment¡¯s rest, it was all about Edmundo and his family. She was sick and tired of her mother¡¯s desperation for her to get married to Edmundo. It was driving her crazy and she wished there was something she could desperately do to end this.


    ¡°Yes, you heard well. Now, would you let me go¡±, Rita groaned.


    ¡°What did hee for?¡±, she probed, sipping something that Rita suspected was coffee.


    Coffee was like a drug to her mother. She hardly went any day without it, sometimes she wondered how people could stand the smell talk more of the taste. Rita hated anything coffee rted and she was grateful that there was tea else she would be going without breakfast most of the time.


    ¡°Mum, if you want to get the gist I suggest you go gossip with Yasmin. I¡¯m very tired and I really don¡¯t have time for this¡±, she said, making her way into her room.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She shut the door behind her, locking it with the key. She didn¡¯t want any disturbances tonight, she just wanted to sleep. She took a quick shower, changing into her nightgown.


    When she was done with her toilet business, she settled on her bed, going over the files she worked on during the day. Just then, her phone beeped, indicating that she had a call. The caller ID showed unknown.


    Rita was a bit weary of answering numbers that weren¡¯t saved on her phone. Nevertheless, she picked up the phone, cing it on her ear.


    ¡°Love¡±, that voice had her sitting up as fast as she could.


    Rodrigo was calling. She had no idea how he got her number but she was d that he called by this time when she was slowly loosing her mind.


    ¡°Oh gosh! Rodrigo! This is such a pleasant surprise¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I wanted to surprise you¡±, heughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasant surprise. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re missing me already¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°You bet I am. And it¡¯s only what.. two, three hours since I saw you. That¡¯s what you do to me Rita, you¡¯re a drug that I need¡±, he said.


    ¡°Aww that¡¯s so sweet. How are you, how is your mum?¡±, She said, settling morefortably on her bed.


    She was genuinely d for his call. This was one person who sort of understood what she was going through.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Which brings me to another reason why I called¡±, he said, his tone taking on a serious note.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡±, she said quietly.


    She feared that he would call off whatever was going on between them. Rita couldn¡¯t imagine what she¡¯d do if that was the case.


    ¡°My mum¡¯s hospital bills has been paid. I mean, I¡¯ve been paying but I just got a call from a strange number that said as long as my mum lives, everything concerning her health would be taken care of¡±, he said.


    Rita smiled, her hearting to rest. She was relieved that it wasn¡¯t what she was thinking, she knew that sooner orter, Rodrigo would find out about the health insurance for his mum and it looked like he found out earlier.


    ¡°Well maybe someone decided to help you out¡±, she said vaguely.


    ¡°Rita, you don¡¯t have anything to do with this right?¡±, he said.


    If there was one thing she detested, it was lies. She couldn¡¯t lie to him knowing fully well that sooner orter, he would discover she was behind it.


    ¡°Promise me you wouldn¡¯t get angry if I tell you the truth¡±, she said, twisting her fingers.


    She had never been so nervous in her life. She didn¡¯t want to fight with him, it would only break her heart and that she couldn¡¯t take.


    ¡°I promise¡±, he said, finally.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m behind it. When you told me about her, I was moved to help. I mean, Rodrigo you shouldn¡¯t be spending all your ie on your mother¡¯s health. It¡¯s really not fair, I know she¡¯s your mother and it¡¯s your responsibility but for once, let someone else take care of you and your mother¡±, she said.


    She stood up from her bed, pacing about. She was beyond nervous now, not knowing what he was thinking ate her up. Rodrigo remained silent for a very long time thinking about her words, he didn¡¯t know what to feel at that moment but simply chose to remain quiet.


    ¡°Rodrigo please say something. Your silence is scaring me, please¡±, Rita begged.


    ¡°You know what I want to do now?¡±, he asked quietly.


    ¡°No¡±.


    ¡°I want to kiss you so bad you¡¯ll forget your name. I want to make you mine Rita, damning all the consequences¡±, he said, smiling into the phone.


    ¡°Oh Rodrigo! You really scared me¡±, sheughed.


    She was d he wasn¡¯t angry. She couldn¡¯t stand it if he was and she promised within herself to do everything possible to avoid him getting angry.


    ¡°Then do it, what are you waiting for¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°Come to the window?¡±, he said.


    Rita was surprised as she quickly rushed towards the window. Opening the curtains, she searched around for a bit until she saw Rodrigo, standing beside a tree with a wide grin on his face.


    ¡°My God, what are you doing here? You¡¯ll get caught¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°Anything for you sugar girl. Thank you, I really appreciate what you did for my mother¡±, he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Now please leave the cold before you get sick, I need you this weekend¡±.


    ¡°I will, I just came to show you how happy I am. Thank you Rita, I won¡¯t forget this¡±, he said, blowing her a kiss.


    He left soon just before he cut the call. Rita smiled, closing her window as she prepared for bed. She was beyond happy knowing that he really appreciated everything she did. As she drifted off to a peaceful sleep, his face was thest thing on her mind before sleep finally took her.


    *********************


    The next morning, as Rita walked into her office with Rodrigo in tow, she was met with some reporters who stood outside her office building. She had no idea what they were doing but from the looks of it, it couldn¡¯t be good.


    Reporters were known to hang around ces they knew they could get juicy gists. Rodrigo stood in front of her, bing a human shield from the prying eyes of the reporters.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, what can you say about your rtionship with Edmundo¡±, a reporter said, thrusting a microphone in her face.


    Rita was beyond confused at what the reporter was really driving at until she saw a magazine on the ground with Edmundo¡¯s picture on it. His lips were locked in a passionate kiss with one of his many girlfriends.

 Chapter 10

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, just let it go¡±, Rodrigo said.


    They were in her office. He triedforting her as best as he could but she just couldn¡¯t shake off the disgusted feeling within her. After she saw the offensive magazine, she ordered the security men to send away all the reporters from the building. She couldn¡¯t deal with them and seeing them around her building was a constant reminder of Edmundo¡¯s infidelities.


    ¡°The thing is, I¡¯m not bothered about what he does with his life. All I¡¯m concerned about is that my name gets dragged together with his. I¡¯m not sofortable with that¡±, she said, pacing about.


    Rodrigo walked towards her, taking her hands in his. The only way he knew how tofort her was to touch her. His touch was like a drug to her, halting every difort within her. Just like he suspected, she stopped pacing as she rested her head on his chest.


    He stroked her hair, loving how soft it was. Rita gripped him tightly, fearing that he would go if she held him loosely.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t think about it. Just continue with your life and never stop being the sweet woman I¡¯vee to love. Please, do it for me¡±, he said, cupping her jaw.


    He kissed her very gently, drawing her closer to him. Rita sighed into the kiss, loving how gentle he was.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try¡±, she said once they broke away.


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl¡±, he smiled, tracing her jaw.


    ¡°You should get going, people would begin to wonder why you¡¯re staying too long in here¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to hold you in my arms openly without any fear whatsoever. That day woulde soon, I know it¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°I believe it too. Please, never stop loving me. I¡¯d die if I don¡¯t see you and feel your touch¡±.


    ¡°No you won¡¯t. Instead, you¡¯ll remain strong and patiently await my arrival. You¡¯re a strong woman Rita, you just haven¡¯t realized it yet¡±, he smiled, pecking her lips.


    Just then, the inte gave a scratching sound. Rita knew a message had just arrived for her and she dreaded what the message might contain.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, your father is on his way to see you¡±, Yasmin said.


    ¡°Alright, thank you for the heads-up¡±, she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee ma¡¯am¡±, Yasmin said.


    ¡°I should get going¡±, Rodrigoughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to see you here, my father is smart and he¡¯ll easily piece everything together¡±, she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong, smart and beautiful. Hmmm what other traits are you hiding¡±, he smiled, gripping her waist.


    ¡°Well..  let¡¯s see, I¡¯m sexy¡±, she said, seductively.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I already know that and I can¡¯t wait to explore that when we¡¯re finally free from all this hiding¡±, he said, his hands creeping towards her breasts.


    Rita pped his hands away,ughing as she moved away from him to prepare for her dad¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°And you are a delectable man. Any woman would love to have you¡±, she said.


    ¡°I only have eyes for you my darling. I¡¯ll be on my way now before your father has me for breakfast, please call me if you need anything and I mean anything¡±, he smiled, kissing her.


    ¡°You¡¯re just so naughty. Now shoo or my father would really have you for breakfast¡±, she smiled, watching him leave.


    Few minutester after she was settled in, her father walked into her office. She was used to him by now walking in this way. He never knocked and the only time he did was when he was sure she had a guest.


    ¡°Father¡±, she beamed, giving him a kiss on his cheek.


    Even though herst meeting with her father ended on a sour note with her walking out on him, she was still d to see him. Even while growing up, she was closer to her dad than her mum, a bond that they still seemed to share even up till this very moment.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been a naughty girl in recent times, you know that¡±, he says, taking a seat.


    ¡°Oh father. Are we still on that? I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that most times, I really don¡¯t agree with you and mum on most things¡±, she said, mixing a drink for him.


    Her father was one man she knew could take a drink at any time of the day. He was strong and he usually joked that the drinks made him stronger.


    ¡°Nothing as lovely as martini on a cool morning¡±, he said, taking a sip of his drink.


    ¡°So father, what brings you to thepany?¡±, Rita asked.


    She wasn¡¯t fooled, she knew that her father wasn¡¯t here for merely a visit. There was something that brought the old man here and she was itching to find out what that was.


    ¡°So a father can¡¯t see how his daughter and thepany is faring anymore? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±, heughed.


    ¡°No father and you know that¡¯s not what I mean¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Well, you got me. That¡¯s true, I came to see you about thepany¡±, he said, cing the cup on the table.


    Rita sensed that this was an important issue. Never had she seen her father abandon a ss of martini before. If he could do that now, it was a serious issue.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong father?¡±, She asked quietly.


    ¡°The stocks. It¡¯s not really moving in our favor. I got the reports from the financial manager yesterday and I¡¯m sorry to tell you this but thepany is gradually dwindling¡±, he said.


    Rita sat back on her seat, going over what he had just said. She was a bit surprised because ever since, she had never gotten any report of this manner before. This was quite a surprise to her and she hated discovering it from her father in this manner.


    ¡°Father, how bad is it?¡±.


    ¡°Bad enough for me toe here personally to deliver this news¡±, he said, stroking his moustache.


    ¡°What are the odds that someone¡¯s been stealing from us¡±, she said,pletely out of the blues.


    ¡°High if I must say but by God if what you¡¯re saying is true, I would find the person even if it¡¯s thest thing I do¡±.


    Rita remained quiet, thinking over his words. The more she thought about it now, the more she was convinced that someone was indeed stealing from them. For many years, thepany had been doing well then all of a sudden for a few months now, they¡¯ve been experiencing some difficulties.


    ¡°We will find this person together father, I promise you that¡±, she said.


    ¡°I knew I could count on you. You took my traits after all¡±, he smiled, downing his drink in one gulp.


    He rose up to leave, tucking his phone in his breast pocket. Rita escorted him our of the office, promising him that whoever was behind this would be discovered.


    When he left, she sat down, thinking hard about how to go about this issue. She knew that it wasn¡¯t going to be easy but she was determined to find who it was at all cost.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°I¡¯ll be traveling to Los Angeles tomorrow¡±, Rita said over dinner the following evening.


    Earlier, she had already informed Edmundo who never failed to hide his displeasure about her ns on going with Rodrigo. She didn¡¯t care about what he thought and the only reason why she informed him was just for formality sake.


    She nned on leaving very early tomorrow morning with the private jet. Los Angeles was quite far and she wanted to get there as soon as possible.


    ¡°Alright darling, have you informed the pilot?¡±, her father said, cutting into his chicken.


    ¡°Yes, I sent him a message earlier today and he assured me that the ne would be ready by morning¡±, she said, munching on her food.


    ¡°Who are you going with? Yasmin?¡±, her mother asked.


    ¡°No, Rodrigo¡±, she simply said.


    ¡°Why him? Why aren¡¯t you going with Yasmin?¡±, her mother said, dropping her fork noisily.


    ¡°With all due respect mother, whoever I decide to take is really none of your business¡±, she said.


    Her mother gave her an irritated look and if looks could kill, she¡¯d be six feet under. Her father sighed at the confrontation, he always seemed lost whenever they fought and this was no exception.


    Rita soon finished her meal, silently excusing herself before anything else happened. She made her way upstairs to her room where she nned on calling Rodrigo. When she got there, she shut the door silently to avoid anyone listening in.


    She picked up her phone, dialing his number. He picked up on the first ring and she smiled when she heard his voice.


    ¡°Missed me already sugar girl¡±, heughed.


    ¡°Badly. How are you?¡±, she sighed, rxing in her bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now that you called. I¡¯m just getting ready for our trip tomorrow. What time should I pick you up?¡±, he asked.


    Rita could hear some sounds in the background and she wondered what he was doing. She didn¡¯t want to appear clingy and she tamped down on the questions that threatened to rise to the surface.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Say by six a. m. I want us to get to Los Angeles on time since the event would begin that same evening¡±, she said.


    ¡°You got it sugar girl¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°How is your mother. I hope she¡¯s doing alright¡±, she said.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s doing much better now that you¡¯re taking care of her. She¡¯s been singing her benefactor¡¯s praises ever since she discovered that someone else was footing the bills¡±, he said.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! That¡¯s so sweet, please send my regards to her¡±, she said.


    ¡°I will and oh, the maid you sent to her arrived this afternoon. I must say, she really knows her stuff. Now, my mother won¡¯t be lonely when I¡¯m gone¡±, heughed.


    ¡°You see, I told you so¡±.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s best I stop doubting you henceforth¡±, heughed.


    Rita stayed quiet for a while. She could sense that Rodrigo knew something was wrong by the way he remained quiet too. She didn¡¯t know if she should inform him about the thief within thepany but as she thought about it, she knew that if there was one person she could trust, it was him.


    ¡°Rodrigo¡­ There¡¯s a problem¡±, she said.


    ¡°Go on c¨¤ra, I¡¯m listening¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform you on our way going tomorrow, I don¡¯t want to bother you with that this night¡±, she said.


    ¡°You promise?¡±.


    ¡°Yes, I promise¡±, she said.


    ¡°Good. Sleep well my love, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow¡±, he said.


    Rita smiled, cutting the call. She ced her phone on a nearby table, resting her head on her pillow. The issue of the thief within thepany was giving her sleepless nights and she really hoped she got the person on time.


    ¡°So much for being the President of the most respected organization¡±, she muttered.


    Before sleep finally took her, thest thing on her mind was the task before her and how badly she needed Rodrigo now. She knew she couldn¡¯t do it herself and desperately hoped he had a solution to her plight.


    The next morning came bright and early, bringing with it a fresh hope for the day. As early as five a. m, Rodrigo had arrived. Rita smiled when she saw him, happy that he was here.


    She was dressed in a ck turtle neck gown over brown boots. Her hair was packed into a loose ponytail which made her look younger.


    ¡°Gosh! You¡¯re really beautiful¡±, Rodrigo said when they were out of ear short.


    He dragged her to a corner, mming his lips on hers. Rita moaned, gripping his jacket. She would never get tired of his kisses and she couldn¡¯t wait at the many adventures they would have on this journey.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go before my parents walk in on us¡±, she giggled.


    Rodrigo smiled, leading her out. They made their way to the car but this time around, Rita sat at the front beside Rodrigo who manned the wheels. She loved the way they sat and for one reckless moment, she imagined they were couples.


    ¡°How was your night?¡±, he said, gripping her hands.


    The other hand drove the car and she wondered how he could manage that. Everyday, she was in awe of his brilliance and his skill and today was no exception.


    ¡°It was fine, slept a little though¡±, she said.


    There was a frown on his face as he tried to determine what could make her say so. She gripped his hands, silently reassuring him that it wasn¡¯t anything serious.


    ¡°You¡¯ll talk about it?¡±, he said.


    ¡°Yes, when we get on the ne¡±, she said, giving his hands a gentle squeeze.


    The drive to the airport where the private jet was parked was filled withfortable silence. They soon got there and Rodrigo drove towards the private tarmac. The jet was parked, waiting for their use.


    The word ¡°Anderson¡± was boldly written on it with blue ink and Rita had never felt more proud. Rodrigo parked the car a few meters beside the ne,ing around to help her. Together, they walked towards the ne but they still maintained some distance because they weren¡¯t sure if they would be seen.


    ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am¡±, the pilot said.


    Chavez, a tall elderly man had been piloting the Anderson¡¯s for as long as Rita could remember. He was a cheerful man who made it his life ambition to see to the safety and happiness of his passengers.


    He came from arge family in Hawaii. He was married with two beautiful children and he never failed to show them off at any chance he got.


    ¡°Good morning Chavez, how are you¡±, Rita said, shaking his hands.


    ¡°Doing very well, thank you¡±, he smiled.


    He turned towards Rodrigo, shaking his hands. The trio soon boarded the ne and soon, they were airborne to Los Angeles.


    Rita settled into the plush seat, flipping through a magazine while Rodrigo sat at the other end, going through his phone. They were being careful. They didn¡¯t want Chavez to know about their rtionship as anything that happens within the ne would be reported to her father.


    Later on, Rita went into the private room within the ne and on cue, Rodrigo followed but first, he made sure that the cockpit where Chavez was was firmly shut. When he got to the room, Rita threw her arms around him, shutting the door in the process.


    Rodrigo gave her a long kiss, smiling as he bit her lower lip. They were free at least for now, away from all the prying eyes.


    ¡°Easy girl, easy. I¡¯m all yours for the weekend before we have to head back by Monday¡±, Rodrigoughed, gripping her waist.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve wanted to be alone with you and now, my wishes came true¡±, Rita smiled.


    Rodrigo led them to a plush couch that sat at the corner of the room. He drew her to hisp, cradling her waist. Ritaid her head on his chest, breathing in his intoxicating scent, a scent she hade to love.


    ¡°Okay, before we do any making out, what is it you wanted to tell me¡±, he said.


    Rita sat up. She knew it was time to talk and the fate of herpany rested in her hands. She had no doubt that Rodrigo would help her to the best of his abilities.


    She told him everything her father had discussed with her, going over to the suspicions and her¡¯s as well. When she was done, a light frown marred his face. She kissed it away, loving the feel of his rough skin.


    ¡°We should really find the person before it¡¯s toote¡±, he said.


    ¡°I agree but as it is, I¡¯m bereft of ideas¡±, she said.


    ¡°Leave it to me, I think I know just the right way to go about this¡±, he said with a determined look on his face.

 Chapter 12

    Few hourster, the jet touched down Los Angeles. Rita heaved a huge sigh of relief when they finally left the ne. Ever since she was a young girl, she¡¯s been so terrified of nes, always wanting to take the bus or a private car if she could help it. Now, her phobia for the big bird was reduced.


    As they walked towards a private car that was already parked, waiting beside the airport, Rita breathed in the cool air of Los Angeles. This would be one of the numerous times she had visited the city. A distant family, now dead used to live here and every time she went on a holiday, she always made sure she visited.


    ¡°This is my first time visiting the state¡±, Rodrigo chuckled.


    He manned the wheels as they drove towards the city center. From his words, Rita had a feeling that he didn¡¯t go out that much. She felt sad about this, knowing that he had the dream of traveling round the world but the resources to make it work was limited.


    ¡°Have you visited any other country before?¡±, She asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. All my whole life has been centered in Spain but I hope to travel the world one day just like you¡±, he smiled.


    Rita gave his hands a gentle squeeze, kissing their joined hands. She found it cute that he thought highly of her which made her love him all the more.


    ¡°I really haven¡¯t travelled round the world like you imagined. It¡¯s just to a few countries¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°How many countries are we talking about?¡±, he said.


    ¡°Say about thirty or so and they were strictly on business. I didn¡¯t really get the chance to explore those countries¡±.


    ¡°You see. As far as your foot has stepped on the soil, it¡¯s as good as visiting those countries¡±.


    They soon got to the hotel where they¡¯ll be staying for the duration of the event. The hotel as usual was owned by the Anderson group. It was a five star hotel boasting of all the basic amenities needed forfort. The hotel was a huge tower with the peak of it reaching the sky.


    ¡°Remind me, how rich are you again?¡±, Rodrigo asked, looking in awe of his surroundings.


    ¡°These are all superficial things. Don¡¯t let them fool you¡±, Rita smiled as they walked into the reception.


    The reception was manned by a man and a woman who seemed to fall at their feet at the sight of Rita.


    They didn¡¯t expect her this soon and seeing her now put them on the edge. Rita smiled, walking towards them.


    ¡°Gerald, Amanda. Good evening¡±, she said politely.


    ¡°Good evening ma¡¯am¡±, Gerald said, bowing a bit. ¡°This is a surprise, we didn¡¯t expect you this early but not to worry, the Presidential suite is ready for your use¡±, he said.


    ¡°Thank you. This is my personal guard, Rodrigo. You¡¯ll be seeing him with me often, please prepare the executive room for him¡±, she said.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already done that ma¡¯am¡±, Amanda said.


    She was a beautiful Latino with nted eyes and longshes that at times, Rita wondered if they were fake. Gerald on the other hand was an African American with a huge build and a full mass of hair.


    ¡°Thank you. I hope our bags are already in there?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s there ma¡¯am¡±, Gerald said.


    ¡°Good. Thank you¡±, Rita said, collecting the key cards from them.


    As they moved to their various suites, Rita handed the executive key card to him much to his surprise.


    ¡°Rita, you really shouldn¡¯t be doing this. This is too much, you could have found me a much lesser room¡±, Rodrigo said once they were in the elevator.


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not possible¡±, she said, halting the elevator.


    Rodrigo moved towards her. In a sh, her back hit the wall as his lips took hers. He kissed her passionately, silently thanking her for all her help and love.


    ¡°Oh shit!. Are there no cameras in here?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°None that I know of. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re perfectly safe¡±, she said, kissing his lips again.


    They soon left the elevator, going through the different suites at the topmost floor of the Anderson tower. The Presidential suite was at the left of the building while the executive was at the right.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the night¡±, Rita said, wrapping her hands around his neck.


    ¡°Okay, rest while I think of a way we can nab this thief¡±, Rodrigo said, pecking her head.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try¡±, she smiled, walking towards her room.


    ¡°Laters baby¡±, Rodrigo said.


    **************************


    ¡°Yes mum, I arrived safely. I¡¯m in my room now. The opening has been shifted till tomorrow afternoon so I have this night and tomorrow morning to rest¡±, Rita said, munching on her dinner.


    A few minutes after she had settled in, her mum called, firing her with different questions which made her head ache. The problem with her mother was that she worried too much over unnecessary things. She couldn¡¯t me her though, Rita was an only child and her parents were constantly worried over her whereabouts.


    ¡°Okay darling. Don¡¯t forget to call me when you¡¯re about to sleep. See youter darling, love you¡±, she said before cutting the call.


    Rita smiled, eating her meal which consisted of garnished chicken, mashed potatoes and lettuce. She always liked to keep a bnced diet and this was just one of the many ways she did.


    When she was done, see decided to look through some of the most important files she brought along. Asides her father¡¯s suspicions, Rita had already noticed some downfalls in the organization. Sales weren¡¯t going well as before and Rita had a feeling that the thief was in connection with this.


    She called Rodrigo, needing his help on this. He answered on the first ring, Rita exined the situation and before she could tell him she needed his help, she heard a knock on her door.


    Scrambling to her feet, Rita opened the door to reveal Rodrigo¡¯s face. She dragged him in, peppering his face with kisses.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m here now¡±, heughed, grabbing her waist.


    ¡°Thanks foring¡±, she said, leading him to sit on a couch.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about what you told me and I think I see how we can solve this issue¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hear it¡±, she said, handing him a drink.


    ¡°First, who manages the ount of the organization and I mean the Head¡±, he said.


    ¡°That would be Gabriel. Gabriel Rnd, he¡¯s the head of the finance department¡±, Rita said


    ¡°Good, we have to put a trail on him¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°What what?¡±, Rita said not quite believing her ears


    ¡°You want to get the person behind all of this right?¡±, Rodrigo said with a determined look in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, more than anything else¡±.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s the only way¡±.

 Chapter 13

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think that¡¯s dangerous. I mean, Gabriel has his own security detail and anything that seems suspicious might set him off¡±, Rita said.


    She didn¡¯t really like the idea but Rodrigo was right. If they wanted to get whoever is behind this, Gabriel was their first suspect.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to announce what we¡¯re doing. We need to be subtle, we should leave no trace behind. I have some guys who can be of help¡±.


    For a minute, Rita looked at him. Sometimes, Rodrigo brought out different facets of his character. For the life of her, she couldn¡¯t understand how Rodrigo was associated with these people.


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not what you think, these guys were of help when my sister was still with that douchebag. They helped me track her down when she went missing for a while only to discover that she was with the kid in an hotel so yeah, I think I trust them¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just have some trust issues especially with people I don¡¯t know¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly understandable. I would be the same especially with someone I don¡¯t know so well¡±.


    ¡°So, how do we begin, do we contact these guys first?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t worry about that. Let me deal with this, if I need anymore information from to you, I¡¯ll let you know¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Alright, thank you Rodrigo¡±, she said.


    He walked towards her, taking her in his arms. She rxed on his chest as he stroked her hair.


    ¡°When are we leaving tomorrow?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°As early as possible to beat down the traffic or we can simply take the helicopter¡±, she said.


    ¡°I think I want to drive, with you by my side¡± he said.


    *************************


    The next day, Rita woke up to an arm cradling her waist. The memories of the previous night shed through her mind. She didn¡¯t want Rodrigo to leave her and she insisted he stayed with her throughout the night.


    ¡°Good morning princess¡±, he smiled, nuzzling her neck.


    He wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt and the hairs on his chest tickled her back. His hair was tousled which made him look all the more handsome. Sometimes, Rita wondered if perhaps he wasn¡¯t some sort of Greek god who had somehow fallen from the sky.


    ¡°Good morning handsome, did you sleep well?¡±, she asked, tickling his jaw.


    ¡°Do that one more time and I¡¯ll have you under me in no time¡±, he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.


    ¡°In as much as i¡¯d love you to do that, we need to start getting ready if we¡¯re going to drive¡±, sheughed, rolling off the bed.


    Rodrigoughed, stretching fully on the bed. His well defined muscle flexed under the bright chandelier. Rita had a hard time keeping her eyes off him. For one moment, she desperately wished that he was Edmundo then she would have no worries marrying him the instant he asked.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go prepare but remember, you owe me a kiss¡±, he said.


    ¡°I know but that would be after the opening¡±, she smiled, pushing him towards his suite.


    Soon she was left all alone as she prepared for the opening. She adorned a ck satin dinner gown over cream colored pumps. Her hair was tied in a severe bun, entuating her face. She looked absolutely stunning as she checked herself in the mirror.


    An hourter, she walked out, hand in hand with Rodrigo. Nobody would suspect a thing as it was the customs to escort ady out in this manner. When they were in the privacy of the car, Rodrigo grabbed her preparing to kiss her but Rita stopped him, cing her hands on his lips.


    ¡°No kissing or you¡¯ll get my lipstick smooshed¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°Danm the lipstick. You can just apply another one¡±, Rodrigo groaned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring the tube. So, stay put lover boy¡±, Rita smiled.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Urhghh.. fine, just for this time¡±, he smiled, pecking her cheeks.


    They got to the venue of the event soon and Rodrigo was surprised to see a lot of people already seated. It made him feel self-conscious that he didn¡¯t belong to this ss of people. After all, he was poor and no one knew his identity. He belonged to the lower ss, a ss that wasn¡¯t given any respect.


    Sensing his change of mood, Rita gripped his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at them Rodrigo, look at me¡±, she said.


    ¡°I really feel that I shouldn¡¯t be here. Look at them, I don¡¯t belong¡±, he said.


    ¡°No, you have every right to be here. You¡¯re just like them even better do don¡¯t feel as if you don¡¯t belong because you certainly do. And as a side note, if anyone threatens you, we¡¯ll kick their butts together¡±, Rita smiled.


    Rodrigo gave her hands a gentle squeeze, silently thanking her for her support. Rita was the cynosure of all eyes as she walked with Rodrigo to the space reserved for her. Camera lights shed, taking pictures of her.


    For a minute, she was disturbed due to this but she shrugged it off. Edmundo could go to hell for all she cared. After all, he did worse and she neverined.


    ¡°How lovely to see you Rita¡±, an elderly woman said, kissing her cheeks.


    ¡°Oh Francisca, how lovely to see you¡±, Rita smiled, hugging the elderly woman.


    Francisca McDonald¡¯s was the wife of the former US Vice President and an elder state man. She was poprly known as the irondy due to her habit of not taking something less.


    ¡°It¡¯s been long, five, six years?¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°Definitely long. Please meet my chaffeur and my body guard, Rodrigo¡±, she said, dragging him towards her.


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you ma¡¯am¡±, he said, shaking her hands.


    ¡°Likewise¡±, she smiled.


    When she left, Rodrigo kept his distance from her. Even though the woman was warm to him, that didn¡¯t mean she liked him. These people could make as well as break him easily, he wouldn¡¯t be fooled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, I need to use the restroom¡±, Rita said.


    Rodrigo nodded, looking around for any threats. He watched her leave but there was a nagging feeling within him that something horrible was about to take ce.


    He hated having that feeling and he could only hope that he¡¯s instincts were wrong.

 Chapter 14

    Rita made her way to the restroom, oblivious to the hooded figure trailing her. The figure walked stealthily, keeping his distance away from his prey. He had a job to do and he wouldn¡¯t fail his master.


    Rita walked into the restroom, doing her business. When she was done, she walked to the sink which was outside. She washed her hands while adjusting her makeup. When she looked up, she was startled upon seeing the figure which was pointing a gun on her head.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±, she asked.


    She secretly congratted herself on how controlled her voice was. She wouldn¡¯t show fear as that would only make her look weak and helpless. She had no way to call Rodrigo, she could only hope that hees in soon.


    ¡°No one. It would be in your best interest if you follow me quietly. Don¡¯t make any sound or I¡¯ll blow your head off¡±, he said.


    Rita gulped, hoping against hope that Rodrigo woulde in that minute. The figure led her through the back doors of the building. Oblivious to the attendees, a kidnapping was taking ce. The figure led her outside to the cool night air. Rita could see that a car was already waiting, ready to take her to God knows where.


    Just then, Rodrigo burst through a side door, gun drawn at the figure. The figure pulled her towards him, cing the gun on her her head.


    ¡°Rodrigo¡±, Rita screamed


    ¡°Take one more step lover boy and I¡¯ll blow her brains off¡±, the figure threatened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Please, let her go. Take me instead¡±, Rodrigo begged.


    ¡°No, the boss requested for her and not you¡±, the figure said.


    Right before her very eyes, Rodrigo opened fire, aiming at the figure. In a moment of bravery, Rita stabbed the figure with her purse, freeing herself from his grip. Gunshots were heard inside the building as people scampered to safety.


    Rodrigo snatched her up before she could hit the ground. With a strength she didn¡¯t know he possessed, he carried her bridal style, running out of the building. Quickly, he opened the car, depositing her in before he ran to the driver¡¯s side.


    With a screech, the car went hurling into the air, speeding with all the strength it had. Rita gripped the seat, fearing that they would crash.


    ¡°Who were they¡±, she shouted.


    ¡°I have no idea but I¡¯ve already contacted the other security details. We should get a reply by nightfall¡±, he said, his eyes on the road.


    Rita was scared, petrified even. She couldn¡¯t believe that she just had a close shave with death. No doubt, this would scar her for life.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    They got to the Anderson tower soon. Rodrigo led her towards her room, his eyes scanning everywhere for threats. They got to the room soon and only then did she heave a sigh of relief. She slumped on the couch, closing her eyes to catch her breath.


    Rodrigo walked towards her, taking her in his arms. He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been so scared in my life¡±, he said.


    Rita cupped his jaw, giving him a gentle kiss. If Rodrigo hadn¡¯te at that moment, she would have been dead.


    ¡°Thank you, you saved my life¡±, she said, a lone tear sliding down her cheeks.


    ¡°As from now on, I¡¯ll be following you wherever you go. I¡¯m never letting you out of my sight ever again¡±, he said, gripping her tighter.


    ¡°Even the bathroom¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°Well maybe except that but I¡¯ll be in the same room where you are¡±, he said.


    Just then, his phone beeped, indicating he had a message. He swiped the screen, revealing the message.


    ¡°It¡¯s about the shooting. Apparently, the security details have no idea who was behind it, they think it¡¯s someone who isn¡¯t in your father¡¯s good books¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not even surprised, not everyone likes my father. But I don¡¯t understand, why would I be the target?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy. If they can¡¯t get your father, they¡¯ll get him through you. Which means you need more than one security detail because I have a feeling that whoever these people are, they¡¯ll be back and it could be worse than this¡±, Rodrigo said.


    Rita sighed, feeling tired all of a sudden. There was so much she had to do and this just became an addition.


    ¡°How did you get a gun? I mean, it¡¯s required since you¡¯re my personal guard but I¡¯ve never seen you use it¡±, she said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know this but your father gave it to me when I began working for you. He told me I would need it soon, I guess he was right¡±, he smiled, drawing her closer.


    ¡°But¡­ Did you really kill that guy?¡±, she shuddered.


    She hated to think what would be of him if he was convicted of murder. Even though it was an act of self defense, the court wouldn¡¯t find it funny. If it got to that, she was prepared to use everything within her means to set him free.


    ¡°No, I shot him on his shoulder, he¡¯ll live¡±, he smiled.


    Rita slumped in relief. She couldn¡¯t imagine the horror she¡¯ll live through if Rodrigo was guilty, now her heart was at rest.


    Her phone gave a shrill sound, indicating she had a call. She knew who it was and sure enough, on the screen was the word ¡°Mum¡±.


    ¡°Hey mum¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Good gracious, tell me you¡¯re alright Rita¡±, she screamed into the phone.


    Rodrigo cringed,ughing silently at her outburst. Rita knew that she was dramatic but this was just beyond what she usually does.


    ¡°Mum, I¡¯m fine. I have Rodrigo with me, in fact he saved my life¡±, she said.


    ¡°Oh, God bless his heart. Your father and I have been so worried since we saw the news just a few minutes ago. Gosh! I¡¯m never letting you out of my sight, ever again¡±, she sobbed.


    ¡°Oh gosh! Mum, please stop. I¡¯m not dead. After all, you¡¯re talking to me now. Please, stop it I¡¯m fine¡± she said, wringing her hands together with Rodrigo¡¯s.


    ¡°Okay, when would you be back?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, I promise. First thing in the morning¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay, see you. Stay safe darling¡±, she said before cutting the call.


    ¡°I should call my mum too. She¡¯ll be worried sick¡±, he said, rising to his feet.


    Rita got up with him, escorting him to the door. He cupped her jaw, giving her a gentle kiss. Ritaid her head on his palm, loving the rough feel of it


    ¡°Lock your door when I leave and do not open up for anyone. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯ming¡±, he said.


    ¡°I will, thank you. Sleep well¡±, she said.


    He nodded, pecking her before he walked away. He had a lot of work to do and now was the perfect time to begin.

 Chapter 15

    The next morning, Rita left for the airport inpany of Rodrigo who was sticking close to her, damning the consequences. He ushered her into the car, shutting the door while looking around. Ever since the incident, Rita could tell that he¡¯s been paranoid, on the way to loosing it.


    ¡°Hey, look at me¡±, she whispered, gripping his hand.


    He looked at her, keeping one eye on the road. He seemed to rx at her touch and smiled easily as the car journeyed towards the airport.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t need to worry about me. As long as I have you, I know I¡¯ll be fine. I wouldn¡¯t want your mother to see you like this¡±, she said.


    ¡°You just have a way with words. Okay, as long as you¡¯re okay, I¡¯m okay¡±, she smiled.


    They soon got to the airport and as usual the ne was ready to leave. Rita couldn¡¯t imagine that few days ago, she was at this same airport, happy that she would finally be getting away only to have her happiness cut short by the shooting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your ordeal ma¡¯am¡±, Chavez said, helping her up the ramp.


    Rita smiled, giving him a small smile. Right out, all she wanted to do was sleep and forget about everything until she faced her family.


    Soon, the ne was airborne, heading towards Spain. Rita looked out of the window, wishing she could be like the cloud, free and carefree like them.


    ********************


    ¡°Darling, we¡¯ve arrived¡±, a voice shook her awake.


    Rita groggily woke up, rubbing her sleep filled eyes. She looked around her and discovered that indeed they had arrived. She rose up, almost falling back down from how tired she was. Rodrigo helped her out of the ne, carrying her bags with the other hand.


    ¡°Please take me to the private ce, I¡¯m not quite ready to see my parents yet¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay¡±, he said, gripping her hands.


    The drive to the private ce was shorter than she expected. Rodrigo helped her out, leading her to her room. He ced her on the bed, removing her shoes. He stared at her as she slept peacefully. In his whole life, he had never loved someone as much as he loved Rita. She made him feel like himself, made him want to be a better version of himself. He kissed her, silently leaving the room.


    He made his way downstairs, needing to make some calls. If he was to help Rita, he needed to be strong for her. He picked up his phone, dialling the first number he had in mind.


    ¡°Campbell speaking¡± he said with his gravely voice


    ¡°Yo man! What¡¯s up? You are at the crib or in Spain?¡±, a voice said from the other end.


    ¡°No no¡­ I¡¯m not there, I¡¯m in Spain working. Listen, I called you for a reason¡±, Rodrigo said, making his way to the balcony.


    He couldn¡¯t help Rita eavesdropping if she wasn¡¯t asleep. He needed this to be private as much as possible.


    He rted everything to the person he called, leaving his rtionship with Rita aside. He couldn¡¯t trust anyone with that information yet. Not even his mother knew about it and he wanted to keep it that way.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll look through what you¡¯ve given me and get back to you soon¡±, the voice said.


    ¡°Good¡±, Rodrigo said, cutting the call as he headed back in.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    When he got back in, Rita¡¯s phone was ringing. He was at a crossroad on whether to answer the call or not. The caller ID showed that it was Edmundo calling. Deciding to brave it, he picked it up, listening for a voice.


    ¡°Rita, where the hell have you been?¡±, he screamed into the phone.


    ¡°Good day sir. This is Rodrigo, her personal guard. Miss Anderson is fine, she¡¯s asleep¡±, Rodrigo said politely.


    Even though he didn¡¯t deserve any ounce of politeness, it wouldn¡¯t do him any good if he was rude to the man.


    ¡°I see. And how do you have her phone¡±, he said, quietly .


    He was quiet, too quiet. Rodrigo decided to act smart. The man he was dealing with was a smart man and one small slip up could ruin him. He couldn¡¯t allow that to happen especially now that he was involved in helping Rita.


    ¡°She left it with me¡±, he lied smoothly.


    ¡°Is that so? Boy, I¡¯ll advice you not to thread where you¡¯re not capable of. That¡¯s a warning¡±, Edmundo said before cutting the call.


    Rodrigo ced the phone on a nearby table, thinking over Edmundo¡¯s words. He wasn¡¯t a fool and he knew that there was more where that came from.


    ********************


    The ride to her home felt quicker than she expected and she dreaded what her parents would say. Since she had arrived from Los Angeles, she refused to see her parents. She declined their calls and Edmundo¡¯s. The only person she responded to was her best friend, Theresa. Now that she was going home, she knew she¡¯ll be getting an earful especially from her mother.


    They arrived soon. Rodrigo parked the car at the front door of the building, going round to open her door. She had forgotten all about the formalities, almost making the mistake of kissing him.


    ¡°Careful, we¡¯re in your parentsir¡±, he whispered, escorting her in.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t care but I have to stay put for your sake¡±, she said.


    ¡°I got some news about what we¡¯re looking for. I¡¯ll give you the gist when you resume work tomorrow¡± he said.


    Rita nodded, her mood lifting a little knowing that there was a little headway in their quest. She made her way to the living room where she was sure her parents were seated. Through to her words, they were there, eagerly waiting for her arrival. When her mother saw her, she flew off her seat, tackling her in a hug.


    ¡°My God, I¡¯ve never been so scared in my life before¡±, she said leading her to a chair.


    Who Rita didn¡¯t expect to see was Edmundo who sat there with a gloomy look. Rita walked towards her dad, giving him a peck. Shepletely ignored Edmundo, pretending like he wasn¡¯t seated there.


    ¡°Thank you Rodrigo, please keep the bags in my room¡±, Rita called our to him.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡±, he said, a twinkle in his eyes.


    He left to do as he was instructed. Rita watched him leave, her eyes following him until he was out of sight.


    ¡°So, tell me about everything¡±, her mother said.


    Rita recounted all that had taken ce within the past forty eight hours. There was a look of horror on her parent¡¯s face especially her mother whose expression was one of disgust.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get them, don¡¯t worry¡±, her father said, assuring her.


    ¡°Yes, we will¡±, Rita said.

 Chapter 16

    The next day at work, Rita¡¯s table was filled with flowers of all sorts. At first, she thought Rodrigo was behind this but she remembered he wasn¡¯t rich enough to afford these flowers. She took one of the flowers, reading the note that apanied it. Her second guess was correct, Edmundo was behind it.


    ¡°Trash them¡±, she said to Yasmin who had followed her all the way up.


    Yasmin gulped, struggling to obey this instruction. She didn¡¯t have it in her to waste such beautiful flowers which she was sure must have cost a whole lot of money.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you sure?¡±, She asked, picking one of the flowers.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. Now, do as you¡¯re told and let me be¡±, she said, dismissing her.


    ¡°Alright ma¡¯am. Please be reminded that you have a meeting with your chaffeur by ten and the investors from the Pearl bank by twelve noon¡±, Yasmin said, walking out of the office with arge bouquet of flowers.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Rita settled in her chair, closing her eyes for a minute. Rodrigo had earlier informed her that he had some information concerning what they were pursuing. She had no idea what it was and could only hope that it would be useful.


    A few minutes after ten, there was a light knock on her door. Rita hurried towards the door, opening it to reveal the face of the man she loved.


    ¡°Wee¡±, she said, pecking his cheek.


    He shut the door with his leg as he kissed her passionately. Rodrigo bit her lower lip, smiling when she moaned.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s stop. If we continue like this, we won¡¯t get anything done¡± Ritaughed.


    Rodrigo set her down, cupping a feel of her butt in the process. Rita pped his hand away,ughing as she made her way to her seat. He took the seat facing her, staring at her gorgeous face.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop staring, I¡¯ll kick you out¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Okay¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll try¡±, heughed.


    ¡°Thank you. So what have you got¡±, Rita said, getting down to business.


    ¡°A lead. A major one at that. We were able to trace somerge amount of money to an offshore ount owned by this Gabriel Rnd and further investigations shows that he¡¯s indeed the owner of this ount¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°My God, this can not be happening¡±, Rita said, horrified.


    ¡°It is my dear. We also found out that these monies were diverted from thepany¡¯s ount to his own ount. Upon further investigations, we found out various receipts for different purchases made by thepany which might I say is fake. Gabriel not only stole arge amount of money but he also created fake receipts to cover up his crimes¡±, Rodrigo said with fury in his eyes.


    Rita was lost for words. She didn¡¯t know what to do or think as Rodrigo revealed more of Gabriel¡¯s crimes.


    ¡°This is horrible, my father would have a stroke if he gets to find out. Howe I didn¡¯t know all this while, this has been going on for years¡±, Rita said.


    She got up from her seat as she began pacing about, worry in her eyes. There was so much that had happened and she was in the dark not knowing what was going on.


    ¡°So, what do we do. We need to mp him down, he can¡¯t get away with this¡± Rita said with fury in her eyes.


    ¡°First and foremost, we need to lure him to have a meeting here. Before hees, I¡¯ll inform the police about this. We would give him no chance to escape. As soon as he¡¯s done with his confession, we hand him over to the police¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°Okay. What about the shooting. Is there anything on that yet?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. We¡¯re still searching for who is behind this but I can assure you that soon, we¡¯ll get whoever it was¡±.


    ¡°Okay, this makes me more safer knowing this¡±, she smiled, walking towards him.


    She sat on hisp, wrapping her hands around his neck as she gave him a huge kiss. Rodrigo smiled, running his hands all over her body.


    ¡°Thank you, for everything¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. I¡¯m only doing my job and also because I love you and that¡¯s never going to change¡±, he said.


    ¡°How is your mother?¡±, She asked, stroking his jaw.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, getting much better by the day. In fact, she¡¯s more happier every time I see her¡±, he smiled.


    Just then, there was a loud knock on the door. Rita scrambled away from hisp, adjusting her skirt that had ridden up. Rodrigo groaned, rising to his feet. He didn¡¯t understand why every time they seemed to settle down, they were always disturbed.


    ¡°Let me walk you out¡±, Rita said, giving his hands a gentle squeeze.


    Upon opening the door, she was met with the furious face of Edmundo. Rita could tell that he was in a foul mood and seeing Rodrigo with her just made him all the more angry.


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡±, he seethed, pushing himself inside the office.


    Rodrigo stood at a corner, watching the scene unfold. He moved towards Rita surreptitiously, vowing within himself to protect her if worsees to worst.


    ¡°He¡¯s my chaffeur and my personal guard Edmundo. What do you mean by that question?¡±, Rita said.


    She was beyond caring. She didn¡¯t care if she appeared rude. Edmundo had no right toe into her office and talk thrash.


    ¡°Why does it seem that everytime Ie in here, he¡¯s always in your office. Which begs the question, what is he doing here?¡±, he repeated.


    Rita ignored his question, facing Rodrigo. She saw the look of anger in his eyes at the way Edmundo addressed her. She gave him a small smile, silently reassuring him that everything was going to fine.


    ¡°Please, you can go now. Pick me up at the close of work, thank you¡±, she said.


    Rodrigo hesitated, moving towards her. He stopped in his tracks, deciding against it. He didn¡¯t want to give away their rtionship to him and have her ending in trouble.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡±, he said, taking his leave.


    When he left, Rita sat back on her chair, facing Edmundo who seemed to find this whole situation funny.


    ¡°Now, what do you want?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°I came to see you¡±, he said.


    ¡°Good, now you¡¯ve seen me. You can go now¡±, Rita said, tapping her feet on the ground.


    ¡°Not quite yet¡±, he said walking towards her.


    Rita shrunk back in her seat, not quite trusting him not to do anything rash.


    ¡°You see, I have an event I¡¯m to attend in Madrid this weekend¡±, he said, stroking her hair.


    ¡°So, what has that got to do with me?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be going with me¡±, he said, finally.

 Chapter 17

    Rita couldn¡¯t believe this was happening to her. She couldn¡¯t travel with Edmundo when she was so close to nabbing the thief who had been stealing from herpany coupled with the fact that she was yet to discover who was behind that attack in Los Angeles. Rodrigo couldn¡¯t do it all alone, he needed her and there was no way she would leave him alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t go. I have so many things to do here that requires my attention¡±, she said as politely as she could.


    ¡°There would be no excuses Rita. You must go with me, it¡¯s a must¡±, he said, walking back to his seat.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell your many concubines to apany you¡±, Rita screamed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience woman. You¡¯reing with me and there¡¯s no argument about that¡±, he said.


    ¡°And can you force me?¡±, she said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to force you, I know just how to make you go¡±, he said, stroking his beard.


    ¡°Which is?¡±.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Your father¡±, he smiled sadistically.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t¡±, Rita said, horrified.


    ¡°Oh I will and I can, there¡¯s no stopping me. Remember who I am, Edmundo Brabra son of the nation¡¯s Senator¡±, he said.


    Rita stayed quiet for a while. Edmundo knew her weakness and it was her father, one word from him to her father would make her change her mind. He knew it and that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t hesitate to use it against her. She always knew him to be so heartless and callous but never like this, this was beyond wicked.


    ¡°How long would you be staying?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°A week¡±, he said.


    ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll go¡±, she said sadly.


    ¡°Good choice although you didn¡¯t have much of a choice¡±, he said, rising to his feet.


    ¡°Get out of my office¡±, Rita said with all the hate she could muster.


    ¡°Oh darling, I¡¯m already on my way. I¡¯ll pick you up on Friday, we¡¯ll use my jet. And oh, tell that chaffeur of yours that he won¡¯t be needed¡±, he said before walking out of her office.


    Rita slumped on her seat as the first drop of tears fell from her eyes. She didn¡¯t understand why her life seemed to be going this way. Why her parents seemed to pay a deaf ear to her pleas against marrying Edmundo. As it stood, there was no way she could prevail over them. They were bent on her getting married to him and there was no stopping them.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, your chaffeur wants to see you. Shall I send him up?¡±, Yasmin said, through the inte.


    Rita knew that Rodrigo sensed that she¡¯ll be in a bad mood hence his wanting to see her. She couldn¡¯t see him now, couldn¡¯t see the handsome face she hade to love. She¡¯ll be going away with Edmundo for a week and she didn¡¯t want Rodrigo¡¯s face to be thest thing she saw before leaving. It was best he stayed away from her until the time she came back, it was for the best.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t send him in. Please, kindly inform him that I wouldn¡¯t be needing his services until further notice. He hasn¡¯t been relieved of his duties, just on a little suspension that¡¯s all¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll ry your message to him¡±, Yasmin said.


    Rita sobbed harder, pulling out a tissue from her side drawer. Her eyes were red rimmed as she stared our of the window. A little bird fluttered past and for one brief moment, Rita wished she could be free like the bird.


    **********************


    At the close of work that day, Rita walked briskly towards her car. She was going to drive herself home since she had relived Rodrigo of his duties. On getting to her car, she discovered that he was already outside waiting for her even when she had made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t be working anymore for the time being.


    ¡°Rita¡±, he said.


    ¡°Rodrigo¡±, she said, quietly.


    He moved towards her with the intention of holding her but she held up her hand, stopping him in his tracks. A look of pain crossed his eyes and Rita almost broke her resolve there and then. Even though she didn¡¯t want to see him until she left, she couldn¡¯t help but feel touched at his insistence bying here


    ¡°Please, you have to go¡±, she said, walking towards the car.


    ¡°Why? Did I do anything wrong?¡±, he asked, quietly.


    ¡°No, gosh no you didn¡¯t. I just don¡¯t want us to see each other for a while, please that¡¯s all I ask¡±, she said.


    Rodrigo shut his eyes, no doubt going over the pain of her refusal. Rita couldn¡¯t stop the tears that slid down her eyes at the moment. She hated seeing him this way but if she was to stay strong on her own, this was the best way.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll back off but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll stop searching for whoever was behind that shooting¡±.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, she said, getting into her car.


    Just before she left, Rodrigo called her, a deep pain in his voice at having to see her leave. There was nothing he could do but watch her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him rule your heart¡±, he said before walking away.


    Rita remained there for several minutes, going over his words. That was a cryptic message, one she knew was referring to Edmundo. She didn¡¯t know what to think as she slowly drove away from the building.


    She got home soon, heading straight for her room whilst ignoring her parents greetings. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to converse with them. She got to her room soon, heading to bed without removing her clothes. That night, she slept fitfully, her mind focused on how she would survive the next week.


    The next morning, a day before she was to travel with Edmundo, she left the house very early, needing to catch up with some leftover work that she ignored the previous day. She got to the office very early, earlier than most of the staffs who worked under her. The only person that seemed to be in the whole building were the security men who manned the entrance point.


    Rita walked briskly towards her office, ignoring the greetings from the men. This was the first time she would be doing something like this. She felt bad over her attitude. Settling down in her chair, she pulled out the first file she was to work on. She scanned the file, going through over everything her Dad had briefed her on earlier.


    As she read on, her phone gave a silent beep, indicating that she had a message. Swiping her phone, she discovered that the message was from Edmundo, reminding her about their intended trip the following day. She ignored the message, dropping her phone on the table. She decided she was just going to ignore Edmundo for the duration of their stay together. Maybe then she would be able to bear staying with him.


    ¡°His stupid ways and his stupid attitude¡±, Rita muttered.


    For the rest of the day, Rita was in a foul mood, thinking about her trip tomorrow. For one singr moment, she wondered what Rodrigo was doing and if he missed her as much as she missed him.

 Chapter 18

    ¡°How lovely to see you darling¡±, Edmundo said, giving her a hug.


    There were just boarding his private jet, heading towards Madrid. Rita stilled, forcing herself to smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I had a choice. You literally forced me toe¡±, she said, taking the seat farthest away from him.


    ¡°d that you didn¡¯t invite your body guard. You know, I might have to transfer him somewhere else, somewhere far away¡±, he said.


    ¡°Is that a threat Edmundo?¡±, Rita asked, staring at him, dead in the eye.


    ¡°Call it whatever you like. Anyway, what would you have. Chicken, beef, turkey¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry¡±, she said, quietly.


    ¡°Oh, you must eat¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry I ate beforeing here¡±, she said.


    ¡°Suit yourself¡±, he said, going into the innerpartment of the ne.


    Rita was relieved at being left alone. She couldn¡¯t bare to stand his presence even for one moment. He was a despicable man and what¡¯s more, disgusting. She couldn¡¯t wait to get this over with and go back home.


    She rxed a bit more on the couch, loving howfortable it was. Even though she hated Edmundo, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the size of his ne. It was the biggest ne which was modernized to suit his taste and style which was extravagant.


    The ne¡¯s interior consisted of open back chairs that one could adequately rest on, the murals were of top most quality, adoring the side of the ne. Asides this, at every side of the ne, his initials, EB was scrawled in Latin style giving the ne a regal look.


    As the ne journeyed on, Rita fell into a peaceful sleep despite her heart and her body raging against each other.


    She woke up with a startter on which was due to the ne jerking her awake. She rubbed her sleep filled eyes, sitting up to see if they hadnded.


    ¡°Rough ride?¡±, a voice said.


    Looking up, Rita discovered that Edmundo hade to sit very close beside her. She leaned away, her back hitting the side of the ne.


    ¡°No, not really. Why haven¡¯t wended?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°We had to make a stop over to refuel. Apparently, the stupid pilot didn¡¯t know we were low on gas. Not to worry though, I¡¯ve sacked his sorry ass¡±, he said, feeling proud of himself.


    Rita stared at him in disgust wondering how someone could be this heartless, he didn¡¯t even care if he had a family to feed.


    ¡°But what if he didn¡¯t know. You didn¡¯t have to do that¡±, she said.


    ¡°Oh trust me, he did¡±, he said, sipping his drink that she suspected was whiskey.


    ¡°I see¡±, she simply said.


    He rose to his feet, taking his drink with him. Rita watched him leave, her mind devoid of any reasoning.


    ¡°You should really take something. You¡¯re too thin¡±, he said, closing the door to his privatepartment.


    Rita sighed, going over to where the food was kept. Even though she didn¡¯t feel like eating, she had to to keep her strength if she was to go through this. As she ate a meal of rice and tomato stew, she heard voices. She stopped for a minute, listening to the conversations.


    She rose up without a sound, making her way towards Edmundo¡¯spartment. She listened for a while, deciding to learn what was going on. Nothing happened for a while and she was just getting prepared to go back when his voice stopped her in her tracks.


    ¡°Do you have any information on him?¡±, he said.


    Rita knew that he was on the phone with someone but try as she may, she had no idea who that person was.


    ¡°What do you mean no information? How can someone live without anything rted to him, there must be something. Search for anything you can find concerning him and get back to me the moment you get something¡±, he said.


    ¡°Good¡±, he snapped.


    Rita knew he had ended his conversation and the next minute, he¡¯ll being out. She scrambled back to her seat, picking up her te from where she dropped it. Edmundo came in soon, giving her a sardonic smile.


    ¡°Missed me my darling?¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°This food is really good, you must thank the chef¡±, Rita said,pletely ignoring his previous question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to thank him, that¡¯s what I pay them for¡±, his said, a light frown marring his face.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°You should. Their humans and should be treated with love and respect¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°That¡¯s really not necessary. As long as I¡¯m paying them for the services they render, there¡¯s no need doing that¡±.


    Rita gave up. Apparently, arguing with a fool like Edmundo was like arguing with a wall. It would never move.


    ¡°So, what is this event we¡¯re going for¡±, Rita said, diverting the discussion.


    ¡°A wedding ceremony of one of my good friends. It¡¯s going to be a week long event¡±, he said.


    ¡°A week long? I mean, I know weddings are a thing of celebration but don¡¯t you think a week is too long to celebrate that¡±, Rita said, not quite believing her ears.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why people decided to waste funds in the most stupid way when there are children and homes out there without food or shelter. She just couldn¡¯t understand it, it was stupid and downright foolish.


    ¡°Rita, why do you behave like youe from the lower ss. I really don¡¯t see why we shouldn¡¯t celebrate weddings for a week¡±, Edmundo said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s a bad idea but think about those people that would benefit from the funds that would be going into these parties. If you ask me, I think it¡¯s a bit extravagant¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder if your brain works. Too bad your father gave you hispany to run, I really hope you don¡¯t Ruin everything he hasbored for¡±, he said, staring at her with hate filled eyes.


    ¡°I won¡¯t stand here and have you insult me. You¡¯re a despicable human being and the only reason I agreed to apany you to this journey is the love I have for my father¡±, Rita said, close to tears.


    At that moment, she really wished Rodrigo was beside her. He alone could calm her nerves which were suddenly going haywire. She stared at Edmundo, deciding to hold her tongue.


    ¡°Are you done talking, I need to prepare for the ne¡¯snding¡±, he said, moving over to his seat, buckling it in the process.


    ¡°I hope you change one day, I hope you really do¡±, Rita said, buckling her seatbelt.


    ¡°This is me sugar girl. Love me or leave me but I know you know the consequences of doing thetter¡±, heughed.


    Rita sighed, looking out of the window. Her mind was made up, there was no way on earth she¡¯ll ever marry him. She vowed to destroy her rtionship with him no matter what it cost. Her happiness was pivotal. Rita knew just the right thing to do.

 Chapter 19

    When theynded in Madrid, a car was waiting for them, ready to take them to their destination which turned out to be Edmundo¡¯s penthouse. Avish building that covered a wide expanse ofnd. The building was quaint with a transparent ss door that seemed to sparkle in the morning sun.


    ¡°Wee to my private ce¡±, he said.


    Rita halted in her steps. That was the same name she called her private house back in Spain. She didn¡¯t believe in coincidences and she wondered if perhaps Edmundo knew about her building. She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do if he discovered the ce. No doubt, he¡¯ll look for every avenue to always visit her, disturbing the little peace she had managed to build away from him.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Nice¡±, she said, walking into the building.


    ¡°Thank you, I bought it yesterday¡±, he grinned.


    Rita halted in her steps, staring at him. She couldn¡¯t believe what she just heard, a building as big as this would take months before the purchase can be made but knowing who he was, Rita had no doubts that he sped up the process.


    ¡°Wow¡­ That¡¯s good. How much did you get it for?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°A little over a million¡±, he said.


    Rita sighed, staring at the living room which was tastefully furnished with state of the art facilities and furnitures. She could tell that Edmundo wasted no expense in getting the best and this just proved that money was his strength but also his weakness. A weakness that Rita was going to prey on.


    ¡°That¡¯s huge but it¡¯s worth it. So, where would I be sleeping?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°With me, in my room¡±, he said, making his way upstairs to where the rooms were located.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t Edmundo, it¡¯s not proper. We¡¯re not married yet, that¡¯s a taboo and you know it¡±, she said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. This is the twenty first century, those things don¡¯t matter anymore¡±, he said.


    He opened a room door with a key card, ushering her in. Rita was in awe at the murals of the room. Arge chandelier sat at the center, illuminating light so bright it seemed daytime had visited the room.


    ¡°Like what you see?¡±, Edmundo grinned.


    ¡°Yes, I do but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll be sleeping with you¡±, she said, folding her arms.


    A heated look crossed his eyes. Rita took a step back, hating the way she felt weak and useless in his presence.


    ¡°Fine, suit yourself. At times, I don¡¯t even know why I bother with you¡±, he said.


    ¡°So where would I be sleeping?¡±, She asked.


    ¡°The room across here, you¡¯ll find everything you need in there¡±, he said, dismissing her.


    Rita left much to her satisfaction. She didn¡¯t want to stay any minute with him talk more of sleeping with him on the same bed. She was a virgin and she wanted to keep it that way until her wedding night to her rightfully wedded husband.


    True to his words, Rita found everything she would be needing throughout her stay in his penthouse. Even the dresses that were hung in the wardrobe were all her size something she found creepy. She settled in, unpacking the little clothes she brought along. When she was done, she took a warm bath, reveling in the shampoo that seemed to be her favorite.


    ¡°What do you mean by you still can¡¯t find anything about him?¡±, Edmundo shouted.


    At the sound of his voice, Rita jerked awake. She had already fallen asleep in the bath tub and the harsh sound of his voice drew her awake. She listened in, straining to hear what he was saying even though his voice was loud as ever.


    ¡°Do everything you can to find out something about him. Come on, there must be something, anything about him. Do this and get back to me pronto or consider yourself unemployed¡±, he seethed.


    Slowly, Rita got out of the bathtub, drying her body. She hurriedly put on a robe, covering her nakedness. She couldn¡¯t trust Edmundo not to barge in here when she wasn¡¯t dressed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±, She said upon getting to the living room where she found him pacing about.


    ¡°None of your business¡±, he said, harshly.


    ¡°Then you should stop shouting, you¡¯re going to scream the whole house down¡±, she said.


    ¡°Fuck off¡±, Edmundo said, pushing her away.


    Rita smiled, congratting herself on sessfully frustrating him. She knew that something bothered him a lot if he was behaving this way. She whistled to herself, making her way to the t. v room to watch some soap operas she missed. She wasn¡¯t going to be bothered about him, he could go die for all she cared. After all, he never seemed to bother about her wellbeing and happiness so why should she care.


    Just then, her phone gave a little beep, indicating she had a message. Rita swiped the screen and discovered that the message was from her best friend, Theresa. Deciding to call her, Rita dialled her number, waiting for her to pick up. She answered on the fourth ring, squealing when Rita spoke.


    ¡°Gosh, how I¡¯ve missed you¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you more, you wouldn¡¯t even believe it. How are you my darling?¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I¡¯m just there. To be honest, I really don¡¯t know how I feel. I¡¯m in Madrid, Edmundo dragged me along¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°Yeah, so I heard. I stopped by your house this morning and your mum informed me. How is the man?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s just there. To be honest girlfriend, he keeps getting worse everyday¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°Patience my dear, soon you¡¯ll be out of there. Left for me, I don¡¯t want you to get married to him¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita heard a little voice giggling and she knew it was Theresa¡¯s three year old son, Mateo. Rita felt a pang in her chest, one of loneliness and sadness.


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why you¡¯re my best friend, you¡¯ve had my back since way back high school days¡±.


    ¡°And I will always do. You¡¯re my best buddy and nothing is ever going to change that¡±, she said.


    For a moment, Rita was tempted to spill the truth about her rtionship with Rodrigo. As long as she could remember, Theresa had never judged her or spoken ill about her. She was her friend and it ate her, having to keep this secret away from her.


    ¡°Theresa, can I trust you?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Sure girl, what¡¯s up. Oh wait¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve gotten pregnant for the man¡±, she panicked.


    ¡°Oh hell no! That¡¯s never going to happen¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°Phew, okay then. If it¡¯s not that, I can take anything else you want to say¡±, she said.


    Rita took a deep breath. What she was about to say was a secret if found in the wrong hands could destroy her and her family.


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of having a rtionship with my chaffeur, Rodrigo¡±, she said.


    For several minutes, Theresa remained quiet. Rita wrung her hands, nervous that she would spill her secrets to the first person she talked to.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Wow. I didn¡¯t expect this¡±, she said.


    ¡°Oh God, is it a bad thing¡±, Rita panicked.


    ¡°Hell no. In fact, that¡¯s the best news I¡¯ve heard all day. My gosh! I¡¯m really happy for you Rita¡±, Theresa gushed.


    ¡°Thank you. To be honest, at times, I feel really stupid for engaging in something like this. I don¡¯t know but I can¡¯t help it. Rodrigo is the sweetest thing that has ever happened to me in a very long time. He¡¯s like a drug, a drug I can¡¯t do without¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°My friend is in love¡±, Theresa cooed.


    ¡°Maybe I am but that¡¯s how I feel and I think i just messed it up¡±, she said.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Rita, what did you do¡±, Theresa sighed.


    Rita narrated all that had happened prior to her arriving Madrid. Talking about it now, she felt bad for what she did.


    ¡°Oh darling, you shouldn¡¯t have done that. You im you love him but what you did proved otherwise¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡± I know, I know and now, I feel really bad. What can I do¡±, Rita said, close to tears.


    ¡°What you¡¯re going to do now is call him. Talk to him and apologize, I believe he¡¯ll see reasons why you did that¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that. Thank you Theresa, I¡¯m grateful¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing darling just make sure you call him soon¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I will as soon as Edmundo retires for the night¡±, Rita giggled.


    ¡°Okay darling. Don¡¯t forget to tell me how it goes. I have to go now darling, Mateo calls¡±, Theresa said before cutting the call.


    Rita smiled, cing her phone on the table. She made her way to the kitchen, bringing out some ingredients to prepare lunch.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you smiling sugar girl¡±, Edmundo said, startling her.


    Rita didn¡¯t know that she smiled openly. She coughed, trying to hide her smile as Edmundo walked further into the kitchen.


    ¡°Oh nothing, I just got a good news from my dad¡±, she lied, smoothly.


    ¡°Care to share?¡±, he said, sipping a ss of water.


    ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s a private discussion¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Alright, what are you cooking?¡±, he asked.


    Rita was tired of all his constant questions and desperately wished he could leave her, just for a minute to revel in her ns to call Rodrigo.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I guess I¡¯ll make some spaghetti¡±, she said.


    Edmundo snorted before leaving the kitchen. Rita didn¡¯t care about what he did or said at that moment. All her whole mind was on the call she would make to Rodrigo. She desperately hoped that he wouldn¡¯t be angry at how she treated him before she left. She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯ll do if he was angry.


    When she was done cooking, she served Edmundo, taking her food with her upstairs. She didn¡¯t want to be near him for fear of him engaging in a conversation which was pointless and meaningless. He was always in the habit of saying things that didn¡¯t make any sense just to show his authority and strength.


    When she was done eating, she picked up her phone contemting on whether to call him at that minute or wait till Edmundo was safely asleep. She knew that Edmundo could walk into the room at anytime he liked which was something she wasn¡¯t looking forward to. She decided to wait, biding her time until he slept.


    ********************


    Muchter, when she Edmundo had gone to sleep, Rita picked up her phone, dialing his number. She decided to use a private number for fear of him not answering his call. The phone rang for several minutes but Rodrigo failed to pick it up. She was beyond nervous now, her thoughts taking a dark turn.


    She didn¡¯t know what was happening and could only hope that he wasn¡¯t in some kind of trouble considering what she had passed through few days ago. She decided to dial his number again, hoping and praying that this time around, he would pick up. Like an answer to her prayers, he picked up on the second ring.


    ¡°Yes¡±, he said briskly.


    Rita remained quiet for a while, reveling in his voice she had missed so much. She fought back the tears that threatened to fall as she gripped the phone tighter.


    ¡°Rodrigo¡±, she whispered.


    ¡°Sugar girl¡±, he teased.


    Smiling through her tears, Rita knew that everything would be alright.

 Chapter 20

    Rita burst into tears at the relief that flooded her. She couldn¡¯t believe that he wasn¡¯t angry like she had expected. This made her love him the more and she couldn¡¯t wait to be in his arms again.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay baby, please stop crying¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never speak to me again after how I treated you¡±, she croaked, wiping her eyes.


    ¡°No, I would never resent you for that. I know you were only doing that because you were scared and confused. That¡¯s why I told you to never allow him rule your mind¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to suspect a thing. You fail to underestimate him, he¡¯s very smart and cunning. One small lie could make him do things that are much bigger then him. I was trying to protect you from his madness¡±, Rita said, taking a seat.


    ¡°He¡¯s truly mad. Away from him, how are you princess?¡±, he asked.


    Rita smiled, curling a strand of her hair. She never got tired of his hearing his sweet endearments. Most days, she desperately wished she could elope with him but she knew that wasn¡¯t possible. No matter where she runs to, her father and Edmundo were sure fi find her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ But I¡¯ll be better if you were here¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°I miss you more than anything right now. Don¡¯t worry, just imagine I¡¯m there cradling you in my arms¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°How is your mother?¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Good, she¡¯s okay. Darling, the way you look after my mother makes me feel jealous¡±, heughed.


    ¡°I love you and your mother and that¡¯s never going to change¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Gosh! How I wish you were here, I¡¯d show you how much I love you¡±, he groaned.


    Rita bit her lips, loving the way she affected him. There was no telling she was deeply in love with him, Theresa was right.


    ¡°Rodrigo, have you found out anything about the shooting yet?¡±, she said.


    She hated to ruin the conversation by bringing up that topic but she wanted to know who was behind it. She had a feeling they were not safe and whoever was behind that would surelye back to finish off what he started.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid no. That¡¯s what keeps bothering me. I can¡¯t believe we haven¡¯t found anything yet on whoever was behind it. I don¡¯t know but it seems as if the person covered his tracks really well¡±, he said.


    ¡°Does my father know anything about it. I mean, what has he done?¡±.


    ¡°To be honest, I really don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking now but knowing who your father is, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he gets the person behind this sooner than we expected. I never underestimate that man, he¡¯s too smart¡±


    ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping our rtionship a secret, at least for now. I don¡¯t know how he¡¯d feel when I finally open up to him about us¡±.


    ¡°Do you want my honest opinion?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°Gosh Yes!¡±.


    ¡°I feel that he¡¯s going to be on board with us. I mean, your father is not a heartless man, I see some sense of understanding in him. The real problem we¡¯d be facing is Edmundo and his parents and of course, your mother¡±.


    ¡°You just said all the words raging through my mind. Can you believe that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been thinking all these days. No doubt, my mother wouldn¡¯t support my involvement with you but u really don¡¯t care what she thinks¡±.


    ¡°Darling, you should. She¡¯s still your mother no matter what happens¡±, Rodrigo said, gently.


    Rita sat up, biting her fingernail, an habit she never failed to stop since she was little. She knew he was right but she wasn¡¯t going to agree with him at least for now.


    ¡°Theresa knows about us¡±, she said quietly.


    Rodrigo remained quiet for a while and Rita cursed herself for telling him. She hated not knowing the expression on his face.


    ¡°Oh, I see now why she was smiling at me when I saw her in your house this morning¡±, he chuckled.


    This was news to Rita but she smiled, relieved that he didn¡¯t take offence which made her think about what could really make him angry.


    ¡°Wait, you were in my house?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Well, yes. Your mother had me drive her to a little get together of all her friends downtown but then I met Theresa who came to visit your father¡±, he said.


    Rita found this odd but she decided to let it slide. She would ask Theresa when she sees her but for now, she just wanted to talk to the love of her life.


    ¡°Okay, I guess she just came to drop something off with him. Her husband holds some shares in ourpany¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay. So where is your fiance¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Oh please don¡¯t call him that, makes me feel entitled to him. He¡¯s asleep and that¡¯s the only way i could call you if not, I wouldn¡¯t even be here talking to you¡±, she said.


    ¡°Does he ever gives you a break? I really do not like that man, he¡¯s too clingy¡±, Rodrigo muttered.


    ¡°Me too but don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be together soon¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I love you, for sticking with me even when I can¡¯t offer you diamonds or cars or gold. Thank you for staying with me¡±, he said, smiling into the phone.


    ¡°Rodrigo, I¡¯m not with you because of all that. I have those in abundance¡±.


    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder what you see in me when I can¡¯t clearly offer you anything¡±.


    ¡°You know what I see in you? I see a strong, brave and honest man. A man who loves unconditionally and wouldn¡¯t want to see those he loves in pain. Take for instance what you do for your mother and how you saved my life the other day. It only takes the heart of a honest man to do that¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Sugar girl, do you want to make me cry¡±, Rodrigo chuckled.


    ¡°Well I think so. Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t count you as one who crys¡±, shwughed.


    ¡°Well, I did once. Twice in fact, when my sister died then my mother informed me that my father died a long time ago and when my mother was diagnosed with the recurring ailment. Shoot, make that thrice¡±.


    ¡°Oh Rodrigo, I¡¯m so sorry¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize my sweet. It wasn¡¯t your fault, everything only made me stronger and I¡¯m d I met you, the source of my strength¡±.


    ¡°You¡¯re a really sweet man¡±, she blushed.


    ¡°You want to know how sweet I am? When I put my mouth on those lovely lips of yours and in ces you never imagine¡±.


    ¡°Oh gosh! You¡¯re just so naughty¡±, sheughed, holding her side.


    ¡°Only for you sugar, only for you¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go now, but I promise I¡¯ll call you tomorrow after the damn wedding¡±.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call you even before you think about it. I love you sugar girl¡±.


    ¡°I love you too Rodrigo, more than you can ever imagine¡±, she said before cutting the call.


    She ced her phone on the table but not before deleting his number from her call log. She couldn¡¯t trust Edmundo not to search her phone when she wasn¡¯t there.


    Later on, she prepared for bed, smiling as she recalled the conversation she had with Rodrigo. She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. Unbeknownst to her, Edmundo had finally gotten the answers he was looking for concerning her involvement with her chaffeur.

 Chapter 21

    ¡°Do I really have to wear this?¡±, Rita sighed, staring at herself in the mirror.


    ¡°Yes, you have to. You¡¯re my fiancee, soon to be my wife and dressing shabbily wouldn¡¯t speak well of me¡±, Edmundo said, fingering the ne on her chest.


    Rita had never worn a gown as revealing as this. The gown was really short with an open back that clung to her hips, bringing out all her shape. She felt ufortable on it but she persevered only because she didn¡¯t want Edmundo to suspect her. If reverse was the case, she would happily wear this gown for Rodrigo knowing that he would appreciate it more.


    ¡°Now, hurry up or we¡¯ll bete¡±, he said.


    Rita stared at him through the mirror,. He adorned a navy blue suit over a white bow that made him look handsome. Rita wasn¡¯t fooled by his appearance. Deep within him, he was a gutter fighter, a ruthless man who never stopped until he got what he wanted.


    As they walked out of the penthouse towards a limousine no doubt belonging to him, Rita couldn¡¯t imagine that as perfect as they looked, there was no love between them.


    As they drove in, Edmundo stared at her unbeknownst to her. He couldn¡¯t help but admire her beauty but he didn¡¯t know why he couldn¡¯t love her. True, she was the daughter of one of Spain¡¯s most richest men, but he had dated so many heiresses in the past. Now, with the news he got only yesterday, he wanted to teach her a lesson. He held himself from asking her all about him, that would only make him suspicious which would foil all his ns.


    ¡°Where is this wedding exactly?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Downtown, we¡¯ll soon get there¡±, he said, absentmindedly, toying with his ring.


    ¡°Okay¡±.


    ¡°What time did you sleep yesterday?¡±, he asked.


    He watched her emotions change before she schooled her face to one of indifference. This only confirmed his thoughts. He gripped his seat, a rage of emotions flowing through him as he stared at her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t check the time. Probably around ten. Why are you asking?¡±, she said.


    ¡°Oh nothing. I thought I heard voices veryte at night but the CCTV showed that nobody trespassed¡±, he said, vaguely.


    ¡°I see¡±.


    They soon got to the venue of the wedding. For the first time in her life, Rita felt intimidated by all the people she saw. True, she belonged to the elite ss but she had never seen these people in her life before.


    ¡°You¡¯re surprised?. This my darling is Spain¡¯s finest people¡±, Edmundo said, escorting her out of the limo.


    ¡°Remind me again. Who is getting married?¡±, She said.


    ¡°Dio Mio!. Rita, do you even read the news? The whole world has been talking about this wedding for months¡±, he said.


    ¡°I do, only that I don¡¯t bother myself with all these only the business section¡±, she said.


    ¡°Well, you should as from now on. After all, we¡¯d be getting married soon and you¡¯d want to be up to the date with thetest styles¡±, he grinned.


    Rita shuddered. He never failed to remind her about their wedding, one that she desperately wish she could run away from.


    ¡°I see, I¡¯ll try to look more at that section¡±, she lied smoothly.


    ¡°Good¡±.


    As they walked towards the hall where the wedding would be held, Rita had a feeling that she had just been thrust into a circle that she wasn¡¯t ready for. A circle of pompous Spaniards who thought only about themselves and no one else.


    When they walked into the hall, Edmundo seemed to be the cynosure of all eyes. Everyone wanted to shake his hands, touch, hug him. Rita was pushed to the side,pletely forgotten about. She was d for this though as it made her look at her surroundings, observing those who were in attendance.


    She watched as Edmundo conversed with a lot of people, half of which she didn¡¯t know. It made her think if these people were really his friends or they just pretended to be because of the favour they could get from his father through him. She smiled, thinking about what Rodrigo might say or do if he were here. No doubt, he¡¯ll be disgusted at the amount of pretence they had to put up with.


    He¡¯ll say something snarky which would make the people appear foolish. She¡¯d no doubt gain satisfaction in knowing that she wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°Please, meet my fiancee¡±, Edmundo said, cutting into her thoughts.


    Rita stared at the woman as she shaked her hands. In alm of her twenty six years, she had never seen anyone so thin and emancipated before and to make matters worse, the woman adorned makeup that made her look all the more uglier.


    ¡°Hello, nice to meet you¡±, the woman said with a scratchy voice.


    Rita looked towards Edmundo, hoping he could tell her who this woman was. Here seemed too get the hint and Rita was secretly thankful that she wasn¡¯t left hanging.


    ¡°Apologies my dear. This is Martina, daughter of the ex army chief. You would remember her father who led Spain to war to reim our lost territory¡±, he said.


    Rita remembered the story. She learnt it in history ss during her high school days. The story had it that, a long time ago, during the war of the Spaniards as it was fondly called, some of Spain¡¯s territory was taken by the opposing party and with the help of the army chief, Spain got theirnd back.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nice to see you. I hope your father is doing alright¡±, Rita smiled politely.


    ¡°Yes, though he¡¯s getting on in years, he¡¯s doing alright. And your Father?¡±, Martina asked.


    ¡°Quite alright, thank you¡±.


    When she left, Rita heaved a huge sigh of relief. She¡¯d been holding herself againstughing over her hideous makeup. Someone really needed to tutor her on the art of applying make up. She had a mind to tell her but she didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d feel or most especially how Edmundo would react.


    The wedding was in full swing now much to her satisfaction. The sooner it began the better it was could leave on time. When the bride of the day arrived, Rita gushed about how pretty her dress was. She imagined getting married like this one day but the man in her imaginations was Rodrigo. She wasn¡¯t surprised because she constantly thought about him. Even at that moment, she wondered what he was doing.


    ¡°Such a beautiful bride¡±, Edmundo muttered.


    Rita stared at him and she could tell that Edmundo had something to do with her. The way he stared at her had her wondering if perhaps he¡¯s slept with her before.


    ¡°You¡¯ve known her prior to this?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s my very good friend¡±, he said vaguely.


    ¡°I see¡±, she said, epting a ss of champagne from a passing waiter.


    The wedding moved on and Rita hated every part of it. From their pompous attitude to their fake smiles and hugs. She could actually feel the jealousy radiating from them when she was introduced as Lawrence Anderson¡¯s daughter. Most of them had judging eyes, secretly looking for ws within her. Rita had none of these because she was beautiful, down to earth and kind.


    ¡°We should move to the reception now. The first part is over¡±, Edmundo said.


    Rita groaned inwardly as she allowed Edmundo to lead her the venue of the reception which was in another part of town. She didn¡¯t understand why people would waste funds in this manner but she remained quiet since she wasn¡¯t really in the mood to be in a conversation with Edmundo.


    ¡°You know, you look really beautiful¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Thank you. You look quite charming yourself¡±, she said.


    Just then, his phone rang which saved the day. He looked at the offending gadget, frowning at it. Rita could tell that whoever was calling him wanted to tell him something important as the only time he seemed to frown was if the issue was serious.


    ¡°Yes¡±, he snapped.


    Rita trained her ears on the call. She tried to make sense of what they were saying but she couldn¡¯t keep up as Edmundo spoke in rapid Spanish and her Spanish was only limited to a few words.


    ¡°So what have you done before you called me¡±, Edmundo said.


    Rita stared at him and she could tell that whatever it was, it didn¡¯t seem good to him. His expression was one of tiredness and anger but she wisely kept quiet, she wasn¡¯t one to poke nose in another¡¯s business.


    ¡°I see. Find out more information then get back to me¡±, he said before cutting the call.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Rita rxed a bit, surreptitiously looking at him. Her inquisitiveness rose to the surface and she couldn¡¯t help wondering what the conversation was about.


    ¡°Anything the matter Edmundo!¡±, She asked.


    ¡°Nothing you can help with¡±, he snapped.


    Rita held her tongue from replying. She should have known better than talk, Edmundo wasn¡¯t that kind of man who would discuss his business with a woman. Nevertheless, Rita determined to find out what was said because within her, herst shred of trust on him had just vanished.

 Chapter 22

    The next day of the wedding, Rita feigned illness. She couldn¡¯t being herself to attend a wedding that wasn¡¯t of benefit to her.


    ¡°Ohe, you want to tell me you¡¯re sick?¡±, Edmundo said, pacing about.


    ¡°Edmundo, illness has no season. It coulde anytime it so desires¡±, she said, coughing for added effect.


    ¡°I see. Get some drugs from the kitchen. I¡¯m going¡±, he said, mming the door behind him.


    Rita sighed, rising up from her bed. So much for being his fiancee. She made her way to the bathroom, using it as quick as possible.


    After the wedding yesterday, Rita decided to search Edmundo¡¯s room. She had a feeling that she would get one or two things concerning his recent attitude these past few days. When she was done, she made her way to his room, opening it with the spare key card she got from the table in her room. Before going to his room, she locked the main doors tightly incase Edmundo decided toe back earlier than expected.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    When she got to his room, she was once again in awe at the size and the designs adorning it. Without wasting any more time, she moved the double wardrobe that stood at a corner of the room. She opened it but the only thing she found were his clothes and receipts of some things he bought.


    Determined, Rita checked the other wardrobe and to her joy, she found what she was looking for. Stacks of papers of different types and sizes sat gingerly in the wardrobe. Rita brought down some, taking them to his bed side table where she could quickly read them. She opened the first one and wished she hadn¡¯t. The file in her hand contained lewd pictures of semi naked woman whom Edmundo fantasized about when he couldn¡¯t get ahold of any one of them.


    Rita felt disgusted about this which only cemented her resolve not to ever have anything to do with him ever again. She flipped through the file but only it contained were more and more photos of the naked women. Deciding to dump that file, Rita moved on to the second one, opening it to revel various tax reports on him.


    Apparently, Edmundo hadn¡¯t been paying his tax and now, the government were threatening to seize all his assets within the next one week. Knowing who he was, Rita had no doubt that he¡¯ll evade this arrest and find a way not to pay what he was oweing. He was just as corrupt as ever. She quickly snapped some of the receipts, something she could use against him when the timees.


    The next file she opened was about someone who he was watching. Rita shuddered to think about what Edmundo might do if he finally got the person he¡¯s been watching all along. The person¡¯s name wasn¡¯t specified. The only clue she got out of it was that the person was a male and in his early thirties. Rita snapped that too, gathering every evidence she could use against him when the timees.


    When she was done with that file, she returned them to the wardrobe, cing them at the exact ce she took from. Edmundo had a keen eyes and he would know if his properties had been tampered with.


    She picked up another file, flipping through it. She smiled, this was exactly what she was looking for. Edmumdo¡¯s involvement and shares in herpany. Rita was horrified at what she learnt. It turned out that Edmundo not only had arge share in thepany, he also controlled most of the major stocks. Rita had no idea how this came about, the only thing she knew was that Edmundo only controlled little of thepany¡¯s shares but not this much.


    She took some photos of this, nning to show her father on her return to Spain. As she flipped through the file, she was horrified to see that Edmundo controlled more and more of the stocks. He had almost fifty percent of the total shares, the highest any of their investors had. She quickly dialled Rodrigo¡¯s number. She needed to tell someone she could trust in case anything happened to her.


    ¡°Sugar girl, i was just about to call you¡±, he said, sweetly.


    ¡°Hey you¡±, Rita smiled despite what was on her hands.


    ¡°How are you love?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not fine¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°Oh shit! What¡¯s wrong darling, talk to me¡±, he said.


    Rita told him all that she had discovered and her suspicions about Edmundo. She could tell that he agreed with her and this was something she was grateful for.


    ¡°Now i see why your parents want to marry you off to him. I¡¯m going to say this the way it is. Sugar girl, yourpany is on the brink of bankruptcy. That¡¯s the reason why they insist you get married to him because of his connections and what he can bring to your family¡±, he said.


    ¡°At the expense of my happiness, that¡¯s really not fair¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°This life isn¡¯t fair baby and it¡¯s left for us to make it better for ourselves¡±, he said.


    ¡°Rodrigo, I¡¯m so confused. What do I do?¡±, she said.


    ¡°Talk to your father. After all, he still has a lot of influence in thepany even though you¡¯re the President, he¡¯s the founder¡±, he said.


    ¡°But what if he gets angry?¡±, she said.


    ¡°Why would he be angry?¡±.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe because I discovered something I¡¯m not meant to find out¡±, she said.


    ¡°Sugar girl, I¡¯ve learnt something very important. I learnt that if you can iron out an issue, it¡¯s best to talk with the parties involved. It would help in preventing confrontations that may arise¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay, I will. Sometimes you¡¯re so smart from the words you say but other times, you¡¯re so clueless especially in some kitchen stuffs¡±, Rita smiled, biting her lips.


    ¡°Sugar girl, are you mocking me?¡±, Rodrigoughed.


    ¡°No lover boy, I¡¯m only stating the obvious¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°And the obvious is that I love you and I have no regrets in being goofy around you¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Aww, look at you. All mushy and sweet¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mushy, I¡¯m a man and men don¡¯t get mushy¡±.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a man in love¡±.


    ¡°That is correct my sweet, a man hopelessly in love with a damsel and can¡¯t wait to do naughty things to her¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Gosh Rodrigo!¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re okay, I mean really really okay¡±, he said, worry evident in his voice.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m just trying to be. I¡¯m really trying to stay strong with everything that¡¯s happening around me¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°Please stay strong for me baby, remember I love you so much that at times it hurts especially when you¡¯re not here with me¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be with you soon. It¡¯s only a matter of time, a few days more¡±.


    ¡°Wait, why aren¡¯t you at the party?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°I feigned sickness. Lord knows i can¡¯t stand those things¡±, she said.


    ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you naughty¡±, heughed.


    ¡°Only for you. Baby, I¡¯ve got to go now. I¡¯ll talk to you some other time¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay, but it shouldn¡¯t be too long. Every minute you¡¯re away from me, I die silently¡±, he said.


    ¡°Soon baby¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°I love you ande home soon¡±, he said before cutting the call.


    ***********************


    ¡°What did you do while I was gone?¡±, Edmundo said over dinner the next day.


    It was the third day since they arrived Madrid and two days before they¡¯d leave. So far, Rita had sessfully avoided going to the parties and she was secretly d that Edmundo seemed not to be disturbed. The only time he showed concern over her ¡°illness¡± was when he asked if she had taken the drugs he asked her to. ording to him, he didn¡¯t want her dieing on him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really do much. Just slept the whole day because the drugs kind of knocked me down¡±, Rita said vaguely.


    No way was she going to tell him the tons of incriminating materials she found in his possession. She was bidding her, waiting for the right moment to strike. Until then, she would remain patient and wait.


    ¡°I see. And how do you feel now?¡±, he asked, munching on his food.


    ¡°Better, much better thank you¡±, she said.


    Even a blind man could see how stiff their rtionship was. There was simply no chemistry between them. Edmundo felt like he owned the world but Rita didn¡¯t agree to this which was the main bone of contention between them.


    ¡°You know, on a second thought, I think we should leave for Spain tomorrow. I just found out that I have some pressing things to take care of which requires my attention as soon as possible¡±.


    In another world, Rita could have hugged him. She was happy within her over this news, Lord knows that she couldn¡¯t stand one more day at the party and also another day with Edmundo. On a second thought, she knew that he¡¯s going had something to do with one of those files she found. She had no idea what it was but she was determined to find out.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good idea. I also have some things to take care of back at the office¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Good. We¡¯ll leave tomorrow, the jet would be ready¡±, he said.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare¡±, she said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in my room if you need me but I doubt you would since everything you need is here¡±, he said, rising up from his seat.


    Rita nodded as she watched him leave. She couldn¡¯t believe her luck at the freedom she just got. A rare one at that. Packing the tes to the kitchen because Edmundo never bothered to, she wondered what that pressing issue was that would send him back to Spain. She sighed as she never liked being in the dark.


    She made her way to her room, passing Edmundo¡¯s. She stopped for a moment, listening to his conversation with yet another person she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Darling, I¡¯ll be back tomorrow¡±, he said.


    Rita pressed her ears to the door, feeling disgusted by his behaviour. He had no ounce of respect, not caring if she overheard him or not.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯lle straight once my nends. Remember to prepare for my arrival, I want you in that skimpy bikini¡±, he chuckled.


    Rita was horrified and she had a good mind to barge into his room but she held herself. After all, she had never loved him, so she wouldn¡¯t really be bothered over what he does.


    ¡°Oh. The woman is fine, I left her at the dinner table so she can¡¯t hear what we¡¯re saying and even if she does, can¡¯t do anything about it¡±, he boasted.


    Tears of anguish streamed down her eyes as she heard the hurtful things here said. The only boldness he had for him to speak this way was because of the stocks he controlled in herpany. She didn¡¯t know why her life was going this way, the only person who could haveforted her was several miles away.


    ¡°Okay, let me go now darling. I¡¯ll speak to you before i leave tomorrow¡±, he said.


    Rita dried her eyes, walking away quickly. She resolved within herself never to shed tears over Edmundo again. He wasn¡¯t worth it and she wouldn¡¯t bother about him anymore.


    On getting to her room, she packed the little clothes she brought, refusing to touch anything in the wardrobe. When she was done, shey on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Just then, her phone made a sharp beep, indicating she had a message. Swiping it, she discovered that the message was from Rodrigo. It was a gif message containing love and kisses. She sent off another message, blowing kisses and patiently waited for his reply.


    Rather than responding to the message, his name suddenly appeared on her phone. He was calling. Rita smiled, picking it up on the second ring. She made her way to the door, locking it to avoid Edmundo barging in.


    ¡°Sugar girl¡±, his calm voice calmed her raging heart.


    ¡°Guess what¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Oh baby, you know I¡¯m not so good at guessing¡±, he groaned.


    ¡°Oh, just try¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see. You¡¯re pregnant for me because that would only make me marry you faster¡±, heughed.


    ¡°Oh gosh! No, we haven¡¯t even had sex¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°Come to think of it, why haven¡¯t we?¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°You¡¯re digressing and I know it but I¡¯ll let that slide. Well, the reason is, I want to keep myself pure until my wedding night. If there¡¯s one thing I love my mother for, it¡¯s that singr thing she taught me¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°That just made me love you the more. I¡¯m ready to wait for how long it takes¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Really?¡±, Rita said, tears of joy streaming down her eyes.


    ¡°Yes my sweet for as long as it takes but promise me you¡¯ll wait if I¡¯m not there with you¡±, he said, quietly.


    ¡°As long as the sun still shines. Rodrigo, I¡¯ll wait¡±, she said.


    She couldn¡¯t help but think of this of as a vow, a promise of their love andmitment. She felt fulfilled, knowing that someone cared so deeply about her as to wait until they got married.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the surprise baby?¡±, heughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ming home tomorrow¡±, she said.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have any idea how happy I am hearing this¡±.


    ¡°I know. Edmundo said he has some things to take care of but I strongly suspect he¡¯s tired of attending the wedding¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°For once, I¡¯m d that he actually used his brain¡±, he said.


    ¡°I know. So, I¡¯ll being tomorrow. I won¡¯t go home straight though, pleasee pick me up when his nends. I want to go to the private ce with you alone¡±, Rita said biting her lips.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t wait to see you tomorrow and of course do wicked things¡±, he groaned.


    ¡°Patience my dear, it¡¯s just one more night¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got to go now. I need to help mum with something¡±.


    ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow. Love you¡±, she said.


    ¡°And me too, always¡±, he said before cutting the call.

 Chapter 23

    The next day, at exactly one p. m, Edmundo¡¯s nended. Rita couldn¡¯t hide her joy at being back to Spain. She missed her parents but most especially, she missed Rodrigo. As the ne taxied to a stop, Rita couldn¡¯t wait to get out of the ne and finally meet the love of her life.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you smiling?¡±, Edmumdo said, giving her a suspicious look.


    ¡°Oh nothing, I¡¯m just happy to be back¡±, she said.


    ¡°I see. I think we should do this some other time, you know me and you¡±, Edmundo grinned.


    ¡°Oh no, I think I¡¯ll pass. I won¡¯t have time to do this again¡±, she said.


    ¡°You alwaysin about not having time. What exactly do you do with your time?.


    A look of annoyance crossed his face but Rita ignored it. She didn¡¯t want anything to ruin her mood especially since she would soon see Rodrigo.


    ¡°Edmundo, I run an empire bigger than some countries. I¡¯m always in meetings and different functions. The only reason why I went on this trip with you is because I have no pressing things to do at the office¡±, she said.


    She was trying desperately to reign her temper down but Edmundo wasn¡¯t helping matters as he looked for any means possible to get her frustrated.


    ¡°Then reduce the things you do¡±, he said, tapping on his phone.


    ¡°And allow mypany run bankrupt? Not a chance¡±.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s almost bankrupt ording to the stats¡±, he muttered.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±, Rita said.


    She heard what he said but she wanted him to repeat it again. She couldn¡¯t believe that Edmundo knew all about thepany¡¯s woes and decided to keep it to himself. The reason for this totally baffled her. She stared at him, wishing she could hit him with something just to vent her anger.


    ¡°I see. Edmundo, if no one has told you this probably because of fear, I will. I think you¡¯re a lying, insensitive and despicable man. You¡¯re very pompous and you don¡¯t have any regard to what others might feel towards the words you say to them. Youck manners and I hope you develop one before it¡¯s toote¡±, she seethed.


    Rita stood up from her seat, hissing before getting off the ne. The idiota had finally seeded in ruining her mood and what¡¯s more, he felt no remorse.


    When she stepped out of the ne, the first thing she noticed was that the clouds were heavy. It prepared to rain and she was grateful they had finallynded before it pours it¡¯s banks. When she stepped off the ramp, Rodrigo appeared beside her, startling her.


    ¡°Sugar girl¡±, he said quietly.


    Rita smiled, wishing she could kiss him but she couldn¡¯t because right at that moment, Edmundo and his driver were passing by. He walked towards her, hugging her as he gave her a kiss.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you some other time my sweet¡±, he smiled slyly.


    Rita stilled, pretending to love his affection. Edmundo nodded at Rodrigo before he finally left. Just as he left, the first drop of rain hit them. Quickly, Rodrigo ushered her into a waiting car. When they were in and out of sight, Rita threw her hands around him, kissing him senseless.


    ¡°Sugar girl, I¡¯ve missed you¡±, Rodrigo said once they pulled away.


    Rita gripped his jacket, fearing that if she let go, he would disappear. Rodrigoughed, pulling her closer as he took her lips in his again.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s leave here before we¡¯re arrested for indecent exposure¡±, Ritaughed.


    Slowly, Rodrigo made his way out of the airport, careful of the puddles that had already gathered as a result of the rain.


    Throughout the journey to the private ce, he held her hand, kissing it intermittently. Rita sighed, reveling in his love.


    ¡°How¡¯s your mother?¡±, She asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. She asked about you yesterday and that surprised the hell out of me because I never knew she knew you¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised too. I don¡¯t know her¡±, she chuckled. ¡°but I guess seeing me from magazines and the television would do¡±.


    ¡°So, sweetie I¡¯ve been thinking over what you said concerning the loopholes in the organization. And I think I found a connection between Edmundo and Rnd¡±, he said.


    ¡°Wait, no kidding me. How can that be?¡±.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know but I have a feeling that Edmundo doesn¡¯t mean well for thepany and him having an association with Rnd just proves that¡±.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You know, just before I got down from the ne, he said something about that. Apparently he knows all about mypany¡¯s woes but he kept it quiet. You¡¯re right, there¡¯s something he¡¯s hiding and i can¡¯t wait to find out and deal with him ordingly¡±, she said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you every step of the way. Don¡¯t worry about him, we¡¯ll deal with him together¡±, Rodrigo smiled.


    Soon, they got to the private ce. Rodrigo parked the car in front of the main doors,ing round to open Rita¡¯s.


    ¡°I told you not to worry about this, I¡¯m perfectly capable of opening my own doors¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°A princess like you deserves to be treated right¡±, he grinned.


    He scooped her up, carrying her bridal style towards the house. Rita squealed, hitting him on the chest yfully. Rodrigoughed, kissing her as he dropped her on the couch in the living room.


    ¡°What did you do that for¡±, she gasped as he kissed a most sensitive part in her neck.


    ¡°Like I said before princess, you deserve to be treated right¡±, she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re spoiling me too much¡±, she grinned.


    ¡°Then wait till we get married¡±, he grinned slyly.


    He kissed every inch of her body, making sure to keep his hands where it wouldn¡¯t wander away. What she told him about her virginity still rang in his ears. He respected her decision and he would see that she was protected in every way possible especially from Edmundo.


    ¡°Okay love, as much as I¡¯ll like to make out with you, I really need to eat, I¡¯m starved¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Hmm, I know what I want to eat¡±, he hummed.


    ¡°Bad boy, sit¡±, Ritaughed, gripping his hair.


    Atst, when he was satisfied Rodrigo stood up, helping her up. They made their way to the kitchen, hand in hand.


    ¡°What should we make?¡±, Rita said, pulling open the fridge.


    ¡°Spaghetti, always spaghetti¡±, he said.


    ¡°Coming right up sir¡±, she grinned.


    ¡°Now, who¡¯s naughty. Anyway darling, we need to work on the information we have gotten concerning the stolen funds from the organization. I think you should inform your Dad so he¡¯ll know what¡¯s happening¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see him tomorrow. Thank you¡±.


    ¡°I know better way you can thank me¡±, heughed.


    Rita smiled, going back to preparing food. For now, she was happy and hoped it would remain so.

 Chapter 24

    As she walked into her home the next day, Rita answered to greetings from the workers. She was d to be home. Rodrigo and her spent a lot of time in the private ce the previous day, talking about how best she was to inform her father.


    ¡°Hey Dad¡±, Rita beamed.


    Her father was sitting on a reclined chair, going over the morning¡¯s paper. He looked up and when he saw his daughter, he smiled.


    ¡°Darling, how are you? How was your trip¡±, he said, sitting up.


    Rita took the seat beside him, cing her clutch purse on a nearby table. She stared at her father and couldn¡¯t help but give a sad sigh. Her father was getting on in years and it was evident from his behavior.


    ¡± How are you, where¡¯s mum?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Went to gossip with Senator Brabra¡¯s wife yesterday evening, I¡¯m expecting her this morning¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay. Father, there¡¯s something I would like to discuss with you. That¡¯s why I came this early before you go out¡±, she said.


    Sensing his daughter¡¯s change of mood, Lawrence sat up, putting his paper away. He knew that from the look on her face, it was a serious issue.


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears child, go on¡±, he said.


    Rita began narrating all that she had discovered. She left Edmundo¡¯s name behind because she wanted to deal with him personally.


    For several minutes, Lawrence remained quiet, mulling over her words. He fisted his hands as anger took over him. For many years he struggled to build his empire and when it was at it¡¯s sess stage, someone decided it was best to rub him off his hard work and profit. No, this was too much for Lawrence to bear.


    People who were really familiar with him knew that the patriarch easily forgave but when ites to something that would affect his empire, he was a tiger who neither forgave nor forget.


    Gabriel Rnd had just drawn the line with the elder state man and there was way he could escape from it as Lawrence Anderson already had his eyes on him.


    ¡°Father, please say something. You¡¯re scaring me¡±, Rita said.


    She didn¡¯t like the look on her father¡¯s face. She knew her father could be ruthless when ites to his business but the look on his face now was one of pure hell.


    ¡°Call a meeting of the board members by ten a. m sharp tomorrow. I won¡¯t really have time today as I need to see the Senator at the golf club. I don¡¯t want Gabriel there¡±, he said.


    Rita didn¡¯t expect the meeting but she nodded nevertheless. She didn¡¯t have the stomach to argue with her father especially since he was tensed up.


    ¡°Okay Dad, I¡¯ll do just that. Please, you need to calm down. I¡¯m happy we got the culprit, it¡¯s left for us to deal with him¡±, Rita said, giving his hands a gentle squeeze.


    That seemed to calm the patriarch down as he smiled at his daughter, squeezing her hands back. He got up from his seat, leaving her there. Rita sighed as she watched him leave, noticing the slight stoop in his back.


    Few minutester, she left the house heading to her office. When she got into the car, Rodrigo droved off.


    Rita remained quiet for a long while, staring out of the window. Rodrigo looked through the rear view mirror, wondering what was going on in her mind.


    ¡°You okay?¡±, he said, quietly.


    ¡°I will be when this whole fiasco is over¡±, she said.


    ¡°What did your father say?¡±he asked.


    Rita narrated all that had happened between her and her father. Thinking about it now, a cold shudder ran down her spine. Her father had been known to kill before and Rita feared that he might do the same to Gabriel. Though the rumours about it weren¡¯t confirmed, deep down Rita knew that some of it might be true. Even though he might not be directly involved, he had people at his neck and call, ready to do his bidding.


    Rita shuddered, thinking about the power her father held. Another thing that creeped up her mind was him going to see the Senator. She didn¡¯t want Edmundo to have any idea of what was going on. If her father informed the Senator, she was sure that Edmundo would get wind of it too.


    ¡°Rita¡­ Rita¡±, Rodrigo shouted.


    Rita jerked, suddenly realising that Rodrigo had been calling her name. She smiled, squeezing his shoulder from the back seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I spaced out a bit¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Come back to me sugar girl, I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re thinking about this¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine Rodrigo, trust me¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay¡±, he said.


    ¡°What did your father say concerning the issue¡±, he said.


    ¡°He instructed me to call a board meeting over this issue tomorrow morning. But Rodrigo, I¡¯m scared. I fear what he¡¯ll do to Gabriel. My father could be ruthless at times especially when ites to his business¡±, she said.


    Rodrigo pulled up in front of the reception, turning back to grab her hands. He gave it a gentle squeeze, silently reassuring her that all would be well.


    ¡°Gabriel is already guilty. There¡¯s no use feeling sorry for him, he stole from you. Imagine all these years when we didn¡¯t know what was happening and now that we know, I think it¡¯s time for him to face the punishment¡±.


    ¡°But what about Edmundo, he needs to be punished too but I don¡¯t want my dad to know about it, I want to deal with him in my own way before I finally hand him over to my Dad¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°One step at a time baby, one step at a time. We¡¯ll figure everything out bit by bit, trust me¡±, he said.


    Rita sighed, some of her worries ebbing away. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze, loving how considerate and thoughtful he was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be working reallyte today, I need to catch up on all the work I¡¯ve missed. Please, you don¡¯t need to wait on me, I¡¯ll drive myself home¡±, she said.


    ¡°No way in hell am I leaving you to yourself. Whenever you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll wait for you¡±, he said.


    ¡°But what about your mother, she needs you¡±.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it love. Thanks to you, she can take care of herself now¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Okay, thank you. I won¡¯t stay up sote because of you¡±.


    ¡°Take all the time you need, I¡¯ll be here waiting¡±.


    Rita smiled, giving him a passionate kiss. She held on to his jacket, loving the way he made her feel, strong and powerful.


    He bit her lower lip, gaining more entrance into her mouth. Rita moaned, tangling his hair within her hands.


    Unknown to them, a camera shed, taking pictures of the scene.

 Chapter 25

    ¡°Yasmin, pleasee upstairs for a bit¡±, Rita said through the inte.


    Few minutester, Yasmin walked into the office looking beautiful and resplendent in her navy blue gown. Her hair was packed into a severe bun, bringing out her face the more.


    ¡°Greetings ma¡¯am, wee back¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Thank you. Please sit down, I have something important to discuss with you¡±, Rita said.


    Yasmin sat down, patiently waiting for her to proceed with what she intended to say. In the two years she had been working with her, Yasmin had known Rita to be a hard-working youngdy, putting her all into the sess of the organization.


    ¡°I want you to organize a meeting of all the board members ted for tomorrow by ten a. m sharp. Please leave the head of finance, Gabriel out if this. We¡¯ve been made to understand that he¡¯s been involved in some fraudulent activities¡±, she said.


    If Yasmin was surprised by this news, she hid it well. Rita secretly praised her for how well she took the news. Not many people would remain calm when issue like this gets out.


    ¡°Okay ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll do just that¡±, she said.


    ¡°Thank you. My father would also be in attendance so pass a message across to some of the major investors¡±.


    ¡°Alright ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll do just that. Is there anything else¡± Yasmin said.


    ¡°No, none for now. If I remember anything else, I¡¯ll let you know¡±, Rita said.


    Yasmin nodded before making her way out of the office. Rita sighed, sitting back on her chair. She took a deep breath, calming her raging heart. She proceeded to look through some files that needed her attention.


    Few minutester, she got a message from Yasmin through the inte that Edmundo¡¯s mother, Magdalene Brabra was on her way up. Rita groaned, having an idea on why the woman was here. No doubt, she was here again to solidify her intended marriage with her son.


    Just as she expected, the elderly woman knocked before walking into her office. Rita was in no mood to receive visitors but this was one visitor she couldn¡¯t deny entry.


    ¡°Magdalene, how lovely to see you¡±, Rita smiled, pecking the woman on the cheek.


    She never really liked her and the only reason she tolerated her was because of the respect she had for her husband.


    ¡°Rita, it¡¯s really nice to see you too¡±, she said, taking a seat.


    Magdalene was an elderly woman in her sixties. Her once brown hair was bing pure white and Rita suspected that she hated it. Magdalene had always prided herself in being a young beauty, always making use of thetest cosmetics and beauty products.


    ¡°What brings you to my office?¡±, Rita asked.


    She wanted to spend as little time as possible with the woman. She still had a ton of things to do and every second counts if she wanted to get it done.


    ¡°I just came to show you some samples of design I picked out the other day. There¡¯s one particr one that would look so beautiful on you¡±, she smiled.


    Rita couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She was in the middle of a financial crises and this woman really thought she was in the mood for ssy and expensive clothes. Rita tapped her leg, trying to reign down her anger that threatened to rise to the surface.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am but I¡¯m not quite in the mood to discuss clothes and shoes and with all due respect, I¡¯m not so certain I¡¯ll he marrying your son.¡±, Rita said, tapping her pen on the table.


    The look on Magdalene¡¯s face wasughable. Her face was scrunched up in annoyance over Rita¡¯s words. Rita stared at her, giving herself a congrattory pay on the back for putting the woman down.


    ¡°I see. Is my son not good enough for you, do you know how many girls are willing and ready to be in your ce?¡±, she said.


    ¡°Honestly ma¡¯am, I really don¡¯t care. He can have anyone of them. In fact, he¡¯ll be doing me a great favour¡±, Rita smiled.


    This seemed to anger the olddy as she stood up abruptly. Rita stood up too not because the woman deserved it but it was a sign of respect to do so.


    ¡°Your parents would hear of your insolence. I never knew you were this rude¡±, she snapped.


    ¡°Do as you wish ma¡¯am but know this, I¡¯m not getting married to your son¡±, Rita said with finality in her words.


    ¡°I see, then the battle line has been drawn¡±, she said.


    ¡°Very well. Please, see yourself out of my office¡±, Rita said.


    She was past caring, past caring about those who showed no ounce of respect and sympathy over what she was going through. All what her parents and Edmundo¡¯s parents wanted was for her to get married to him by force without caring if they loved each other or not. They never even bothered to caution him for the way he slept around not caring if he was engaged or not.


    Magdalene hissed before she finally left the office. Rita sat back down, heaving a tired sigh. There was no use apologizing over what she was innocent of. The real people who should apologize were Edmundo and his family. Rita put that at the back of her mind, focusing on what was really important which was the forting meeting. She had no doubt that one way or the other, something would happen. She had a feeling that something bad was about to take ce and it wasn¡¯t rted to work or the meeting. That same thought filled her mind even when Rodrigo dropped her off at home that evening.


    ¡°How was your day at work?¡±, her mother asked once she stepped into the house.


    ¡°It was fine, thank you¡±, she said, vaguely.


    She wasn¡¯t about to discuss Magdalene¡¯s visit as that would prolong their conversation. Her mother was gone of dragging issues even when there was no need to.


    ¡°You arrived reallyte today, it¡¯s past ten¡±, she said.


    Rita groaned inwardly. Her mother never got the hint that one was tired and not in the mood to talk.


    ¡°I had loads of work to do at the office¡±, Rita said, moving away.


    ¡°Rita, I know sometimes I might be hard on you but I just want the best for you. Me and your dad¡¯s decision about marrying Edmundo is for the best. I know you don¡¯t love him, trust me I do but in time, you¡¯ll learn to love him. To be honest, marriage isn¡¯t all about love but what you could benefit from your partner¡±, she said.


    Rita stared at her, not quite believing that her mother could utter these words. To say she was disappointed would be an understatement, she was baffled. Her mother whom she ced on high esteem had just lost the little respect she had for her.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t love that. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong Rita, I love your dad¡±, she said, weakly.


    Rita could tell that that was a lie. She knew her mother knew it with the way her eyes darted all about, looking for what¡¯s not there.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°I see. Thank you mother for your kind advice but I would rather get married to someone that loves me and live in penury rather than getting married to someone who doesn¡¯t care about me¡±, Rita said with an angry expression on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m..  sorry but you¡¯ll see, you¡¯ll get to love Edmundo. Trust me on that¡±, she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired mother, I really need to get some sleep. I have an important event the following day¡±, Rita said, walking away.


    When she got to her room, she burst into tears. All the anger and heartache she had held within her since Magdalene¡¯s visit rose to the surface. At that moment, she wished Rodrigo was beside her tofort her but she was alone, alone to face her fears.

 Chapter 26

    At exactly Nine a. m, Rita walked into the office with Rodrigo in tow, carrying her bags. She nodded at Yasmin who greeted her. She took the elevator all the way up to her office, quietly thinking about the forting meeting.


    ¡°You should stop thinking¡±, Rodrigo said.


    They were in her office. Rita was on her seat, her thoughts in disarray. She had expected Rodrigo to leave but she was surprised to see him standing there which showed that her mind waspletely off.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying but everytime I remember what that bastard did, I¡¯m always sad¡±, she said.


    Rodrigo moved towards her, picking her up as he ced her on hisp. Rita cradled his neck, breathing in his scent. Sheid her head on his chest, wishing she could remain like this for as long as she wanted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be with you in the conference room¡±, he said.


    Rita whipped her head up, staring into his blue eyes. She didn¡¯t know if he was joking or serious but looking at him now, she realized he was serious.


    ¡°Oh no, Rodrigo, I¡¯ll never ask you to do that¡±Rita chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯ll ask me. I¡¯m just doing it because I love you and I never want to see you in distress¡±, he said.


    ¡°I know Rodrigo but I don¡¯t know if you should be there. I mean, wouldn¡¯t it be awkward¡±, she said.


    ¡°No, It won¡¯t. Remember, I¡¯m your personal guard and I¡¯m entitled to your safety. I¡¯m sure your father wouldn¡¯t suspect anything since he¡¯ll be busy with the task before him¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay, if it would make you happy¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°It would surely do. It¡¯s better you get prepared, it¡¯s almost time¡±, he said.


    ¡°Yes¡±, Rita said, giving him a long kiss.


    Rodrigo smiled before cing her on her feet. Rita took the necessary things she needed, making sure to jot some of the important things she earlier thought about.


    When she was done doing this, she left the office together with Rodrigo. Just before they walked into the conference room, Rodrigo gave her hands a gentle squeeze, silently reassuring her that everything would be okay.


    Rita walked into the room and immediately, all conversations seized. She was surprised to see a lot of people already seated. Her father was the only one absent but she knew he was already on his way.


    About ten minutester her father walked through the door inpany of his personal assistant, a young woman whom Rita suspected was having an affair with him.


    ¡°Good morning, please take your seat¡±, Lawrence said.


    As the founder of the organization, he sat at the head of the table while Rita, who was the president sat at the right hand.


    ¡°Without wasting much of our time, I¡¯ll go straight to the issue at hand. But before then, I¡¯ll allow my daughter to give us a brief summary of why we¡¯re all here¡±, he said.


    Rita nodded, her eyes seeking Rodrigo who sat at a far corner opposite her. He gave her a brief nodded, informing her that she would do great.


    ¡°Good morning once againdies and gentlemen. Like my father said, I¡¯ll give a brief summary of why we¡¯re here. I believe as the leading board members of this organization, you have a right to know what has been happening for some time. If you look around, you¡¯ll realize that the head of the financial department, Gabriel is missing. He was purposely exempted from this meeting because we¡¯ve gotten reports about him about his fraudulent activities in this organization¡±, she said.


    There were collective gasps from the members as each had a shocked expression on their faces. Rita smiled sadly, thinking about what they¡¯ll do if they got to hear about the amount of money that had been stolen. No doubt, they¡¯ll call for his immediate arrest and prosecution. She knew Gabriel would be arrested but she wanted to give that power to her father to decide.


    ¡°And for what this organization stands for, honesty and transparency has been far from us for some time now due to this. I know we¡¯re all angry over this but I promise you that justice would be served and everything that had been stolen from us would be recovered in due time. Sodies and gentlemen, that¡¯s the issue before us, Rita said, finally.


    ¡°Thank you Rita. Ladies and gentlemen, you¡¯ve heard it. Let¡¯s talk¡±, her father said.


    Rita had an inkling of why he was doing this. She knew he had already given his judgement on Gabriel and the only reason why he needed their opinions was to inform them on what was going on. Gabriel was already a dead man walking and in little or no time, he¡¯ll face the wrath of Lawrence Anderson.


    ¡°Why do we still need to discuss about this. Gabriel has already been found guilty, what¡¯s left for us is to hand him over to the police¡±, a short portly man said.


    Rita couldn¡¯t remember his name at that moment but she knew he was a major investor in thepany.


    ¡°I agree, Gabriel needs to be arrested and all the monies stolen should be recovered. We can not allow thispany go bankrupt¡±, a voice said.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Rita couldn¡¯t keep up with all the conversations and simply settled for being quiet. She listened to what each of thtk said, seeing understanding in everything they discussed. She stared at Rodrigo and he seemed to know she was looking at her because right at that moment, he stared back at her with an amused expression on his face.


    She knew what that look was for. Sometimes, he told her that he didn¡¯t really understand the ways of the society men and women. Rita chuckled, covering it with a cough before she got caught.


    ¡°Alright, I agree. We¡¯ll have Gabriel arrested. But first, I want to urge you all to report any suspicious activities going on in the organization. Please, it¡¯s pivotal we work together for the sess of this organization¡±, he said.


    ¡°Just to add to what my father said, as from now on, we¡¯ll be looking at each financial report that goes in and out of thispany. Please, inform all staff members under you. This is just to curb the rate of extortion that has suddenly increased¡±.


    Few minutester, when everything was agreed on, her father dismissed the meeting. Rita breathed a huge sigh of relief, happy that one part of her problems had gone.


    She escorted her father out of the building, promising to see him at the close of the day. She went back to her office right into Rodrigo¡¯s waiting arms.


    He gave her a long kiss, feeling proud of his girl.


    ¡°I told you, you did great¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°All thanks to you for your encouragement¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°What time would you be done today, I need to take my mother somewhere quickly¡±, he said, twisting a lock of her hair.


    ¡°By seven p. m, I¡¯ll be done¡±.


    ¡°Okay sugar girl, I¡¯ll be back¡±, he said, kissing her before walking away.


    Rita smiled, happy that the meeting went well. Now, she could fully concentrate on Edmundo and his family¡¯s insistence on her marriage to him.

 Chapter 27

    Few weeks passed but they still didn¡¯t find out who was behind the shooting. Gabriel, Head of finance got sacked and was handed over to the police immediately. Asides this, all the money he had stolen were returned back to the country. As Rita thought about it, she knew that Gabriel would be behind bars for many years because the gravity of the offence hemitted was great.


    The only reason she was sympathetic about his case was because of his wife and his two year old daughter. Apparently, his wife didn¡¯t know about her husband¡¯s fraudulent activities.


    ¡°Senator Brabra is hosting a dinner for some of his close friends tomorrow evening. As usual, we¡¯ve been invited. I see it as a way to tighten your bond with his son, Edmundo since you both would be getting married soon¡±, Lawrence said.


    They were in the dining room one evening when he announced this. Rita thought they had forgotten all about her supposed marriage with Edmundo but as it stands, they haven¡¯t. In fact, they were very much in line with it.


    She sighed, putting her fork down. She didn¡¯t know what to do. She had begged and pleaded with her parents over this issue but they still paid dead ears to her pleas.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going¡±, she said.


    Her father remained quiet, a trait she knew about him. Usually, when he was this quiet, she knew he was thinking and it usually wasn¡¯t a good thought.


    ¡°You will go and that¡¯s final. I can¡¯t have you disgracing me just because of your stubbornness to see what¡¯s right. We¡¯ve been over this issue so many times and I really don¡¯t know why you¡¯re adamant to see reasons with us¡±, he said.


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s simple. I don¡¯t love Edmundo, it¡¯s final¡±.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you give him a chance. You keep saying you don¡¯t love him which is understandable but have you ever stopped to think if you give a chance for love, you might actually consider marrying him¡±, May said.


    ¡°Mother I don¡¯t want to be rude but what do you know about love. I¡¯m very sure you didn¡¯t love my father when you got married to him so why are you forcing it on me¡±, Rita seethed.


    ¡°How dare you, how dare youpare your rtionship with Edmundo with mine. Your father has given his final words, you¡¯re getting married to Edmundo and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it¡±, May seethed.


    ¡°Yes, you are. Do you even know the importance and the benefits we would derive from you getting married to him?. I see you¡¯re ungrateful for all the things we¡¯ve done for you and the only way you can pay us back is by getting married to him. It¡¯s final, in fact it¡¯s a done deal¡±, Lawrence said.


    He resumed eating, paying no attention to the rage that was evident in his daughter face. Rita sighed, knowing that this was a lost conversation. There was no way her parents would agree to all her pleadings. She resigned herself to faith, hoping that a miracle somehow, somewhere would ur.


    *********************


    ¡°Girl, it¡¯s been ages since I saw you. We should really have a hangout, just me and you¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita was on the phone with her some dayster. She couldn¡¯t help but smile at her friend¡¯s infectiousughter. True, Rita hadn¡¯t seen her for months and she desperately needed a girls night out.


    ¡°Okay, what do you say we hit the club tomorrow night¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°You bet it. I¡¯ll tell Marco where I¡¯m going though or he¡¯ll have his body guards trailing me in no time¡±, Theresaughed.


    Marco was Theresa¡¯s husband and resident bad boy. He was one of the thoughest men in the whole of Spain, dealing with shipping of goods and general merchandise. Even though he was tough to others outside, he was the sweetest thing to his family. No one jokes around his family and they¡¯ve learnt to steer clear from them.


    ¡°Okay, how is your body guard husband?¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. Dealing with business as usual. Sometimes, that man over works himself and even when I tell him to calm down, he wouldn¡¯t listen¡±, Theresa sighed.


    ¡°I guess he¡¯s just working hard to take care of his family. You can¡¯t really me him you know¡±.


    ¡°He¡¯s given us more than enough care. We can boast of many properties scattered around Spain and he¡¯s even hoping to invest in other countries¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita could hear her child whining in the background, demanding for something. She smiled,  feeling a pang of motherly affection for the child.


    ¡°If you ask me, I don¡¯t see anything wrong with that. At least, he¡¯s better than the man whore I have for a fiance¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°Oh darling, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure something would happen soon that would change your parents mind against it¡±.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I hope so. All the more reason why we need this outing tomorrow, I need to talk to you¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry my dear, I¡¯ll be there tomorrow. What time though so I¡¯ll inform Marco. He¡¯ll probably baby sit tomorrow since he owes me a favour or two¡±Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°Okay, say by nine p. m. We¡¯ll go to one of the clubs in town, I don¡¯t want to go to my father¡¯s since most of his workers would recognize me easily. No doubt, they¡¯ll rat me out faster than I can say my name¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Perks of being a billionaire daughter¡±Theresaughed.


    The baby was finally quiet and Rita was quite sure that Theresa had put him to sleep.


    ¡°You are too but your parents doesn¡¯t stalk you like mine does¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re different. You¡¯re a sweet, loving and polite daughter and me, you know I¡¯ve always been rebellious. Imagine the joy when I finally introduced Marco to then as my husband¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Oh gosh, I remember our days in highschool. You and your wild parties and me, just in a corner reading my books¡±, Ritaughed.


    A sense of nostalgia hit her as her mind shed back to the memories of the past. She was always so quiet and obedient while Theresa was the rebellious one.


    ¡°Which made youe out tops during our graduation ceremony. You were always the brainy one and sometimes, I envied you for that¡±.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s just the way I am¡±, she said.


    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re special. So girl, don¡¯t mind what people say and love yourself for who you are¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I will, thank you love¡±.


    ¡°Anytime. I¡¯lle pick you up by nine, wear something sexy cause we¡¯re going to have loads of fun¡±, she whooped.


    ¡°I will but you, not so much or else Marco would pull the whole club down¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°To be honest, I think he will. Okay, I¡¯ll just wear something less sexy¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow love¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Ciao¡±, Theresaughed before cutting the call.


    Rita rxed, feeling happy she had talked to someone asides her parents. She looked forward to attending the party and nothing would stop her from doing so.

 Chapter 28

    The following day, being thest day of the working week, Rita walked into the office building. She had a renewed strength, vowing that nothing would spoil her day. She wanted to finish up with her workload so she could leave early and prepare for Theresa¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°I¡­ Don¡¯t worry about picking me up this evening, I¡¯m going somewhere from here¡±, she said.


    She was in her office with Rodrigo. The chaffeur had a confused expression on his face as he tried to determine what she was saying.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Rita, I could drive you wherever you want¡±, he said.


    He moved closer to her, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. Rita didn¡¯t want him knowing where she was going. She wanted an alone time with her friend, away from her parents and even Rodrigo. Not that she had stopped loving him, far from it. She just wanted to be alone for some time.


    ¡°I promise, don¡¯t worry about it. If there¡¯s anything amiss, I¡¯ll give you a call¡±, she said, kissing him full on the lips.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to, I¡¯ll find you. I¡¯ll always find you¡±, he smiled.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    His smile nearly broke her resolve and she almost broke her resolve. She kept her mouth shut, settling for a nod instead.


    He left soon and Rita felt downcast. She hated keeping things away from him but this time around, she just had to. She wanted to be alone for one night to clear her head.


    Later on, at the close of work, Rita drove home herself. When she got home, she took a long shower, washing her hair in the process. When she was done with this, she selected a dress from her over filled wardrobe. It was a skimpy ck dress that hugged all her curves. She packed her hair in an updo fashion, loving the way it curled naturally.


    When she stared at herself in the mirror, she smiled at her appearance. She was going to have so much fun and nothing would ruin it.


    Just then, her phone rang. She expected it to be Theresa but the caller ID showed that it was Rodrigo calling. She wasn¡¯t expecting his call, wondering if something was wrong. Suddenly, a thought ured in her mind. What if it was his mother? Could she have died? Rita shuddered, thinking the worse as she picked the call. No doubt, if it was this, she would ditch this outing and rush to wherever he was.


    ¡°Sugar girl¡±, he smiled.


    Rita sagged in relief. Everything was alright, the relief she felt within her was palpable as she smiled into the phone.


    ¡°Hey love¡±, she smiled.


    She put the call on speaker, cing it on her bed as she wore her strappy heels. When she was done, she made her way to the wardrobe, identally knocking over her bedsidemp.


    ¡°What was that? Are you outside?¡±, he said.


    She had forgotten how smart he was. He was trained to pick up any sound, even the slightest one.


    ¡°I¡­ No, I¡¯m not outside¡±, she said, biting her lips.


    ¡°Sugar girl, are you lieing to me?¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not. I identally knocked over my bedsidemp¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay. How are you?¡±.


    Rita knew that he wasn¡¯t convinced but she left it at that. She didn¡¯t want to tell him what she¡¯s up to. No doubt, he¡¯ll stop her from going which she didn¡¯t want.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just had dinner¡±, she lied smoothly.


    The more she talked to him, the more she found herself lieing. She hated it but she couldn¡¯t seem to control it. She was getting deeper and deeper into the lies and the earlier she ends this call, the better for her.


    ¡°Me too. Mom¡¯s asleep and so, I decided to call you before I sleep¡±, he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet. Thank you. Why don¡¯t you go to sleep, you¡¯ve been overworking yourselftely even when I tell you ti calm down¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s what love does to you. I¡¯m in love with you Rita and I would make sure you you¡¯re protected as best as I can¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°And I love you too darling. Now, go to sleep, I¡¯m fine¡±, she said.


    ¡°See you tomorrow sugar girl¡±, he said before cutting the call.


    Rita sighed, dropping her phone. She hated the way she felt but she couldn¡¯t help it. She promised to make it up to him as soon as she could.


    Few minutester, she walked out of her house. Theresa was already waiting, parked in her Lamborghini. Rita smiled, her friend never failed to show off her car collection and the Lambo was just one of many.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Rita, you look absolutely beautiful¡±, Theresa gushed.


    ¡°As do you my dear¡±, Ritaughed.


    Theresa was dressed in a royal blue halter neck gown over a silver strappy heel which was quite simr to Rita¡¯s. Her long brown hair was packed in a loose ponytail which further entuated her beautiful face.


    ¡°Marco almost prevented me from going. I had to promise him something which for your innocent ears, I will not be saying¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°I prefer not to hear it, that¡¯s between you and your husband¡±, Ritaughed.


    She held her side as tears of joy streamed down her eyes. Anytime she was with Theresa, she always found herselfughing from all her jokes.


    ¡°How is Rodrigo¡±, she asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. Can you believe he called me just before I came to meet you. I swear, he could tell that I was up to something. I had to distract him so he wouldn¡¯t pick up on anything I was doing¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s your body guard. He¡¯s trained to know what¡¯s going on and I can bet that during your rtionship with him, you better not lie because he¡¯ll find out sooner orter¡±, she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re right girlfriend. Sometimes, I wonder if he¡¯s psychic. He seems to know what I¡¯m always thinking about¡±.


    ¡°Same with Marco. I guess it¡¯s a rtionship feeling, Marco always seems to know when I¡¯m off¡±, Theresa said.


    She drove down to the entrance of the club and Rita could see that a lot of party goers where already there.


    ¡°Is he babysitting?¡±.


    ¡°You bet he is. He gave me till twelve toe back home, I couldn¡¯t argue that one with him. He¡¯s as stubborn as a rock¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°All the more reason why he loves you¡±.


    ¡°True though. Away from our families girl, let¡¯s party¡±, Theresa whooped.


    She parked the Lamborghini at the designated parking spot, enabling a security system that would alert her if the vehicle was trying to get stolen.


    As they walked into the club, Rita could feel so many eyes on her. For a moment, she regretteding her but she waved that feeling off as the loud beat of the music filled her ears


    Rita danced, loosing herself in the moment. She was free just for this night and she wanted to make good use of it. Unbeknownst to her, chaos was waiting to strike.

 Chapter 29

    Rita was enjoying herself immensely as she danced to the tune of the music ying from the speakers. She fended off a lot of men who wanted to take advantage of her, politely telling them that she wasn¡¯t going to dance with them. Oddly, most of the men left Theresa alone and she had a feeling that they knew who she was.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go sit down for a bit, my legs are killing me¡±, Theresa huffed.


    Ritaughed as they made their way to a private booth. They ordered several shots of drink as Rita dowbed them all in quick session.


    ¡°Easy girl¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°I just want to be free for the night. Can you me me¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°No. Did you see the faces of the men you fended off. I bet they¡¯ve never been turned down like that before¡±, Theresaughed.


    ¡°Honestly. I didn¡¯te here to getid, I came here because I wanted to forget everything that¡¯s been going on in my life at least just for this night¡±, she said.


    ¡°We should do this once in a while. It takes the stress off from us sometimes. So, tell me about Edmundo. What¡¯s he been up to¡±, Theresa said, sipping her drink.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know and honestly, I don¡¯t care. He never asks about me except when it¡¯s time for me to apany him to an event as his throphy fiancee. I¡¯m honestly sick and tired of it¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°In due time babe, you¡¯ll get over it. You know, I just have this strong feeling that you wouldn¡¯t get married to him¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Me too but I don¡¯t know how long I can wait before that miraclees¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Patience my dear, patience. Now, take a look at me. It wasn¡¯t easy before Marco and I got married. There were so many trials and temptations that at a point, I wanted to ditch the whole idea¡±.


    ¡°I know and everytime I remember that incident, I regret not being there for you when you really needed me the most¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t best yourself over it. You were in Africa with your father concerning those donations you made. I really can¡¯t tell you how proud I am over what you did. You sessfully put school children who were out of school before in school. Imagine the joy on their faces¡±, Theresa smiled.


    ¡°You can¡¯t imagine. I¡¯m d I did that when i had the chance to. Imagine if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯ll be ridled with guilt¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Take me with you when next you¡¯re going. I¡¯ll love to do something like that too¡±.


    ¡°Sure¡±, Rita smiled.


    Just then, she watched as a young couple walked into the club, hand in hand. Upon closer look, Rita had a feeling that she had seen the woman before but she couldn¡¯t quite ce where she knew her from. She forgot all about it when Theresa stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, I need to use the restroom¡±, she said.


    Rita nodded as she took a sip from her drink. She looked around, smiling politely at the people who waved even though she didn¡¯t know any of them.


    Just then, the loud sound of bullets shattered the ss that stood behind her. Rita screamed, falling to the ground. She shielded her head with her hands for fear of the bullet hitting her. There was stampede everywhere as people rushed towards the door, trying to get away from wherever the bullets wereing from.


    Rita had a sick feeling in her stomach as she thought about Theresa. Theresa was out there probably wounded or worse dead. Rita had to find her at all cost, she didn¡¯t want to think about the condition her friend might be in.


    Slowly, she crawled towards a back entrance. The bullets still reigned down and for the life of her, she didn¡¯t know where they wereing from. When she got outside, she was horrified to see so many dead bodies on the ground. She searched around for Theresa but there was no sign of her. As she staggered forward, the bullets swished around her but somehow, she wasn¡¯t hit.


    Her ck dress was torn as a result of her crawling around. Her face was tear streaked as she searched frantically for her friend. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain at her lower back and she went down with a cry. The world was spinning around her as she tried to determine whether she was really hit or it was only her imagination.


    ¡°Sugar girl¡± was thest thing she heard before the world went ck.


    **********************


    Rita groaned, slowly awaking from the sound of several voices. She kept her eyes shut as she tried to make out what the voices were saying.


    ¡°How did you find her?¡±, Lawrence said.


    ¡°At an alley close to the club¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°You¡¯re ipetent, you should have followed her when she was going¡±, Edmundo shouted.


    ¡°With all due respect sir, I¡¯m not. Miss Anderson never told me where she was going and so, I had no idea¡±, Rodrigo said.


    He said it as calmly as possible and Rita knew even in her subconsciousness that he was just trying to be polite. If he had his way, he would punch the living daylight out of Edmundo.


    ¡°She was looking for me, I just know it¡±, a voice sobbed.


    That voice alone had her opening her eyes instantly which she regretted as the bright lights shined down on her. It was Theresa, her friend was safe and what¡¯s more, she was here.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake¡±, May cried.


    She rushed towards where her daughterid, sobbing into her hands. Rita ignored this as her eyes found Theresa¡¯s. She sagged in relief when she found out she was okay and to her surprise, she didn¡¯t find any injuries on her. Her eyes found Rodrigo¡¯s and the look of pain in them had her feeling stupid for what she did.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine that she risked her life knowing fully well that there was someone out there who cherished her so much. Asides from the look of pain in his eyes, she also saw anger there. She couldn¡¯t me him as he had every right to be angry for the stupid risk she took.


    ¡°Hi¡±, she croaked.


    ¡°I¡¯m really d you¡¯re okay¡± Theresa sobbed, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.


    Rita smiled, her eyes still on Rodrigo. She didn¡¯t even pay attention to Edmundo who was watching the scene quietly.


    ¡°What you did was a stupid act. You never informed any of us where you were going even your personal guard who should know your every movement. Rita, I¡¯m highly disappointed. I didn¡¯t expect this from you¡±, Lawrence said.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t me her. It wasn¡¯t her fault, I dragged her with me. Please, don¡¯t put the me on her¡±, she sobbed.


    Rita couldn¡¯t believe she was taking the me for herself knowing fully well that she was behind everything. She smiled as the first drop of tearsnded on her cheeks.


    ¡°Theresa, I think you should go home. You¡¯ve done enough¡±, Lawrence said.


    Rita was horrified by her father¡¯s words as she stared at him, not quite believing he could speak to her friend in such manner.


    Theresa nodded, giving Rita¡¯s hands a gentle squeeze before she left. At that moment, Rita knew that a dent had justnded in her rtionship with her. She med herself for dragging Theresa into this mess knowing fully well that she was a married woman.


    ¡°And you, you¡¯ll remain in Edmundo¡¯s house until I know i can trust you to take the right decisions. Even though you¡¯re an adult, you¡¯re still my child. As soon as you¡¯re well enough, you¡¯ll move into his house. It would also serve as an opportunity to cement your rtionship with him¡±, her father said.


    Rita was horrified as she listened to everything he said. She couldn¡¯t believe that they could sell her out to him knowing fully well that she wasn¡¯t in good terms with him.


    ¡°What about my work?¡±, she said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem about that. You¡¯ll go from Edmundo¡¯s home, everything has been arranged. We need someone who can keep an eye on you¡±, May said.


    Rita was to weak to argue as she listened to her parents make decisions for her. She stared at Edmundo, hating him with every minute that passed. She knew he was behind all of this, knew that this was all his idea. She stopped to wonder what kind of game he intended to y and who would be the loser. Even before the game ended, she knew that it was her.


    Senator Brabra and his family had a lot of influence in her family and this was something she hated.


    ¡°What about Rodrigo? He¡¯s still allowed to do his duties?¡±, she croaked.


    She was on the verge of tears as she desperately fought to keep the tears at bay. She didn¡¯t know how her life spiraled for the worse in such a few hours.


    Rita stared at him, willing him to say anything. She wanted him to speak up, fight for himself and the love they shared. Rodrigo remained quiet, his eyes on the ground as he waited for them to decide his fate.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s been suspended for a while pending the time your parents allow you to get back home¡±, Edmundo smiled sadistically.


    Rita looked towards her parents, willing them to counter Edmundo¡¯s words but they remained quiet, staring into space.


    ¡°I will take my leave now. Thank you for the opportunity, I shall await your call¡±, Rodrigo said.


    He moved towards her, touching her ever so slightly unknown to the the others. Rita stared into his eyes, willing him to speak up, fight.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always find you sugar girl¡±, he whispered before taking his leave.


    Rita watched him leave and she had a feeling that he was gone for good. As she thought about it, she knew why he didn¡¯t even try to fight. He was tired, tired of the way she acted stupid at times. She couldn¡¯t me him though, any man would feel that way.


    She sobbed silently, thinking about all the moments they¡¯ve spent together. She was d that she had already included his mother in the health care system at least, she¡¯ll have the best care there is.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be going to Edmundo¡¯s house tomorrow¡±, Lawrence said.


    Soon, he left with his wife. She was left alone with Edmundo who chuckled lightly.


    ¡°I told you sweet, you¡¯ll be back to me and now, it¡¯s happening¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Get out¡±, she ordered.


    ¡°I will but only because you¡¯ll be with me tomorrow¡±, he said.


    ¡°I hate you¡±, Rita said.


    She mustered all the hate she could into those words. She took satisfaction in seeing the slight change in his eyes over those words.


    ¡°I love you too. Bye darling¡±, heughed as he made his way out of the room.


    Rita burst into tears as soon as he left. All the pent-up emotions and sadness she felt ever since the whole incident urred rose to the surface. She cried her eyes out at the love she lost, at the friendship she had built with Theresa over the years.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    She was downcast, her mind not feeling any other thing apart from the pain that seemed to choke and wrap itself at her very existence. Rita desperately wished she could abscond somewhere, away from everything that was happening around her but she knew that was impossible as her father and Edmundo would find her.


    She looked around her room, staring at nothing. The memories of the previous night filled her mind and by now, she could tell that she wasn¡¯t it. If she was, she¡¯d be at the hospital and not in her room.


    Rita got up gingerly, stretching her legs to get some feelings into them. Above everything, she was grateful that she wasn¡¯t shot. She couldn¡¯t believe what her life would be like confined to a wheelchair together with what was going on around her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get through this somehow, I won¡¯t let them win¡±, she muttered.


    Rita got up fully, making her way towards her window. She stared outside, looking at the birds as they went about their activities. For a moment, she wished she could be free just like them without any fear in her.


    They had sessfully made her stay with someone she hated but she won¡¯t let them kill the love she had for Rodrigo. That would be thest thing she¡¯ll allow them to do. It was her against them and she¡¯ll make sure she emerges the victor.

 Chapter 30

    The following day, Rita moved into Edmundo¡¯s house. Her parents promised her that it was for the time being but she knew that they just said this to soften the hurt she felt within her.


    Rita made her way outside where Edmundo¡¯s car was parked, already waiting for her. She climbed in, schooling her face. She knew her mother was trying to get her attention but she refused to give her audience.


    ¡°Smile Rita, you¡¯re not going to the prison yard¡±, Edmundo chuckled.


    Between the prison and Edmundo¡¯s house, she preferred the prison. At least there, she would be somewhat free from him but in his house, not so much.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help butpare the prison to your house. I can¡¯t believe you really convinced my parents to do this. This is the height of it Edmundo and i won¡¯t forget this. Sooner orter, you¡¯ll pay for how you treat me¡±, Rita said.


    She fought to keep her tears in. She didn¡¯t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. No doubt, he¡¯ll gloat at the way she appeared weak and defenseless to stop him.


    ¡°Rita, you fail to understand that I won¡¯t regret anything. I¡¯m your fiance and I have every right to take you to my home¡±, he said.


    ¡°By going this way? Tell me Edmundo, is this the right way to go about this?¡±, Rita said.


    For the first time since knowing him, he actually looked guilty about what he did but it was gone before she could think about it.


    ¡°You tell me Rita. If I had asked you to stay with me voluntarily, would you have agreed? In the world we live today sweetheart, we y games to get what we want¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Your game is stupid and senseless Edmundo. Your game doesn¡¯t care if other people¡¯s feelings are hurt along the line. Sometimes, I wonder if you have an atom of human decency in you. You behave the way you like without caring if those around you will be affected or not¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Rita, I would take anything else from you but do not insult me. I¡¯m your finance and whether you like it or not, we would get married very soon¡±, he said.


    ¡°Fat chance Edmundo. You hear me, fat chance¡±, she shouted.


    ¡°You keep denying what is already certain. Why are you so damn stubborn?¡±, he smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯m stubborn because I know what¡¯s right. Don¡¯t take me for a fool Edmundo, I know all the sick games you y and I can¡¯t wait to let the whole world know what a fraud you are¡±, she said.


    ¡°You really have no idea on what you¡¯re saying. I¡¯ll advice you to stay silent before yound yourself into trouble¡±, he smiled slyly.


    ¡°How can I be quiet when I know what you¡¯re up to. Edmumdo, I promise you, you won¡¯t get away with whatever you¡¯re doing¡±, Rita seethed.


    Edmumdo remained quiet, chuckling lightly as they got to his house. Rita had been here a few times and everytime she saw the house, she couldn¡¯t help but be I awe of the house. Sentor Brabra and his family left no stone unturned when ites to getting the best things money could buy.


    He drove the car all the way to the front entrance, putting it to a stop in front of the wide double doors. A chaffeur came around to open the door, helping her out. When she saw the chaffeur, she couldn¡¯t help but think about Rodrigo. She promise to call him as soon as she was settled.


    ¡°Louis, thank you. This is Rita Anderson, my fiancee. She¡¯ll be staying with us as from henceforth¡±, Edmundo said, throwing the keys to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee ma¡¯am, pleasee with me¡±, he said.


    Rita nodded. There wasn¡¯t much she could do here since it wasn¡¯t her turf. She followed Louis into the house, past winding stairways, past a huge hall that she suspected was reserved for weing important guests and finally, they got to a room with huge double doors.


    Louis opened the room, ushering her in. She couldn¡¯t help but fall in love with the room. The Queen size bed sat at the middle of the room with a pink satin canopy hanging from it. The murals of the room weredy like, a soft pink design that seemed to cool the nerves of anyone who stepped inside.


    The room had a balcony, a set time of doors that led towards it and beyond was a great blue sea. Rita had forgotten that the Brabra¡¯s lived very close to the sea and seeing it now was a reminder that this was one of the most expensive house in the whole country.


    ¡°I shall leave you now ma¡¯am, everything you need is within the wardrobe. Dinner would be ready in an hour¡¯s time. Please make yourselffortable¡±, Louis said before taking his leave.


    Rita snorted. There was no way in hell she could make herselffortable with the rage of emotions going through her. Her friendship with Theresa seemed like it was over, her rtionship with Rodrigo felt like it was on the brink of extinction and what¡¯s more, she had to live with the man and his family she hated.


    Rita walked towards the balcony doors, opening it to usher in the cool breeze that seemed to rush in at once. She rested on the rsikinfsy, staring at the far away sea. Her mind was in disarray over what to do. It seemed as if within the past few hours, her whole life had turned for the worse. She sighed, wondering how to pick the pieces of her life back.


    The room door opened, Rita whipped around to see who hade in and she discovered that it was Edmundo¡¯s mother, Magdalene. Rita sighed, nor quite ready to deal with the old woman.


    ¡°You should learn how to knock beforeing in¡± Rita said.


    ¡°Why should I do that in my own house?¡±, she smirked.


    ¡°Even though it¡¯s your house, that doesn¡¯t mean you should barge into the room. At least, you know I¡¯m here?¡±, Rita seethed.


    She couldn¡¯t understand the woman. She was being unreasonable and Rita had no patience to deal with her crap this morning.


    ¡°Anyway, I came to wee you. I¡¯m sure you know the reason why you¡¯re here. If not for your lousy and disgusting behavior, you should have married my son since. But not to worry, now that you¡¯re here I¡¯ll teach you all you need to know about manners¡±, Magdalene smiled, sadistically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to teach me anything. I¡¯m twenty six, a full blown adult and it¡¯s best if you stay on your own and avoid me as much as possible. Magdalene, let¡¯s get this straight. I do not like you and I¡¯m sure i never will. I¡¯m only here because my parents forced me to, I¡¯ll appreciate it if you and your son would stay out of my way. Do this and there would be no trouble between us¡±, Rita said.


    She walked towards the older woman and she took satisfaction in the dear that clouded her eyes. Magdalene took a step back, fearing that Rita would hit her. Rita wouldn¡¯t do that though because she was decent and respectful but the Brabra family were slowly testing her patience.


    ¡°I.. you can¡¯t threaten me in my own house¡±, Magdalene croaked.


    Rita knew she was trying to put on a brave front but she was failing woefully. She watched the way her hands shook as she tried to control the emotions waging within her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a threat Mrs Brabra, it¡¯s a fact. Please, I¡¯ll appreciate it if you leave the room. I want to take my bath, Louis informed me that dinner would be ready soon and I want to eat and get all the sleep I need before going to work tomorrow. So please, out with you¡±, Rita smiled, sweetly.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re smart isn¡¯t it? You think you run this show, I¡¯ll show you that you¡¯re still s child and know nothing¡±, Magdalene seethed.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°First off Mrs Brabra, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m smart, I know I¡¯m smart. I mean, it¡¯s not easy being the President of a huge empire like the Andersons. Secondly, nobody runs this show. The show or whatever you think it is is run by the fates and I¡¯m pretty sure that soon all your little secrets would be revealed, trust me on that¡±, Rita said.


    Magdalene gave her a disgusted look before leaving the room, mming the door as she left. Rita chuckled, closing the balcony doors as the air became chilled. She made her way into the bathroom, shedding her clothes as she sunk into the bathtub.


    She sighed as the warm water cascaded all over her body. She made a promise within herself to call Rodrigo as soon as she was done. She wanted to know how he was feeling concerning everything that had happened. Not knowing what he was thinking made her heart ache. She could only hope she hadn¡¯t lost him even when they¡¯ve barely begun.

 Chapter 31

    It¡¯s been a few days since Rita had begun living with the Brabra¡¯s. A few days of grief, a few days of pain and sadness. To make matters worse for her, she couldn¡¯t get ahold of Rodrigo. His line wasn¡¯t going through and even when she asked around in the office, nobody seemed to have seen him. Rita was confused on what to do. It wasn¡¯t like Rodrigo not to take his calls especially if he knew she was the one calling.


    Rita tried all she could to get him but each time she tried, she was met with no response. She was currently in her office, going over some files when Yasmin announced that ady was here to see her. Rita wasn¡¯t expecting any visitors and so, she was quite surprised by this. Recently, she had been wary of visitors for fear of them attacking her since she seemed to be their best bet.


    ¡°How does she look and please, whisper¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Not quite old, she has some greying hair at the side¡±, Yasmin whispered.


    Rita didn¡¯t know her and she was just about to instruct Yasmin to send her back when something stopped her. It wasn¡¯t in her to refuse requests to see people. If this woman coulde all the way to the Anderson tower to see her then it must be something important.


    ¡°Please send her in¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Are you sure ma¡¯am, I could just tell her you¡¯re busy¡±, Yasmin said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I got this¡±.


    ¡°Okay, she¡¯ll be with you soon¡±.


    ¡°Thank you¡±.


    Rita prepared herself for the woman¡¯s visit. She didn¡¯t know what to expect and simply hoped that she wasn¡¯t a killer or worse one of those people that stopped in offices to beg for alms.


    There was a light knock on the door and Rita instructed the woman toe in. When Rita saw the woman, her heart was at rest because for one, she didn¡¯t look like an assassin and secondly, she didn¡¯t appear poor. As a matter of fact, Rita quickly valued the woman¡¯s gown to be one of those middle ss dresses.


    ¡°Good day ma¡¯am¡±, Rita said, rising to her feet.


    The woman walked closer with a small limp. Upon closer look, Rita discovered that the woman was a beauty. Her once blonde hair which was now white shone under the powerful chandelier, she had a porcin face, one that Rita knew might have graced the cover of a magazine. And when the woman smiled as she shook Rita¡¯s hands, she saw a dimple.


    ¡°Good day Miss Anderson¡±, the woman said with a slight ent.


    ¡°Please sit down. I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t. I¡¯m Camille, Rodrigo¡¯s mother¡±.


    Rita stilled, staring at the woman. Now, everything made sense. She knew how Rodrigo got his handsomeness. If this woman was a male, she¡¯ll be the envy of every woman in this city. The fine shoes and dresses made sense a lot since Rodrigo was in the habit of taking care of his mother through all the money he made working as her chaffeur and personal guard.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be surprised. My name is Camille Campbell, mother of Rodrigo Campbell. I¡¯m sorry for barging into your office this way¡±, she said, quietly.


    ¡°No.. no, I mean it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t recognize you earlier. This is such a pleasant surprise¡±, Rita said.


    She was beyond surprised. Here she was, sitting with the woman who bathed Rodrigo, took care of him during infancy and even up till now. She was beyond honored sitting with the woman who birthed the man she loved.


    ¡°How are you doing Miss?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Just okay, please call me Rita. Rita is fine please¡±, she said.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t know how this sounds but I came in respect of my boy¡­ Rodrigo. I can¡¯t seem to know where he is. His lines aren¡¯t going through and even when I asked some of his friends, they don¡¯t seem to know where he is. This got me worried and I decided toe see you¡±, Camille said, sadly.


    This broke Rita¡¯s heart. With the way her health was shaky, she shouldn¡¯t be made to pass through all this. She didn¡¯t know how to inform her that she hadn¡¯t spoken to her son for over a week now. This was getting worse by the day and Rita needed to find him quick. The problem was she didn¡¯t know where to start from. He might not even be in the country for all she knew which made it worse.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll just say this as in as possible. I don¡¯t know where your son is. I¡¯ve been trying to get ahold of him for over a week now but I can¡¯t. To be honest, I really don¡¯t know what to do¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°My son would never behave this way. Something must be wrong somewhere, please whenst did you see him¡±.


    ¡°About two weeks ago when he came over to my house after my¡­ ident¡±, she said.


    ¡°Dio Mio! That¡¯s too long, what is happening¡±, Camille croaked.


    Rita could see that the woman was moved to tears. She quickly walked over to her side, handing her a tissue. Sheforted her as best as she could, vowing to find Rodrigo at all cost. She couldn¡¯t stand to watch the woman in pain knowing what she was going through.


    ¡°Please, stop crying. Rodrigo wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this, we need to put heads together to find your son¡±.


    ¡°First it was Sophia, now it¡¯s my son, Rodrigo. Oh Lord, would I be a childless widow before I die¡± she sobbed.


    Rita fought to keep the tears at bay. She couldn¡¯t cry knowing fully well that it wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Her best bet was to find ways she could find Rodrigo and she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use every avable resources within her hands.


    Camille stopped crying soon, dabbing her eyes with the tissue Rita handed her. When she certified that she wouldn¡¯t cry again, Rita went back to her seat.


    ¡°He always talked about you. Everyday, he talks about how pretty and caring you are¡±, Camille smiled.


    Rita blushed at this. She didn¡¯t know that Rodrigo talked fondly about her to his mother, she was secretly d that their rtionship didn¡¯t just end within the four walls of the office.


    ¡°I know that the two of you are in love. Don¡¯t worry, your secret is safe with me¡±, she smiled.


    Rita was beyond relieved after hearing this. She had been thinking of ways she could break this to the woman and here she was telling her not to worry about it.


    ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am, that means a lot¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Please, call me Camille¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay. Camille, we need to find ways we can employ to find Rodrigo. Just like you said, I don¡¯t think Rodrigo would willingly leave us nk knowing what he means to us¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Thest time I saw him which was the day you said, he appeared normal. Thest time I saw him was when he said he¡¯ll be going to the mini Mart to get some groceries. When he didn¡¯t return, I panicked but I decided to remain quiet being that he¡¯s a man and maybe needed some time to think but it¡¯s over a week now and still no sign of him¡±, Camille said.


    ¡°I think the first ce we should start looking is from the Mart. It¡¯s a good thing tomorrow is a Saturday. Would you be strong enough to apany me?¡±, Rita asked.


    Already, a n was already taking shape in her head and if all goes well, Rodrigo would be back in no time.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for my son¡±, she said.


    There was a grim determination in her eyes and Rita heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that she wouldn¡¯t have any problems with the woman.


    ¡°Okay but if you don¡¯t feel up to it, you can always stay back. I love your son too much to risk your life¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I know that you love him and I can¡¯t wait for everything to work out well¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Thank you. You don¡¯t know what this means to me, I¡¯ll find your son even if it¡¯s thest thing I do¡±, Rita vowed.


    ¡°Thank you. You know, when his sister died, Rodrigo was a shadow of himself. I watched him go on for days without food and the only time he ate was when I threatened to disown him¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°He told me all about it. I¡¯m sorry for your loss¡±.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Sometimes, I hardly remember it. I¡¯vee to learn one thing about him, when he loves, he loves wholeheartedly¡±, she said.


    ¡°He talked about it and you and I can say that Rodrigo has a heart of gold. Please, if I¡¯m not prying, what happened to his father¡±, Rita said.


    Camille remained quiet for a long time. Rita could see the wheels in her head spinning as she tried to form a sentence.


    ¡°Rodrigo¡¯s father didn¡¯t die as you¡¯ve been made to know¡±


    Rita sat up upon hearing this news. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing, all her days with Rodrigo, she¡¯s been made to believe that his father died. Hearing this from her had her feeling confused.


    ¡°You mean, his father is alive!¡±, Rita stuttered.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Somewhere¡±, she said vaguely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡±, Rita said with a confused expression on her face.


    ¡°In due time, everything would be revealed. Please, don¡¯t inform Rodrigo about this. I never told him that his father isn¡¯t dead. If I did, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll go looking for him. He¡¯s always been so inquisitive. Let this just be between us please¡±, she said, dabbing a rouge tear from her eyes.


    ¡°Your secret is safe with me Camille. Even though I don¡¯t know the reason behind keeping it from him, I trust you¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Thank you. I knew I could count on you. What time do we go to the Mart tomorrow?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Okay, just write down your address. I¡¯lle pick you up¡±, Rita said.


    Camille nodded, scribbling her address on a piece of paper Rita handed her. She rose to ger feet, ready to leave. Rita felt sad at this. She hade to love and respect the woman and she renewed hermitment in finding her son.


    ¡°I forgot to thank you for saving my life by including me into your health care system. Through this, I¡¯ve been able to get on my feet¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve thanked me enough Camille, please it¡¯s okay¡±, Rita said.


    She escorted her towards the door, promising and reassuring her that Rodrigo would be found. She was a bit happy knowing that she had found a friend in her.


    ¡°Would ten a. m be okay tomorrow?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be ready. Thank you Rita, see you tomorrow¡±, she said before leaving the office.


    Rita sighed as she went back to her seat. She had a lot of work to do as regards finding Rodrigo and if she was to seed, she needed to begin early. Dy was dangerous especially since she didn¡¯t know where he could be.


    Rita picked up her phone, deciding to call someone whom she knew could give her answers regarding Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance. He was her secret agent, one person she knew could give an answer to her never ending questions.


    ¡°Francis, I need your help¡±, Rita said as soon as he picked the call.


    ¡°What can I do for the beauty queen¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Cut it out, I¡¯m not in the mood for that. I need you to find someone for me¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay, send me the details¡±, he said.


    ¡°I will text it to you as soon as I get off the phone. Please, I need you to find this person fast. He¡¯s someone dear to my heart¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fail you ma¡¯am, give me a week and I¡¯ll find the answers you need¡±, he said.


    ¡°Good, I knew I could count on you. The ball is in your court, don¡¯t fail me¡±, Rita said before cutting the call.

 Chapter 32

    Rita drove towards the address Camille gave her and ended up in a quaint neighborhood. The houses were modern size and Rita felt more at home here than in her rich neighborhood. She still hadn¡¯t found Rodrigo and every minute without knowing where he was made her heart jolt.


    She soon got to the house where Camille lived and smiled at how perfect it looked. The house was painted a cool blue. The steps leading to the house was filled with purple hibiscus, giving it a grand look. Rita parked her car, thetest Mercedes Benz beside the house as she walked towards the house.


    Rita felt so many stares on her and she could tell that the people of this neighborhood didn¡¯t get so many visitors. She stepped on the front porch, ringing the doorbell. Soon, she heard footstepse closer and soon, Camille appeared at the door, holding a mug of coffee.


    ¡°Wee Rita, good morning¡±, she greeted.


    Rita smiled as she hugged the woman. Camille ushered her into the living room, offering her a seat. Rita looked around and smiled at howfortable it looked. There were pictures hanging on the wall, pictures of Rodrigo and his Sophia and pictures of Camille and the children.


    She also noticed that in all of this, Rodrigo¡¯s father was missing which further proved that Camille had a reason why she was hiding her children from him.


    ¡°Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?¡±, She asked.


    ¡°Tea please¡±, Rita said.


    Camille nodded as she made her way towards a door that led to the kitchen. Rita couldn¡¯t help her inquisitiveness as she walked towards the photographs. She picked one up, staring at the little boy who grinned widely into the camera. Her heart swelled, knowing that it was Rodrigo. He looked so small and innocent and Rita predicted his age to be between five or six.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±, she whispered.


    A lone tear slid down her eyes but she quickly dabbed it. She didn¡¯t want Camille to know that she was crying. She didn¡¯t want to give her the impression that all hope was lost as regards finding him.


    ¡°Here dear¡±, Camille said.


    Rita ced the photograph back to where it was as she faced Camille, giving her a small smile. She took the cup of tea from her before going over to her seat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just be quick with this so we can be on our way¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay. When I left your office yesterday, I made a list of all of Rodrigo¡¯s friends. He didn¡¯t really have a lot of friends just two who were close to him¡±, Camille said.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. When we¡¯re done with the Mart, we could go see them. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll have an idea of where Rodrigo might be¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure they would¡±, Camille said.


    Soon, Rita was done and they left. Rita drove off towards the Mart, hoping within her that they got a favorable answer.


    When they got there, Rita walked straight into the reception. The Mart had little to no customers since it was pretty early.


    ¡°Miss Anderson¡±, the receptionist said.


    He had a surprised look in his eyes. For the first time in a long while, Rita was d that her name held so much importance. The receptionist was a young man probably in his teens and she knew that seeing her would be the topic of discussion between him and his friends for weeks toe.


    ¡°Hello, good morning. Please, I¡¯ll like to see the head of this ce¡±, she said politely.


    The boy was startled for a bit, a confused expression on his face as his eyes darted between her and Camille.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll see if he can see any visitors¡±, he said.


    ¡°He must. Tell him Lawrence Anderson¡¯s daughter, Rita is here to see him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want to see me¡±, she said.


    Even though she wasn¡¯tfortable using her father¡¯s name, she had to if she wanted to get her information fast.


    ¡°Very well¡±, the boy said as he made his way into an inner office.


    ¡°I could never have managed that¡±, Camille chuckled.


    ¡°You can if you know the right words to use¡±, Rita said.


    The boy soon came back, informing them that the manager was ready to see them. Rita nodded, walking towards the door the boy pointed at.


    They soon got to the office. The office was quaint with a little table and chair that sat in the middle. The manager was a middle aged man with a balding head and an overgrown mustache.


    He stood up at once when Rita walked in. He shook her hands as he offered a seat to them. Rita sat with Camille by her side. She looked round the office, impressed by the records that showed the Mart¡¯s credibility. She was convinced that she could get her answers here but she hoped that the manager would be cooperative.


    ¡°Good morning Miss Anderson, it¡¯s an honour to have you here. I¡¯m Harold¡±, the manager said.


    ¡°Thank you Harold. This is Mrs Campbell¡±, Rita said.


    Harold nodded, giving Camille a warm smile. Rita quickly thought about ways she could present their issue to him. She knew what she was about to ask him might be difficult but there was nothing a little amount of money couldn¡¯t change.


    ¡°We are here in connection of a missing person¡±, Rita said.


    There was a light frown of Harold¡¯s face but he remained quiet, waiting to hear the rest of what she wanted to say.


    ¡°He wasst seen about a week ago walking into the Mart to get some things and that was thest time he was seen. Now Harold, what I¡¯m about to request might be a little difficult but I assure you that you¡¯ll be generouslypensated if you help me and also if you keep this issue between us¡±, Rita said.


    For some time, Harold remained quiet. He didn¡¯t know what her request could be but the offer ofpensation was really sweet and he¡¯ll be a fool not to ept it.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hear it¡±, he said.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m sure this Mart has a CCTV footage of every person whoes in and goes out daily. I¡¯ll like to have ess to the footage of a week ago to know what really happened. Like I said before, you¡¯ll be adequatelypensated¡±, she said.


    ¡°Please, you have to help us. The person in question is my son, we¡¯ve been looking everywhere for him¡±, Camille said.


    Rita took her hands, giving her a gentle squeeze, silently reassuring her that everything would be fine.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it. But please know that this is against the Mart¡¯s policies but because of the gravity of the issue, I¡¯m ready to help¡± he said, finally.


    ¡°Thank you, you won¡¯t regret this. Please send one of your workers to my office on Monday for your reward¡±, Rita said.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am. Please, give me a minute while I go to the records department to fetch the tape¡±, he said, rising to his feet.


    Rita nodded as she watched him leave. She was d that they weren¡¯t turned out immediately, this just proved that they would get their answers soon.

 Chapter 33

    After getting the tape from Harold and once again reminding him to keep this a secret, Rita and Camille left the Mart. Luckily for her, Camille had a tape machine that could y the file. They got to her house soon and Rita was a bit nervous at what they would discover.


    Camille noticed this and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Rita was really d that Camille was on board with everything they had done so far. She couldn¡¯t imagine if they had opposing views about this. It would prove much more difficult for her to handle.


    Rita brought our the tape, inserting it into the machine. They sat back as they watched it y to the time Rodrigo walked into the Mart.


    ¡°That¡¯s him, that¡¯s my son¡±, Camille said.


    Rita¡¯s heart seized as she saw the man she loved. She was once again in awe at his handsomeness and how beautiful he looked.


    They watched as he made his way into the Mart, indeed getting the groceries. He left the Mart soon, hailing a taxi that drove by that moment. The taxi drove away and that was thest thing they saw.


    Rita¡¯ couldn¡¯t believe that was the end of everything. The tape proved to be of little to no help but one thing was clear to them now. Rodrigo had indeed gone to the Mart to pick up groceries. A sick feeling grew at the pit of her stomach. If Rodrigo wasn¡¯t missing in the Mart then the only exnation about this was the taxi he boarded. Rita knew that something must have happened in that taxi between his point of take off and the journey to the house.


    ¡°The taxi, something happened in that taxi¡±, Camille croaked.


    ¡°Yes, we need to find out what really went wrong but the problem is there are so many of them. We won¡¯t know which one of them it was¡±, Rita sighed.


    They were getting farther and farther away from finding him. The tape which thy thought could give them the answers they were looking for just proved to be of little help.


    ¡°I think our best bet is to meet his friends. Even though we saw how he left the Mart, I think we should still meet his friends maybe they might know a ce he could be¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes but dear, I¡¯m getting weaker. I haven¡¯t taken my drugs today could we go soon¡±, Camille asked.


    She felt suddenly weak and tired. Rita rushed to side, feeling her pulse. She shuddered when her pulse gave a weak beat. Camille needed to rest or she would break down faster than she could say her name.


    ,¡±Please rest, don¡¯t worry about it. As from now on, I want you to leave everything to me. I¡¯ll take it up from here¡±, Rita smiled, sadly.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine the pain the woman was passing through with her ailment and knowing that her son was missing.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t leave you to do everything yourself, I need to help you¡±, Camille said.


    ¡°The only help you¡¯ll be giving me is by resting and taking your drugs, please do this for me¡±, Rita begged.


    ¡°Okay but if you need anything else, please don¡¯t hesitate toe to me. I love Rodrigo as much as you do and we¡¯re going to find him together¡± she said.


    ¡°I promise I will. I¡¯ll call the matron as soon as I leave here, please don¡¯t think about anything else everything would be fine¡±, Rita said, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll write down the addresses of Rodrigo¡¯s friends so you could go see them. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll know his whereabouts¡±.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go see them as soon as I¡¯m a bit free from work. I¡¯ll alsoe to check you from time to time¡±.


    ¡°Thank you for all you do Rita, I won¡¯t forget this¡±.


    Rita smiled, giving her a hug before she left the house. She made her way to the car, driving off. She decided to go to her private ce. She needed a neutral ce to think and restategize on the next line of action. She also needed to call Theresa. Lord knows she had missed her friend more than ever before and this was the time she really needed her.


    If she was the find Rodrigo, she needed all the help she could get and Theresa was one person she knew who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to help her. Oddly, she didn¡¯t n on informing Edmumdo about everything that was happening. She didn¡¯t trust him and his behaviors and attitudes in recent times proved that he couldn¡¯t be trusted.


    Rita decided that if she wanted to find him fast, she needed to go alone and also needed all the help she could get from her close allies.


    As she drove towards the private ce, she secretly hoped that she would meet Rodrigo there. She couldn¡¯t exin that would fill her if she discovered he was there.


    She soon got to the private ce, putting her car to a stop in front of the huge double doors. She got down from the car, making her way towards the building.


    When she got in, she was sad when there was no sign of Rodrigo. The building was empty save for the birds that fluttered in the garden. Rita walked towards the balcony, dumping her bag on a nearby table.


    She rested on the railings, feeling the gentle breeze on her skin. As she looked out, she remembered she wanted to call Theresa. It¡¯s been two weeks since the incident at the club and she never heard from her which left her sad and dejected.


    Theresa was her friend, a very close one at that and she¡¯ll be a fool not to salvage their rtionship. She wouldn¡¯t allow what her father said to cause a rift between her and her friend, they were stronger than that. Picking up her phone, she decided to call her at that very moment.


    She waited for Theresa to pick up the phone hoping that she doesn¡¯t get ignored. She wouldn¡¯t be able to live with it if she ignored her.


    ¡°Hello?¡±, Theresa said.


    At that moment, Rita could have weaped for joy. For several minutes she remained quiet, fearing that she would cut the call.


    ¡°Theresa, it¡¯s me Rita¡±, she croaked.


    ¡°Oh my God! Rita, is that really you. I thought you¡¯d never speak to me, oh gosh I¡¯m so relieved¡±, Theresa sobbed.


    ¡°I would never do that. Our rtionship is too strong for me to do that, I love you like the sister I never had¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Gosh! I¡¯m so sorry Rita. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have dragged you to that stupid club. I¡¯m sorry¡±, she choked.


    ¡°No no, you don¡¯t have to apologize. In fact, I should be the one apologizing. Knowing you¡¯re a married woman, I should have just let you be. I hope Marco wasn¡¯t angry¡±.


    She hated to think what would have happened as at the time Theresa arrived home. No doubt, he¡¯ll be so angry about the whole incident.


    ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t. In fact, he was dead worried and he had to send most of the body guards to search for me just before I came home. There¡¯s one thing though¡±, she said.


    ¡°What? Please don¡¯t tell me he cut off our rtionship¡±, Rita groaned.


    ¡°You know I would never allow him do that. He said I¡¯m never attending any club again¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Whew, that¡¯s better because I¡¯m not ever going to one again. It seems as if I¡¯m the subject of attacks. I can¡¯t stand it, it¡¯s driving me crazy¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I think you should be more careful Rita. Be careful of the ces you go to, I¡¯ll suggest you take Rodrigo whenever you¡¯re going out. The streets are no longer safe¡±.


    ¡°Theresa, Rodrigo is missing¡±, Rita said, calmly.


    There was a heavy pause as Rita waited for her response. Theresa remained quiet for a long time, taking in her words.


    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s missing?¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Thest time I saw him was on the day of the attack, two weeks ago in my house. Theresa, he¡¯s missing¡±, Rita sobbed.


    She made her way to a cab, drawing out tissues. She dabbed her eyes as more tears streamed down her cheek. Somehow, speaking with Theresa seemed to draw out all the emotions she¡¯s been keeping ever since.


    ¡°Shiit! This is not good, this is so not good. This is the time you really need him the most and now this had to happen¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I know which leaves me so confused. I¡¯ve called his numbers but they aren¡¯t going through. Just the other day, his mum came by to the office with the samein. Theresa, Rodrigo is truly missing¡±.


    ¡°Oh my God! Baby girl, please you need to calm down. Crying won¡¯t solve anything, this is the time you need to be strong for him and his mother¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I know and I¡¯m trying but the pain of loosing him is too much, it seems like I¡¯m loosing my mind¡±, Rita sobbed harder.


    ¡°Please calm down. Have you found out anything about his whereabouts, anything at all that could help?¡±.


    Rita narrated all they had found. Thinking about it now, she knew they had done little to nothing in finding him which made her all the more depressed.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a start. I¡¯m going to help you. Don¡¯t worry about it, I know he¡¯s fine and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine. Please stop crying¡±, she said.


    ¡°Thank you, I knew I could count on you¡±, Rita croaked.


    ¡°Anytime baby girl. I¡¯ll stop by at your office so we could put heads together on the next step to take¡±.


    ¡°Okay, thank you. See you on Monday¡±, Rita said before cutting the call.


    She felt a bit relieved knowing there was someone there to help her. She only hoped that this relief wasn¡¯t short-lived.

 Chapter 34

    The following day was a workday. Rita made her way to the office building, her heart still shattered over Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance. Try as she may, all get efforts at finding him proved abortive. It seemed as if he had suddenly gone off the surface of the earth as every avenue she employed turned out to be negative.


    ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am¡±, Yasmin smiled.


    Rita nodded, half-heartedly. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to take greetings knowing what she was currently facing. She was bleak, hollow and in need of a miracle from the way her life seemed to spiral downhill.


    She got to her office soon, clearing all the files on the table as she rested her head on the table. Tears of pain slid down her eyes as thoughts of Rodrigo filled her mind. He should have been here tofort her but he was gone just like the wind. Her whole mind was in disarray as she thought about the next line of action to take. It seemed as if no matter what she did in order to find Rodrigo proved abortive.


    She smiled through her pains as she remembered Rodrigo¡¯sst words; ¡°I¡¯ll always find you¡± . She didn¡¯t know how long she could wait before he found her as marriage with Edmundo was impending.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, I hate to disturb you but Theresa is here to see you¡±, Yasmin said.


    ¡°Send her in, thank you¡±, Rita said.


    She was happy that Theresa had arrived early. She didn¡¯t expect this early but was d she was here, it would give them an early start in finding Edmundo.


    Theresa walked in, wearing a beige skirt over a red chiffon top. Her long hair was loosely tied in a pony tail as her face was bare of makeup.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you girl, you look like shit¡±, Theresa sighed.


    Rita chuckled, dabbing the loose tears that fell from her eyes. She watched as Theresa brought out loads of sweets, her favorite from her bag.


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain I¡¯ll have the appetite to eat these¡±, Rita croaked.


    ¡°Of course you will, I even brought your favorite. Look girl, you have to woman up and find your man. Rodrigo is not dead, he¡¯s just out there somewhere¡±, Theresa smiled.


    Despite herself, Rita took some of the sweets, unwrapping it as she popped one in her mouth. If she was to find Rodrigo, she had to be bold without feeling anything. Rodrigo wouldn¡¯t want to see her this way.


    ¡°But babe, have you thought about informing the police¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I gave that a thought. The thing is, I don¡¯t really want to involve the police on this, I have a feeling that I¡¯ll get the answers to all these soon¡±, Rita said.


    Despite everything, she just had that strong feeling that soon, she would learn the truth over his sudden disappearance.


    ¡°Okay, I see sense in what you said¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I have a list of addresses that Rodrigo¡¯s mother gave me. It¡¯s the addresses of Rodrigo¡¯s friends whom he was close to. I want to check them out to see if they know his whereabouts¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you. But we should probably take one or two of Marco¡¯s bodyguards since we don¡¯t know who we¡¯ll be meeting¡±.


    ¡°Can they be trusted, i don¡¯t want a lot of publicity about this¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°With my life. I understand what you mean, even u wouldn¡¯t want that¡±.


    ¡°Okay, how does Saturday sound. It¡¯s the beginning of the weekday and I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to see them¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I¡¯m game. On my own, I¡¯ll search to see if I can find anything¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Thank you¡±.


    ¡°Have you gone to see Rodrigo¡¯s mother ever since then?¡±, Theresa said, popping a candy in her mouth.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I n on going tomorrow after work since I wouldn¡¯t have much stuffs to do¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you within the week. Please, calm down okay! Rodrigo woulde back, I¡¯m sure of it¡±, she said, rising up to her feet.


    Rita smiled, hugging her friend. She felt a bit relieved, knowing she had a backing from someone who isn¡¯t her fiance or her family.


    Theresa left soon and Rita was once again left alone. She resumed attending to the files that she earlier threw away. What she read made her smile. Ever since Gabriel was arrested, thepany¡¯s finances had been doing really well.


    Investors wereing in and she couldn¡¯t quite believe they had gained a lot of promise two times what they had earlier projected. She was d that they were out of the brink of bankruptcy and she couldn¡¯t wait to show her dad the reports. It was then she remembered that she wasn¡¯t really in speaking terms with her father ever since the incident. She expected him to apologize over what he did but he remained mute.


    Rita didn¡¯t know why they took that decision but she hoped they knew what they were doing even though she didn¡¯t understand it at all. Nevertheless, she decided to give him the reports since he was the founder and he had a right to it. She smiled as she imagined what he¡¯ll do if he discovered she had been boarding the reports no doubt, he¡¯ll blow off the roof.


    Rita put the files away, concentrating on other things that needed her attention. Top on the list was a dinner party that Senator Brabra was hosting this weekend. Even though Rita had no intention of going, she had to since she was technically living under their roof and she was Edmundo¡¯s fiancee, a title she hated.


    In recent times, they seemed to be hosting a lot of parties no doubt trying to gather guests that would attend their supposed wedding, one that she knew wouldn¡¯t take ce. Despite everything that had happened in recent times, Rita had a feeling that she would never get married to Edmundo. He wasn¡¯t the right man for her and she¡¯ll be damned if she agrees to marry him.


    Rita put the report away, promising to show her father once she closes from work. There was no telling the joy that would radiate on his face when he reads it.


    For the rest of the day, Rita was in a foul mood, nothing interested her anymore and the only reason she had the strength toe out was because of her work as the President of the Anderson group. Also, Rodrigo¡¯s promise kept ringing in her ears, one that she stood firmly on. Somehow, she knew he wasn¡¯t dead, just somewhere unreachable but she knew that he would be back soon and when he arrives, three was no stopping them.


    At the close of work, Rita made her way downstairs, clutching her bags. Her car was parked in the private garage reserved for top officials in the organization. As she was about boarding the vehicle, she saw a face that halted her in her tracks.


    Rodrigo


    The figure of the person was backing her but she could swear it was him. Throwing caution to the wind, Rita followed the figure down the road, keeping a little distance from the person. Rita had no idea if what she saw was real or a figment of her imagination but she decided to move on.


    Soon, the figure stopped in a nearby cafeteria. Rita watched him order somettes before he resumed walking.


    Her curiosity was eating her up. She decided to get brave as she simply ran ahead of the figure. Rita touched his hoodie, bringing the figure to a stop. He turned to look at her and Rita halted in her tracks. The man was nothing like Rodrigo. Though, he had the same height and build but his face waspletely different from his. Where Rodrigo¡¯s face was sculptured and strong, this man¡¯s face had a softer look.


    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ Sorry, I thought you were someone else¡±, Rita stuttered.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you need to have your eyes checked. Wait¡­ Aren¡¯t you that Anderson chick¡±, he said with a southern ent.


    ¡°No¡­ No, I¡¯m nobody¡±.


    ¡°Ohe on, I¡¯m sure of it. Let¡¯s take a picture¡±, the man said.


    He moved closer to her just as she bolted away from him. There was no way in hell she would take pictures with aplete stranger. As she made her way back to her car, she felt like aplete fool. She needed some rest but she couldn¡¯t not when Rodrigo was out there probably hurt or worse dead.


    She drove off from the office building towards her home. She had to get home first to give her father the file before going over to her temporary home at the Brabra¡¯s.


    When she got home, everywhere was a bit quiet. Not that she expected a band to be ying but it was more silent than usual. She decided to head over to her father¡¯s study, she usually found him there most days going over thepany¡¯s records.


    Rita got to the study soon, she found her father there just like she rightly predicted. He was going over some documents, his sses perched on his nose. She stood for a minute to really look at her father. Rita could see that he was getting on in years, a thought that scared the hell out of her. His once shining hair was now a dull grey and there was no amount of creams or spray he could use that would bring the hair back to it¡¯s normal state.


    She knocked lightly before going on. She could tell that he was surprised by her visit. He stood up to hug his daughter, pecking her cheek in the process. Rita took a seat opposite him, bringing out the files from her bag.


    ¡°I brought these¡±, she said.


    She handed over the files to him as she watched him read through. Under three minutes, he was done reading the ten page report.


    ¡°This is incredible, fantastic. This is the best I¡¯ve seen in years¡±, he beamed.


    Just like she had predicted, he was happy. The joy on his face was palpable but she didn¡¯t have it in her to be happy knowing fully well that Rodrigo was out there, still missing.


    ¡°Rita, what¡¯s the matter?¡±, Lawrence said, quietly.


    She sighed. Everything was wrong. From staying with Edmundo to ns on her getting married to him down to Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance. Everything was terrible wrong.


    ¡°Dad, do you know my chaffeur is missing?¡±.


    She didn¡¯t know if he knew and she decided to tell him now. She saw the look of surprise in his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, when did he go missing?¡±, Lawrence asked.


    Rita narrated everything that has happened, leaving out her investigations with his mother. She couldn¡¯t trust her father not to do anything that would disrupt her ns. She wanted to find him alone with the help of her trusted friends.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You should report this to the police. In fact, I¡¯ll help you with this¡±, he said, picking up his phone.


    ¡°No¡­ No, don¡¯t bother about this. I¡¯ve got this this, I¡¯ll handle it¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay but I¡¯ll help you do some underground work¡±, he said.


    Rita nodded, rising to her feet. She had done what she wanted to do and now, it was time to go back to the penitentiary she called a home. Her father saw her sad face and ordered her to sit back down.


    ¡°Rita, what is really the problem? I know it¡¯s not only about Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance¡±, he sighed.


    ¡°Dad, how can you ask me such when you really know what the problem is. You sold me out to his family, made me live with the people I despise. How can a father do that to his own daughter¡±, she seethed.


    The patriarch remained quiet for a long time no doubt affected by his daughter¡¯s words. Rita sighed, trying to calm her temper but try as she may, she just couldn¡¯t. The more she thought about the whole incident, the more she hated everyone involved in it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, Lawrence said.


    For the first time ever, her father was apologizing to her. Even though she was surprised, she knew that there was still a trap somewhere.


    ¡°Sorry? Dad, is that all you¡¯re going to say¡±, Rita huffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s all. You will leave Edmundo¡¯s house after the dinner party but your marriage to him still stands. That¡¯s the best I can do¡±, he said.


    Rita rose up from her seat, staring at her father with cold fury. She should have expected this but him saying the words hurt her more than she could imagine. She left the study, mming the door in the process. She made her way out of the house just as the first drop of tears hit her cheek.

 Chapter 35

    Rita woke up with a start the next morning. She had dreamt that Rodrigo was back but just as she wanted to touch him, he disappeared from her reach. She groaned as the rm gave a shrill sound. She switched it off as she made her way to the bathroom to do her business. When she was done, she made her way to the balcony, leaning against the railings as she allowed the cool morning air to hit her face.


    The day was the early, as she watched the moon shine down on the earth with all it¡¯s beauty. She remembered the incident with Rodrigo as they threw coins into the fountain with the moon¡¯s light guiding them. That was the day they shared their first kiss, the day Rita knew she was in love with him. That day felt like a lifetime, considering everything that happened ever since. She wished she could turn back the hands of time and instructed Rodrigo not to leave on thest day she saw him. Maybe he would have been here, maybe none of this would have happened.


    As Rita¡¯s mind was in deep thoughts, she heard voices. It was Edmundo¡¯s voice and she wondered what he was doing up so early. Deciding to spy on him, Rita put on her robe as she made her way downstairs towards where the voices wereing from. When she got there, she saw Edmundo with a dark figure who had on a hoddie.


    Rita hid behind a wall which gave her ample view of them. She could also hear what they were saying since Edmundo had a loud voice.


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s gone¡±, Edmundo seethed.


    ¡°She is boss. We met the house empty together with everything in it. The only thing we found is this letter addressed to you. She said you should not bother looking for her as she was in a far away ce with your son¡±, the figure.


    At the mention of this, Rita stilled. Her suspicions were right, Edmundo truly had a child outside. This was a big news and she knew he wouldn¡¯t want it to get out. Luckily for her, Rita brought her phone along. She recorded everything they said, making sure that she was still out of sight. She nned on using this against him when the time was right but for now, she was bidding her time until the right moment came.


    ¡°Search everywhere, find my son. I don¡¯t care what you do with the mother just find my son¡±, Edmundo shouted.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Rita shuddered as she thought about his words. There was no telling what his boys would do to the woman when they found her. No doubt, she¡¯ll be killed so quickly and urately, it would look like an ident.


    ¡°Okay boss, we¡¯ll do as you say¡±, the figure said.


    ¡°Good and remember, no one must know about this. I think you know the implications for disobeying, I would destroy you¡±, he said..


    ¡°I perfectly understand everything you¡¯ve said. Just give us twenty four hours, we¡¯ll get it done¡±.


    ¡°I think you have her phone number, lure her out with it but she must not be with the boy. On no circumstances should the boy be harmed¡±, Edmundo said.


    ¡°All noted¡±, the figure said before taking his leave.


    Rita left as quickly as possible. When she got to her room, she closed the door quickly including the window blinds. She paced, her mind divided on what to do. She didn¡¯t know if she should remain silent or alert the woman in question. Even though she didn¡¯t know the woman, nobody deserved to be killed and Edmundo was about tomit murder.


    She hated to think what would be of that innocent child if Edmundo sessfully carries out his ns no doubt, that child would be motherless,cking the motherly love he needs. Rita decided to alert the woman for the sake of the innocent child. Even though she didn¡¯t have the woman¡¯s number, she knew just how to get it.


    Without a second thought, Rita put on her most seductive gown, leaving enough cleavage to distract Edmundo. If there was one thing Edmundo was weak at, it was the seductive power of a woman and Rita nned on using that to her full capacity. Even though she hated being near him, she had to as a life was on the line and the child¡¯s fate rested on her shoulders. She put on her red lips, smacking it in ce for added effect. When she was satisfied, she made her way towards his room at the other end of the hall.


    Rita tiptoed all the way to his room since it was still dark and she didn¡¯t want to make a noise to wake Magdalene up. When she got to his door, she knocked lightly. She knew he was awake as she waited patiently for him to open up.


    He flung the door open, a deep frown marring his face but when he saw her, his expression dissipated to give a seductive grin that irritated her to the core. Rita waved the disgusted feeling away as she thought about what she hade here to do.


    ¡°Hello handsome¡±, she purred.


    She made her way in, shutting the door behind her. Edmundo licked his lips, following her like a lost puppy.


    ¡°d to see you¡¯ve finally changed your mind about me eh?¡±, he grinned.


    ¡°Fat chance¡±, Rita whispered.


    She smiled sweetly at her him as she stroked his beard. He gripped her waist, pressing his lips to hers. Rita nearly gagged but she held it down as she allowed him to kiss her. All her mind was focused on the innocent child that was about to be motherless.


    She pushed him away lightly, smiling at the way shepletely had him at her finger tips. There was no telling what she could do now that shepletely had him at her mercy. She moved towards him, gently removing his hands from her waist.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the bathroom to freshen up for what I have for you¡±, she purred.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that Rita, I can take it anyhow¡±, he grinned.


    ¡°But I insist Edmundo¡±, she smiled sweetly.


    ¡°Urghh¡­ Fine but don¡¯t go anywhere¡±, he said.


    He made his way towards the bathroom, nearly tripping over his haste to get there. Rita watched him leave, a hateful look in her eyes. When she certified that he was in and noting back soon, she dove for his phone.


    Scrolling through, she was horrified to see different phone numbers belonging to different girls. Rita didn¡¯t know which one of them belonged to the woman she was looking for. As fates would have it, she found the number in his call log. She traced the number to the day they were in Madrid and she knew it was the same woman he called. She quickly copied down the number in her phone, cing his back on the table just as he walked out of the bathroom.


    Water dripped down in body, creating a pool on the rug. Maybe in another world, Rita could have loved this handsome man but as she stared at him, all she could see was the face of a murderer. She didn¡¯t know how girls put up with him knowing fully well that he had a retinue of them waiting at his beck and call.


    Edmundo moved towards her, aiming to grab her but she dodged his hands. He frowned, trying the same thing but she dodged yet again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me Rita¡±, he seethed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. You see darling, I just got a message from the office that my attention is needed over an important issue. I have to go now darling, maybe we¡¯ll continue this another time¡±, she smiled.


    She made her way out of his room, loving the controlling power she had over him. Edmundo was dumfounded as he watched her leave, not quite believing she could do this.


    Rita got to her room soon, cleaning off the lipstick she wore. She gave herself a truimphant pat on the back at sessfully fooling Edmundo. Quickly, she dialled the number she copied but first making sure her room door was locked. She couldn¡¯t trust Edmundo not to barge in and get what he wants even if it was with force.


    As she waited for the woman to pick up the call, Rita hoped that she would as some people were not in the habit of picking up strange numbers.


    ¡°Hello?¡±, a quiet voice said.


    ¡°Hello¡­ Urm, I don¡¯t know your name but I¡¯m going to be straightforward as best as I can. You and your son¡¯s lives are in danger. I¡¯m sure you have a connection with Edmundo Brabra. As I¡¯m speaking to you now, some men areing to kill you and take your son away from you¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this? And how do I believe you. You could be a fake for all I care¡±, the woman said.


    Rita had to hand it to her. She was smart but knowing who she was dealing with, she had to be careful.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who I am. The only reason I¡¯m doing this is for the sake of your son, I don¡¯t want him to grow up motherless. I¡¯ve done my part, it¡¯s left for you to heed or drop the advice. The ball is in your court¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I¡­ Thank you¡±, the woman said quietly.


    Rita cut the call, deleting the number immediately. She had delivered the message and it was left for the woman to take her advice or not but she really hoped she listened to her. She couldn¡¯t stand knowing if the woman didn¡¯t take the advice.


    The day was now bright and when she checked the time, she discovered that she had just an hour to prepare for work. She made her way towards the bathroom. As the water cascaded down her back, Rita wondered what Edmundo would do when he discovered that the woman he intended to kill was gone. No doubt, he would be furious but wouldn¡¯t make it public lest the police gets to know about it.


    Rita couldn¡¯t wait to use the evidences she had on her against him. He was a man whore, a murderer and a liar, one who didn¡¯t deserve to be with an animal talk more of a human being. As she dressed for work, Rita put a call through to Francis but thetter didn¡¯t respond. She wanted to find out if he had found anything concerning Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance.


    She decided to try him again when she got to get office. As she made her way out of the house, she couldn¡¯t wait for weekend to arrive so she could get the hell out of the house that was a constant nightmare to her.


    Despite everything, she knew that time was of the essence and the sooner she finds Rodrigo, the better for her. She was slowly loosing her mind over everything that had happened, she didn¡¯t know how long she could hold on until his return.


    His promise lived rent free in her head and that was the only thing keeping her sane in the toxic world she found herself in. He was a light in her somewhat dark life and she prayed to all the gods above that he returns soon.

 Chapter 36

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, someone is here to see you?¡±, Yasmin said.


    It seemed as if everyday she was at the office, everyone wanted to see her. Sometimes, Rita wished she could run away from everything and everyone but she knew that was impossible.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°A man named Francis but ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t think you should send him up. For one, he¡¯s dressed shabbily and two, he looks like a deranged fellow¡±, Yasmin whispered.


    Rita sat up. That was the private investigator she hired to search for Rodrigo. The previous day, when she called him, she got no answer and she hoped that he had some answers avable. She chuckled lightly at Yasmin¡¯s words. True, he dressed shabbily but Francis was smart. His brain worked better than the average human. He paid attention to details and had a keen eye for the tiniest w making him one of the most brilliant investigator she had ever employed.


    ¡°Please send him in¡±, she smiled.


    Rita paced about, curiosity eating at her. Soon, there was a knock on her door. She rushed to open it up to reveal the face or Francis. Rita chuckled because he indeed dressed shabbily and his full name of hair was unkempt.


    ¡°Francis¡±, Rita smiled.


    Francis was of medium height with a gentle exterior but Rita wasn¡¯t fooled. She knew that beneath all his charms, he was a gutter fighter. He was a man who had seen a lot of things, a man who feared nobody but above all, he was a man who believed in justice.


    ¡°Greetings ma¡¯am¡±, he said, tipping his hat.


    ¡°Oh, stop with all the formalities. You know quite well you can call me Rita, we¡¯ve known each other for a very long time¡±, Rita said.


    She sat down on her chair as he took the other one opposite her. He ced his hat on the table, bringing out some papers from his side pocket.


    ¡°What have you got?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Nothing¡±, Francis said.


    He was always straight to the point. Rita stared at him like he had suddenly grown two heads. She couldn¡¯t believe he had found nothing after weeks of giving him the job.


    ¡°What do you mean nothing Francis, I don¡¯t understand¡±, Rita said.


    She had a look of confusion on her face as her heart raced, thinking the worse. She grinned her pen hard, nearly cracking it.


    ¡°Exactly what I said ma¡¯am, nothing. In all my years as a private investigator, I¡¯ve never seen a more difficult case. All the resources I used in finding the subject proved abortive, even the double agents I used reported back with a negative report. Ma¡¯am, it seems as if the subject has gone off the surface of this Earth¡±, he said.


    Rita shook violently, holding on to herst piece of sanity. She had been so sure that Francis would be able to find Rodrigo since he was the best but it turned out that he couldn¡¯t. She hated to think what might have happened to him.


    ¡°But he can¡¯t be dead, I know it¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so certain about that ma¡¯am. I really don¡¯t know why we weren¡¯t able to find him, I highly suspect somebody is behind this¡±, Francis said.


    ¡°But who? Who could have done this to me¡±, Rita croaked.


    ¡°Can you think of anyone who hated him?¡±.


    A sick feeling rose up at the feet of her stomach. Edmundo. But she waved the thought away. Even though Edmundo was a potential murderer, she knew he couldn¡¯t do something as petty as this. Rodrigo was too small for him and he prided himself in dealing with people of a high ss.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t think of anyone. Gosh! This is terrible, all my hopes were on you in finding him. What am I going to do now? There¡¯s really nothing left¡±, Rita sobbed.


    Francis handed her a tissue as she dabbed at her eyes. Everything wasn¡¯t going as nned and she was loosing the little hope she had left. Rodrigo was like her lifeline, a drug she constantly needed and now, he was going out of her reach.


    ¡°There¡¯s still something left. Please don¡¯t loose hope, I can assure you that we¡¯ll find the subject soon it¡¯s only a matter of time¡±, he assured.


    ¡°Time is what we don¡¯t have. What if he¡¯s dead or worse hurt and bleeding somewhere¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I know your thoughts are all over the ce but you need to calm down. We would find him, I can assure you that¡±, he said, rising to his feet.


    Rita watched him leave and she had a sick feeling that he left with all her hopes. She sighed, dumping the tissue into the waste basket. At that moment, she knew it was only a miracle that could bring him back.


    She decided to call Theresa to give her the news. She waited for her to pick up as she cleaned the rougue tears that streamed down her eyes.


    ¡°Francis didn¡¯t find anything¡±, she said.


    ¡°Oh dear, this is bad. I¡¯ve been trying on my end too but I can¡¯t find anything but don¡¯t worry, I know we will. You need to have faith¡±, Theresa sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try. I¡¯m going to Camille¡¯s house at the close of work today, I need to see how she¡¯s faring. I¡¯ve been so swamped with work that I haven¡¯t had time to see her¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°Okay, please be careful. You wouldn¡¯t want to get hurt in the midst of everything and I sure don¡¯t want Rodrigo to see you like that when he returns¡±, Theresa chuckled.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Rita smiled, her friend just had a way of cheering her up even in the most bleakest situation. Rita loved her all the more for that.


    ¡°I will, thank you babe. I really appreciate all your help so far. Say hi to Marco for me¡±, Rita said before cutting the call.


    She rose up from her seat, deciding to grab a quick lunch at the bistro beforeing back to the deal with the mountains of file that seemed to pile up more and more every minute. When she got there, she chose a table, at a corner far off from the entrance. She was going to be careful, she didn¡¯t know who are enemy was and there was no use exposing herself to the public.


    ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am, what would you like to have¡±, a waiter said.


    If the young girl knew who she was, she did a great job of staying silent. Rita wasn¡¯t in the mood to greet or worse sign any autograph.


    ¡°Just some burger and a coke please¡±, she said.


    ¡°Coming right up¡±, the girl said, walking away.


    Soon, her lunch was before her as she muched without any appetite. The only reason she has to eat was to keep her strength in her quest in finding Rodrigo.


    She was done soon. She ced a wad of cash on the table, far more than the actual amount of the table. She left the bistro, walking the short distance towards the Anderson tower.


    When she got there, Yasmin was as usual at the reception. She waved to her and watched her young receptionist beam as she waved back. Even with all the storm raging around her, she never failed to appreciate the people who worked tirelessly to support the organization.


    Rita nned on treating all her workers to an expense paid trip to any country of their choice after everything she was going through died down. It was the little she could do to appreciate all their help so far.


    In a world where seeing your loved ones again was not certain, this was the best way she could tell them she loved and cared for them.


    It was a sacrifice she was willing to make, one that might put her raging heart at rest.

 Chapter 37

    ¡°How have you been Camille?¡±, Rita asked.


    She had been in her house for a while now and she was d that she was better and more healthier. Rita knew what made her Ill, it was simply stress and she nned to take that away from her as much as possible.


    ¡°I¡¯m just here, hoping and praying that Rodrigoes back to me soon¡±, she said.


    She was dressed in a wool sweater and a long skirt. The weather had dropped which was ushered by more snow. The news forecasted that it might get heavier as the day goes by, hence everyone had to cover up if they didn¡¯t want to catch a cold.


    ¡°He will Camille, trust me. Rodrigo would always find us¡±, Rita smiled sadly.


    She was holding on to his words. Those words had been her anchor ever since his sudden disappearance, it was thest thing he said before he left her house.


    ¡°Yes, I know my boy wille home, I just know it¡±, she said.


    ¡°Have you had anything to eat?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Not really, I just had some tea in the morning before the maid left. I really don¡¯t have much appetite¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°I think you should eat. Don¡¯t worry, I can whip up some spaghetti in no time¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°You take care of me too much when I¡¯m not even your family. Thank you for everything Rita¡±, she said, a lone tear sliding down her eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. I love you and Rodrigo so much and I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to help you in any way I can. My only prayer now is Rodrigoes back hale and hearty then my joy would beplete¡±, Rita said.


    She made her way to the kitchen, gathering the ingredients for the meal. She was d that she took her cooking sses seriously. Her mum was never good at cooking and Rita took over that aspect of the house. As she cooked, she hummed lightly to a song that Rodrigo had thought her during the early days of their rtionship.


    It was an old folklore, one that she was happy to learn. Soon, the food was ready. She dished up a healthy portion for Camille since she hadn¡¯t really eaten.


    She made her way to the living room, bncing the tray of food in one hand.


    ¡°This smells so good¡±, Camille smiled.


    ,¡±Wait till you have a taste¡±, Ritaughed.


    Camille took a bite and hummed in satisfaction. Rita watched as she ate more of the food, happy she was eating. She was getting more leaner and she wanted to put a stop to that.


    ¡°I know about your rtionship with Edmundo¡±, Camille said, suddenly.


    Rita sighed. There was hardly anyone who didn¡¯t know about her rtionship with Edmundo. The tabloids made sure that the public had a full dose of their rtionship. She was disgusted to know that her name was associated with a pig like him.


    ¡°And I really know how you feel, trust me I know¡±, she said.


    Rita whipped her head up, staring at her. Camille had a far away look in her eyes and Rita could tell that she was thinking about an event that had taken ce a long time ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s choking to be honest. Sometimes, I can¡¯t breathe. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do, I can¡¯t marry Edmundo I just can¡¯t¡±, she said.


    ¡°In due time, everything would work out for your own good. One day, maybe I¡¯ll tell you my story but first, let¡¯s work on finding Rodrigo¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay¡±, Rita smiled.


    A little whileter, she left the house promising toe back soon. She drove towards Edmundo¡¯s house, listening to an old song ying from the car¡¯s radio. Rita barely listened to the song as her whole mind was focused on what she was going through.


    She soon got to the house soon, greeted by Louis who had a wide grin on his face. His white house shirt was fitted on his body as he bowed slightly to wee her.


    ¡°Wee ma¡¯am¡±, he said.


    ¡°Hello Louis, how are you?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Ma¡¯am, Senator Brabra would like to see you¡±, he said.


    Rita stared, it had been so long since she saw him. It¡¯s true he usually travels round the world due to the nature of the job with the President. His arrival here coincided with the dinner party which would be held this weekend.


    ¡°Okay, where is he?, she asked.


    ¡°Come with me¡±, he said, walking towards the house.


    Rita followed him, looking around the house. She had never been to this part of the building and was quite surprised to see how beautiful it looked.


    They soon got to a room with wide double doors. Lous knocked lightly before walking in. Rita followed and she was in awe at the murals that decorated the walls.


    ¡°Good evening Sir, Miss Anderson is here¡±, Louis said, bowing slightly.


    ¡°Good¡­ Great, you can leave us now. Thank you Louis¡±, Senator Wilson said.


    Rita took a seat opposite him. Thest time she had seen him was when he stopped by at her office which seemed like a long time ago.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling you here when you just got back¡±, he began.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ Is there a problem Senator?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem per say¡­ I just wanted to know if you¡¯ve cemented your rtionship with my son¡±, he said.


    Rita stared at him incredulously. She couldn¡¯t believe he was seriously asking her that question knowing fully well that she had just got back from the office bone tired. The only reason she summoned his call was because she thought he had something important to say but not this.


    ¡°With all due respect sir, I think you should ask your son that question. I¡¯m not the problem here but your son¡±, Rita seethed.


    She was tired of being patronized this way. She was past caring about what they thought, she couldn¡¯t believe he really thought this lowly about her.


    ¡°My son isn¡¯t really the problem¡­ Rita, just be patient with him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll change, I¡¯m really sure of it¡±, Senator Brabra said.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Rita stood up, snatching her bag from the table. She was tired of this, tired of being talked to this way.


    ¡°With all due respect Senator, you¡¯re wasting my time. I¡¯m tired and I need to go. Maybe some other time, we can talk about this¡±, Rita said as she made her way out of the office.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re still living in my house and you must go by my rules¡± he chuckled.


    Rita whipped around, giving him a death re. At that moment, she hated everything about him. It seemed as if they had made it their life duty to frustrate her but she vowed never to be.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be any longer. As soon as you¡¯re done with your dinner party, I¡¯m going back to my father¡¯s house. To be honest, I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m here in the first ce but that¡¯s by the way. All that matters is that I¡¯m going back and I would never get married to your son¡±, she seethed.


    ¡°You¡¯re ying with fire girl¡±, Senator Brabra said with a steely look in his eyes.


    ¡°If you¡¯re fire, then I¡¯m water and I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to quench you and watch you reduce to a shadow of yourself, you can trust me on that¡±, Rita said before making her way out of the office.

 Chapter 38

    Rita got to her room soon, mming the door before she finally shut it. She couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. She took calming breaths as she tried to settle her raging heart threatening to burst out.


    ¡°Stupid man and his stupid family¡±, Rita muttered.


    She stripped down her clothes as she made her way to the bathroom. She needed a cold shower if she wanted to feel sane again. As the water cascaded down her body, so did the tears. This was the time she really needed Rodrigo but he was out of her reach and there was nothing she could do but wait till he returns.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    When she was done, she got out as she wrapped a towel round her body. She made her way to the wardrobe, picking out a light dress gown. Shebed her hair, styling it to the side of her face. Just then, she heard a light knock on the door. Rita decided to ignore the knock and simply pretend like she wasn¡¯t in the room.


    The knock persisted and she was forced to answer. She discovered it was Louis who was here to inform her that dinner was ready. Even though she didn¡¯t feel like joining them, knowing that the whole family would be there, Rita decided to go. She needed to eat if she was fi keep her strength.


    She got to the dining table and sure enough, they were already gathered. Senator Brabra sat at the head of the table with his wife, Magdalene who sat at the right hand side. She gave Rita a sickly sweet smile and she returned it with the same energy. Edmundo on the other hand had a sour expression on his face and Rita had an inkling of what might have gone wrong.


    Rita sat down on a chair that was the farthest away from them. She didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near them and she wanted to be done with this as soon as possible.


    The dining room was silent, too awkward than normal. Rita was rxed though as she had no care in the world about what they thought. She served herself with small portions of food, digging in without waiting for their approval.


    ¡°So, Rita how are you preparing for the dinner party this weekend¡±, Magdalene said.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to attend, that¡¯s all¡±, Rita said, vaguely.


    ¡°Of course you will. After all, you¡¯re in my house¡±, Edmundo said.


    ¡°You fail to realize I¡¯ll be leaving soon. In fact, I¡¯ll be leaving immediately after the dinner party this weekend¡±, she said, giving him a sickly smile.


    The expression on his face was priceless. It seemed as if he had swallowed something so vile that left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    Thankfully, he remained quiet as Rita returned to her food. The dining room was silent once more and one could actually hear if a pin dropped.


    ¡°I hate to poke nose but your father informed me that your chaffeur is missing¡±, Senator Brabra said.


    At the mention of this, Rita stilled. She wasn¡¯t prepared for this, she stared at her food not quite knowing how to answer the question. The issue with Rodrigo was a soft spot for her and it seemed that Brabra¡¯s knew quite well how to use it against her.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s been misting for a few weeks now¡±, Rita said, finally.


    ¡°Such a pity, I hope he¡¯s found. But if not¡­. Well, too bad¡±, Edmundo mocked.


    Rita stared at him, her hands itching to throw the te of food on his face. Sometimes, she wondered if he even had a brain for thinking talk more of reasoning. Everything he spat out of his vile mouth was useless like the piece of shit he was.


    ¡°And I really hope you wouldn¡¯t be imprisoned for murder one day¡±, Rita fired back.


    From the look on his face, Rita knew she had hit him at the ce where he didn¡¯t expect. He choked on his food, drinking gulps of water in quick session. His parents eyes widened as they tried to make out what was happening.


    When Edmundo had settled down, Rita smiled sweetly. She could see the questions burning in his parent¡¯s eyes. Rita hade to learn one thing especially ftom Senator Brabra, if there was one thing he detested, it was murder. The intentional killing of somebody. He hated it with a passion and now his son was about tomit one.


    ¡°Rita¡­ What do you mean, murder?¡±, he asked.


    He pushed his food away apparently loosing his appetite. Magdalene had a lost look in her eyes as she didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Well¡­ Your-¡±


    ¡°Pay no attention to Rita, she says things she doesn¡¯t know about¡±, Edmundo said, cutting her off.


    ¡°Well, I hope so. We can¡¯t have something as scandalous associated with this family¡±, he said.


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea on what you¡¯re up against. To be honest, I really hope your son doesn¡¯t put this family in trouble one day¡±, Rita said.


    Magdalene looked as if she had swallowed a big Apple that got stick in her throat. Her eyes darted about, looking for what¡¯s not lost. Rita took satisfaction in knowing she had shaken this family and they didn¡¯t know the right direction to follow.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure my son knows that¡±, Magdalene chuckled nervously.


    ¡°I sure hope he does¡±, Rita said, sipping her wine.


    Edmundo remained quiet, giving her a death re. If looks could kill, Rita would have been six feet under. She stared at him bravely, openly challenging him. Gone were the days when she was scared of him, when she was scared of knowing what he¡¯ll do if he finds out she had wronged him somehow. Now, she was bold, bolder than before and she knew she could talk to him back anyhow she liked.


    He didn¡¯t own her and he had no right to lord over her and to hell with whatever he thought about her.


    The rest of the food was eaten in silence and Rita was grateful for this. She couldn¡¯t stand their insistent chatter.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have the bakers here tomorrow evening. They¡¯ve brought some samples we can choose from for the dinner party on Saturday. Rita, would you like to have a look?¡±, Magdalene asked.


    She didn¡¯t know if it was an honest offer. Magdalene had the gift of false pretense and she never failed to use it on unsuspecting victims.


    ¡°Oh, I would love to but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m going out very early that morning to see some clients¡±, she said, politely.


    There was no use talking rudely to them since she would soon be leaving their house. She was just bidding her time, counting down to the day she would finally leave.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±, Edmundo asked, rudely.


    ¡°Are you hard of hearing or something? Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said¡±, Rita said.


    Thankfully, he remained quiet, giving her a hateful look. It was now confirmed that she hated him with passion and there was no way she would go back on that.


    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯ll be attending the dinner party I have no problems with that¡±, Senator Brabra smiled.


    ¡°Yes¡±, Magdalene intoned.


    Rita didn¡¯t understand why they were suddenly being nice to her but she was not a fool. She knew that beneath that niceness was a heart full of wickedness.


    After all, this family was one of the most powerful and most feared family. It wouldn¡¯t do her good to lower her guard.


    They might act nice but Rita sure as hell wouldn¡¯t do that.

 Chapter 39

    The following day, Rita was at work when she got a call from Francis. Her heart raced, her thoughts going wild.


    ¡°Hello¡±, she croaked.


    ¡°Miss Anderson¡­ I have some news¡±, Francis said.


    ¡°Go¡­ Go on¡±, Rita stuttered.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯ll do if they reported that Rodrigo was dead. There was no doubt about she would join a convent rather than getting married to a pig like Edmundo.


    ¡°The subject was sighted in a remote vige on the outskirts of the country¡±, he said.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Rita asked.


    She couldn¡¯t afford her hopes to be raised again only to have them dashed. She loved Rodrigo too much to y with her heart.


    ¡°We¡¯re still looking but we¡¯re certain he¡¯s the one we saw¡± Francis said.


    ¡°Okay.. okay, I hope so. Please keep me posted the minute you get anything¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Will do¡±, Francis said before cutting the call.


    Rita rxed back on her chair, toying with her pen. If it was certified that Rodrigo was the one seen, she would waste no time in flying to whatever vige it was. For the first time since his disappearance, Rita was a bit relieved that they were making a headway.


    Francis and his team of investigators wouldn¡¯t make a mistake about something as sensitive as this. They knew what their job entailed and giving false reports would lower their credibility.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, the investors from the flour mill are here for the meeting¡±, Yasmin said.


    Rita had forgotten all about her meeting with them. All her whole mind had been solely focused on finding Rodrigo.


    The investors were one of the first phases of her expansion of the empire. She wanted to expand the empire¡¯s GDP which would cut across many facets and the flour mill was the first phase of the expansion project.


    ¡°Okay, please prepare the conference room. Tell them to give me five minutes, I¡¯ll be there shortly¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay ma¡¯am¡±, Yasmin said.


    Rita brought out her notes were she had written important points. If she was to win the hearts of the investors, she had to be handy with the facts and figures concerning the expansion stage. These men were smart but she had to be smarter than them.


    Rita walked towards the conference room with Yasmin in tow. There was a pang of pain in her heart because she knew if Rodrigo was here, he would have been the one to apany her. She pushed the conference door open to be greeted by three men who stood up as a sign of respect.


    ¡°Gentlemen, please sit down. Thank you¡±, Rita smiled politely.


    The men took their seat, all facing her. Rita sat at the head of the table with Yasmin at her right hand side. Rita brought out her notes, skimming through were she had jotted some things.


    ¡°So, gentlemen let¡¯s begin¡±, she said.


    ¡°I think the expansion project is feasible if we have the right materials to employ¡±, a short portly man said.


    ¡°I believe so too but inorder to handle this effectively, all hands have to be on deck. Asides the materials we need to use, we should have adequate manpower to make this work¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I agree Miss Anderson but you must know that we can not bear the cost alone. We need to have a lot of backing financially¡±, another man said.


    ¡°I understand what you mean and that¡¯s why the Anderson cooperation ismitted to supporting this project with everything we might need¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°But in the case where thepany backs out during the expansion process, what then happens?¡±, a huge man said.


    ¡°I can assure you that we wouldn¡¯t do that. We take our clients seriously and backing out at that stage would be disastrous for us. But in the case something like that happens, adequatepensation to the affected parties would be given¡±, Rita said.


    She couldn¡¯t believe how smart these men were. They wanted to know the pros and cons associated with working with them. She couldn¡¯t me then though as the economy was tough and everyone was being careful on where and what they put their money on.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s much better¡±, the short portly man said.


    ¡°I think we have an agreement then¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°We sure do¡±, the huge man said.


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll have my assistant draw up the contract and send it to your offices so you can append your signatures¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you¡±.


    Rita rose to her feet and the men followed. She shook each of their hands before leaving the conference room. She was happy that it was sessful as she had predicted. She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯ll do if it turned out to be a failure.


    The investors were one of their biggest clients and having them to their side would no doubt be of great benefit to the empire.


    When she got to the office, she rxed on the couch sidelining her work chair. She wanted to rx a bit before resuming her work. For the past few days, she had been getting more and more tired. Her legs ached and the bones in her body seemed to weigh her down.


    Just thrn, her phone gave a small beep indicating she had a call. The caller ID showed that it was Francis calling back.


    ¡°That fast¡±, Rita said, picking the call.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the subject¡±, he clipped.


    Rita sat up so fast forgetting the pain she had on her lower back. Her head was spinning as she tried to process what Francis was saying.


    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s not the one¡±, Rita said.


    Her temper was already rising and she tried her best not to transfer her aggression on him. After all, he was doing his best.


    ¡°One of my agents is currently at the location where he was sighted and I can assure you that it¡¯s not the subject we¡¯re looking for¡±, he said.


    ¡°I..  I don¡¯t understand, I thought you said he looked like him¡±, Rita stuttered.


    ¡°Looks can be deceiving ma¡¯am and it seems like this one deceived use¡±, Francis said.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I¡­ Gosh, okay please keep searching. I hope we find him¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°We will¡±, Francis said before cutting the call.


    Rita threw her phone on the couch. Her joy at having sessfully bagged the contract was halted by this news. She didn¡¯t understand why they hadn¡¯t found him after all these weeks. She was confused and beyond.


    She had no idea in what to do and secretly hoped that miracle she had been expectinges quickly. She didn¡¯t know how long she could hold on before the river bursts it¡¯s banks.


    Rita knew that when the banks finally bursts, there was no telling the amount of pain she would pass through. Rita wasn¡¯t ready for that to happen yet.

 Chapter 40

    The dinner party was the following day and Rita was so not in the mood to attend. Asides going to see Rodrigo¡¯s friends, she had nothing else to do but she still didn¡¯t want to attend. The only constion she had was that she would be going back to her home when the party was over.


    ¡°Hey girlfriend¡±, Theresa chirped the over the phone.


    ¡°Hi¡±, Rita said.


    Everyday of her not seeing Rodrigo had her worried. Nothing interested her anymore and the only reason she got up each day was with the hope that she would find him soon.


    ¡°Ohe on, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still down. Rita, I¡¯ve told you times without number, Rodrigo woulde back and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine. Please don¡¯t get worried over him¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Do you know what it means to love, what it means to love someone wholeheartedly and then it person just disappears¡±, Rita croaked.


    ¡°Trust me darling, I know how you feel. But please, you can¡¯t keep hitting yourself over him. I know he¡¯lle back and you have to keep up that hope¡±.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try. I want to go see his friends tomorrow, maybe they would have an idea where he is¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you but remember to take some bodyguards since we don¡¯t know the kind of people we¡¯ll be meeting. I have a good mind to inform Marco about this but I guess you want to do this yourself¡±, she said.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m taking Ramirez along with me. He¡¯s the next person I trust after Rodrigo and to top it all, they were tight buddies¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Which makes it all the more easier. What time would you be leaving tomorrow so I can meet you up?¡±, Theresa asked.


    ¡°Somewhere between ten and eleven. I¡¯ll call when I¡¯ming to pick you up¡±.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you tonight darling¡±, Theresa said before cutting the call.


    Rita ced her phone on the table as she stared out into the ocean. She was at the private ce, needing to have some peace and quiet before the chaos of tomorrow. The Brabra¡¯s and her parents were still bent on her getting married to Edmumdo.


    Rita had a feeling thst if something drastic wasn¡¯t done, she would end up getting married to him which was something she desperately wanted to avoid. She knew that if she eventually married Edmumdo, her life would be miserable. She would be full of regrets and that was something she wouldn¡¯t allow to happen.


    Her phone gave a sharp beep indicating there was a new notification. Rita picked up her phone, swiping the screen open. The image before her left her disgusted and irritated. The image was of Edmumdo with yet another girl and what¡¯s more, his hands were shamelessly inside the girl¡¯s skirt.


    Rita couldn¡¯t believe that this was the personal her parents and his family wanted her to get married to. This shameless man whore who didn¡¯t care if he had a fiance or not. He was despicable and an idiot who didn¡¯t respect anyone.


    On the spur of the moment, Rita decided to send this picture to her parents. She wanted to know what they¡¯ll say about it. Sometimes, she wondered if they were too blind to see the useless man they wanted her to get married to. She sent off the picture and she had a feeling that either one of them would call her immediately.


    Rita was right because at that moment, her phone shed as the caller ID showed that it was her mother calling.


    ¡°Hello mother¡±, she said sweetly.


    ¡°What is the meaning of the picture you sent¡±, may seethed.


    ¡°Oh, that. Well, that¡¯s just one of the many things my fiance does in his spare time. I think you¡¯re disgusted right. Now, imagine how I feel after seeing that¡±, Rita screamed.


    For a long time, May remained quiet. Rita could tell that her words hit her especially since she hadn¡¯t expected her outburst.


    ¡°Cat¡¯s got your tongue mother?¡±, Rita mocked.


    ¡°Be quiet, I¡¯m still your mother and I do not appreciate you speaking to me that way¡±, May said.


    ¡°Well, if you had done the right thing by supporting me not to marry Edmumdo, I wouldn¡¯t have spoken to you in that manner. As it stands mother, I do not even know what I can say to you or Dad¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll change. You have to give him the benefit of doubt. Most men behave like this, it¡¯s nothing new¡±, May said.


    Rita couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. Her mother who should have known better was spewing thrash making her feel disgusted. She was supposed to know better but apparently, she was wrong.


    ¡°I see. Well, it¡¯s nice to know what you think¡±, Rita said, quietly.


    ¡°How is your search for Rodrigo going?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that mother, anything but that. Why do you even care. When he was here, you and Dad gave no hoot about him so why do you suddenly care¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I ¡­ Just¡­ never mind. I hope he¡¯s found¡±, she said quietly.


    Rita cut the call, dumping her phone on the couch. She made her way to the kitchen, needing a strong cup of tea to douse her raging heart. She was beyond crushed at hearing what her mother said.


    She made the tea, adding a bit more milk. She wanted to fall asleep after taking the liquid and the only way she could do that was to add a bit more milk. She took a sip, loving the way the warm liquid flowed through her body.


    Just then, a thought came to her mind. There was this urge in her ro call Rodrigo¡¯s number agaiby. She knew it was stupid since she had called his line like a billion times before but not getting any answer. This time around, the urge was strong and it was getting stronger with every minute that passed.


    Rita ced the cup of tea on a side table, picking up her phone. She dialed the number, waiting for him to pick up but he never did. She tried again and this time there was a small click before the line went dead. She frowned, trying the number again but this time around, there was no connection whatsoever.


    Rita sighed, putting the phone down. There was no use in trying again since his line had finally gone off the grid. She went back to the balcony, clutching her cup of tea beside her face to warm her cold body.


    ¡°You¡¯ll always find me Rodrigo, I¡¯m sure of it¡±, she whispered into the air.


    She stared at the ocean, wishing the big mass of water had an answer to all her questions but they remained silent, swishing about in the cool evening air. Rita sat down on the bare ground, her cup of tea beside her. This was what she enjoyed, this solitude that came with staying alone. She only wished that Rodrigo was beside her, to share in this bliss that silence offered her.


    As Rita stared out into the ocean, she remembered a memory of long ago. A memory of her parents, all happy together under the big blue sky. She remembered what her father had said when they were still living in a quaint bungalow just before he began this empire.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always listen to what you say as long as it¡¯s not something bad¡±.


    Rita then wondered what had changed ever since then. She wondered why her and her parents seemed to grow distant with each passing day. She wondered whether this wealth and power they had acquired would be their end.


    Deep down, Rita knew that this wealth they lived in was intoxicating, it had the ability to change people¡¯s mind for the worse and she knew quite well that was what they were facing. She sighed, wondering if her family would return back to how they once were.

 Chapter 41

    ¡°Hey girlfriend, I¡¯m almost at your house¡±, Rita said, clutching the phone on her ear as she drove.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be out soon¡±, Theresa said.


    Ramirez, the body guard she decided to bring along sat beside her. Rita knew he was armed and she hated to think what would happen if they had a confrontation of any kind.


    Rita got to Theresa¡¯s house soon, parking beside the huge imposing gates. Her house was more like a mansion, with huge imposing pirs supporting the structure of the house. Soon, Theresa walked out. She could easily pass off for a model and one would hardly know she was married and already had two children with one on the way.


    Theresa had informed Rita about her pregnancy thest time they saw. She hadn¡¯t informed her husband yet and what waiting till the baby was a little bigger before she does. She climbed into car, patting Ramirez on the shoulder before smiling at Rita.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road baby¡±, Theresa whooped.


    She was always the crazy type, taking dates no one ever dreamed of doing. As Rita drove towards the first address, she wondered what they would find. She could have her hopes dashed again if mission failed.


    ¡°Have you ever seen this people ma¡¯am?¡±, Ramirez asked.


    ¡°No, this is my first time. I¡¯m sure, since you were a bit closer to Rodrigo, you should know a bit about his friends¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°To be honest ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t know anything about them. Rodrigo mostly kept to himself but when he talked, he talked a lot¡±, Ramirez chuckled.


    ¡°Wow¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°Yes which made him one of the best in our profession. He had a keen eye for details and he mostly saw what others failed to see on time¡±, he said.


    ¡°I really hope he¡¯s found soon. This is getting longer than expected*, Theresa said from the back seat.


    ¡°Rodrigo is fine, I¡¯m very sure of it. He¡¯s a tough man and whatever he¡¯s going through is only making him stronger¡±, Ramirez said.


    They soon got to the first location. Rita parked her car beside a dusty old truck that she knew hadn¡¯t been used for a long time. She enabled the interlocking system that red in case anyone was trying to steal the vehicle.


    ¡°Please stay here for a minute while I scope the area¡±, Ramirez said, walking away.


    ¡°Be careful, I can¡¯t afford to loose two bodyguards¡±, Rita mumbled.


    ¡°Stop it, stop saying that. You¡¯ve not lost Rodrigo and I can assure you he¡¯ll be back¡±, Theresa said, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°Time is running out and I fear he¡¯s gone forever¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be back, just keep up faith¡±.


    Ramirez arrived soon, walking briskly towards them. His gun was tucked in his waste band and even a blind man could see that it was there.


    ¡°All clear ma¡¯am, let¡¯s go¡±, he said.


    The trio walked towards the entrance of the first address. When they got there, Ramirez who took the lead pushed open the front door to reveal a neatly keptpound. A quaint little house sat at the middle. The door to the house opened and an elderly man walked out, holding a cane.


    ¡°Yes, who are you?¡±, the man said.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Rita quickly introduced herself and those with her. The man seemed to rx at the mention of Rodrigo¡¯s name.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe in for a spot of tea¡±, he said.


    ¡°Oh no, thank you sir. We have other ces to be, let¡¯s just talk here*, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay, my name is Maxwell. I¡¯m Rodrigo¡¯s friend, more like the father he never had¡±, he said.


    ¡°Ohh. Well sir, we¡¯re here because Rodrigo is missing and we were wondering if perhaps you know where he might be¡±, Rita said.


    Maxwell remained quiet for a long time as he thought over her words. It was unlike Rodrigo to disappear just like that and he had a feeling that something was amiss.


    ¡°It¡¯s unlike Rodrigo to go missing, I don¡¯t understand it¡±, he muttered.


    ¡°We were surprised too. We thought you might know where he is that¡¯s why we¡¯re here¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know where he is. Usually, if Rodrigo was to go to a far away ce he would inform me¡±, he said.


    ¡°But sir¡­ Do you perhaps know anywhere he once talked about that he would like to visit maybe he¡¯s there¡±, Theresa intoned.


    ¡°No¡­ None I can remember. I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t really been of help, i wish I could do more¡±.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, thank you¡±, Rita said.


    The trio left the house, heading back to Rita¡¯s car. They climbed in soon but Rita didn¡¯t drive as she rested her head on the steering wheel of the car. Theresa gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, silently reassuring her that all would be well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have the strength to go to the next addresses, I¡¯m just going to pass on them¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I totally understand. I think we should return back home, so you can sleep before you go for that cursed dinner party¡±, Theresa said, gritting her teeth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back home ma¡¯am, I think you¡¯ve tried enough for today. I could also go to the other addresses tomorrow, I¡¯ll report back to you the minute I get anything¡±, Ramirez said.


    Rita nodded before putting the car in drive. She drove all the way to Edmundo¡¯s house, dropping Rita and Ramirez at their homes.


    As she drove into the house, Rita was met with so many people who were here in connection with the dinner partyter that evening. She made her way to her room, trying to be unseen but luck was not on her side because at that very moment, Magdalene rushed towards her.


    ¡°Wee darling¡±, she sweetly.


    Yet again, Rita was surprised why they were all unnecessarily being nice to her. All except Edmumdo who was a douchebag as usual.


    ¡°Hello Magdalene¡±, Rita said with a bored tone.


    ¡°You¡¯re right on time for the cake tasting¡±, she beamed.


    ¡°Magdalene, I think I¡¯ll pass on that. I¡¯m justing in and I need to rest¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Ohh but you don¡¯t have to do anything¡±.


    Rita was beyond irritated now but she remained calm not wanting to blow off the remaining patience she had within her.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired Magdalene¡±, Rita said once again.


    Thankfully, she remained quiet and Rita used that opportunity to slink away. She made her way to her room, needing to get some sleep before she attends the dinner party.


    When she got to her room, Rita slumped on the bed pulling her shoes with her legs. Her phone beeped and she groaned, not wanting to answer it. When she swiped the phone, she discovered it was a message from Yasmin informing her about her meeting with other investors the following week.


    Rita groaned, knowing she had to attend. She wished all these problems would poof away like the clouds do.

 Chapter 42

    The dinner party was one of the most boring parties Rita had ever attended. Maybe because she wasn¡¯t interested in anything they did but couldn¡¯t tolerate the fake guests and their fake smiles and attitudes. She was desperately looking for a way to escape their grasp when Magdalene chose that moment to drag her away to meet one of their numerous friends.


    Rita groaned as she tried to smile while putting on her best behavior but it was impossible with the way the elderly woman was pinching her cheeks, gushing over how beautiful she was.


    ¡°Meet Rita, my son¡¯s fiancee¡±, Magdalene said.


    ¡°Fat chance¡±, Rita muttered before smiling sweetly at the woman.


    ¡°How are you my dear¡±, the woman said.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine ma¡¯am, thank you. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t catch your name¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Oh, my manners. I¡¯m Mrs Robinson¡±, she smiled.


    It was then Rita noticed the young woman standing beside her. The women¡¯s expression was one filled with pity and Rita racked her head, trying to remember if she had seen the woman before.


    ¡°This is my daughter, Samantha. She just graduated top of her ss in NYC¡±, the woman beamed.


    ¡°Oh I see, nice to meet you¡±, Rita said, shaking her hands warmly.


    Rita left the duo, making her way to the far corner of the hall. She had a feeling that she was being watched and true to her thoughts, Samantha was still watching her even as she left. She shivered, her thoughts taking a dark twist. She had never met this woman and her watching her now feels suspicious. Nevertheless, Rita shook of the feeling.


    Rita stood at the corner of the hall, watching the guests and she couldn¡¯t help but think that most of them were fake. They were only here because of the favour and contracts they could get from the Brabra¡¯s. She was disgusted even when she saw her mother talking animatedly to Senator Brabra who had his hands on her shoulder.


    She searched everywhere for her father and she finally saw him, his hands also on a younger woman she didn¡¯t know.


    Rita vowed that she wouldn¡¯t be like them. She would marry for love and not convenience. She decided to go upstairs to her room to change to a lighter shoe since the one she had on were killing her feet.


    When she got upstairs, she overheard Edmundo¡¯s voice from his room. Deciding to feed her curiosity, Rita went closer and discovered that he was on the phone with somebody.


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s gone. You were supposed to kill her on the day I sent you, howe she slipped your hands¡±, Edmundo seethed.


    There was a slight pause and Rita strained get ears to hear more of what they were saying. She waited patiently, knowing that Edmundo would burst out again.


    ¡°And the boy¡­ Where is my son?¡±, he screamed.


    ¡°Gone, what do you mean gone?¡±, he said, knocking over a table.


    Rita smiled, heaving a sigh of relief. The woman took her advice and escaped with her son. Now, she could breath more easily knowing that they were safe.


    Since she had heard enough, she decided to leave incase Edmundoes out angrily. She didn¡¯t know what he¡¯ll do if he discovers she had been snooping ever since.


    Rita got to her room soon, changing her heels that were too tight forfort. Her bags were already packed and immediately after the party, she would leave. As she was about leaving the room, there was a slight knock on the door. She stilled, she wasn¡¯t expecting anyone and the only person she could think of who woulde here would be either Edmundo or Magdalene.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    If it was Edmundo, he wouldn¡¯t bother knocking but Magdalene, maybe. Rita walked towards the door, swinging it open. She was surprised to see it was Samantha who stood there with a guilty look on her face.


    ¡°This is quite a surprise. Where you following me?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I mean, not quite. I just needed to tell you something¡±, Samantha said, wringing her hands.


    Rita didn¡¯t know if she could be trusted but considering the look on her face, she knew that she had something very important to say.


    ¡°Come on in¡± Rita said.


    Samantha walked in timidly, sitting at the very edge of the only chair in the room. Rita took the bed, sitting at the edge a bit far from Samantha.


    ¡°So, what can I do for you?¡±, Rita asked.


    Samantha remained quiet for a while as her thoughts took on different twists. Rita could see tell that something was definitely wrong with this woman with the way her eyes were clouded with fear.


    ¡°Please, promise me you¡¯ll keep this between us¡±, Samantha said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you want to tell me¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s about Edmundo¡±.


    Rita sat up, paying more attention to her. She needed every bit of information she could get about Edmundo and this woman was here, ready to spill some secrets about him.


    ¡°Alright, I promise. It would be between us only¡±, Rita said.


    Samantha sagged in relief, feeling more rxed than before. Her brows which were puckered before were free and she even gave a small smile.


    ¡°I once had an affair with Edmundo. I was only seventeen then¡±, Samantha said.


    Rita smiled, this was not new to her. It seemed as if all the women in Spain had already been in Edmundo¡¯s pants and more were waiting in line.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing new to me¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be surprised. But there¡¯s more¡­¡±, Samantha said.


    The guilty look she had on her face was back and it was even worse than before. Rita was growing impatient, wishing she could just spit out whatever it is on her mind.


    ¡°We had a child, a girl¡±, Samantha said.


    Again, this wasn¡¯t new to her. Edmundo could afford to have a child with the whole women in Spain and she wouldn¡¯t be bothered because she simply did not care.


    ¡°Edmundo advised me to put her up for adoption¡±, Samantha croaked.


    ¡°You did what!¡±, Rita shouted, rising to her feet.


    This was overboard, far beyond what she had expected. She could take whatever Edmundo did but not this, this is just too much.


    ¡°I know.. I¡¯m sorry, he tricked me into doing it. He said he didn¡¯t want a liability and I believed him because I loved him or I thought I did. I was so young and stupid¡±, she sobbed.


    Rita¡¯s palms were itching to p the living day lights out of her. She couldn¡¯t understand why people could be so wicked and cruel. An innocent child made to live in an orphanage knowing fully well she had parents who were just so stupid.


    Rita paced, thinking about her words. She couldn¡¯t allow the child to continue living in an orphanage when she had parents.


    ¡°Please, say something¡±, Samantha sobbed.


    Rita stared at her, deciding to be calm. Somehow, she knew how she felt when she thought she was in love with the bastard called Edmundo. Even though Rita had never loved him, she out herself in the shoes of the women who he promised Heaven and Earth. She knew that Edmundo could be very convincing and just the right words from him would have that woman drooling.


    ¡°Does your mother know anything about this?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t tell her. If she knows about this, she¡¯ll disown me. I know what my mother can do¡±, she sobbed harder.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ll support her because you don¡¯t deserve to have a mother knowing fully well what you did to your own daughter¡±, Rita seethed.


    ¡°I know, I deserve all the insults¡±.


    ¡°Your daughter, what¡¯s her name and what orphanage is she?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Her name is Arianna, she¡¯s five now. She lives in the orphanage in the middle of the city¡±, she said, dabbing the tears that seemed to fall down in torrents.


    ¡°Okay. But why me, why did you choose to tell me when you don¡¯t even know me¡±, Rita said.


    This question has been burning her in her heart ever since Samantha had spilled everything to her.


    ¡°Because, you¡¯re the only one I could trust and you¡¯re the only one immune to Edmundo¡¯s charms. I know you don¡¯t love him and I needed someone who isn¡¯t a fool like the rest of us¡±, she said.


    Rita was d that at least one other person asides Theresa and Rodrigo knew she didn¡¯t love him.


    ¡°Now, Samantha. Here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do, listen well and listen good¡±, Rita said.


    Samantha sat up, drying her eyes. Her eyes were red rimmed and Rita felt no pity for her knowing the evil thing her and Edmundo did.


    ¡°First and foremost, you¡¯re going to get your daughter out of there immediately. Take her and the both of you should go somewhere far away. Knowing who Edmundo is, I have a feeling that once he knows what you¡¯ve done, he¡¯lle after you and possibly kill you¡± Rita said.


    ¡°Oh God¡± Samantha croaked.


    ¡°Yes. Edmundo is as bad as that. Go to the orphanage tomorrow, get your daughter out of there and go anywhere, somewhere far away from here and when you¡¯re there, call your mother and exin everything to her from the beginning¡±.


    ¡°Ohh no, I can¡¯t do that¡±, Samantha sobbed.


    ¡°You have to. Trust me, you really need to tell her. She¡¯s your mother and she deserves to know everything that happened. It wouldn¡¯t be nice if she hears this from another person, it¡¯s even going to be worse. I also have a feeling that she wouldn¡¯t disown you especially when she sees her granddaughter¡±, Rita said.


    Samantha nodded, taking a deep breath. Some of the colour had returned to her face and Rita was relieved at this because it seemed as if she was about to copse.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do as you say. Thank you, I didn¡¯t know what you¡¯ll think¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. I¡¯ve done nothing, the only person you should be worried about now is your daughter¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t believe I did that. Gosh, I wonder if she¡¯ll ever forgive me when she finds out what I did¡±, Samantha said, cleaning a rouge tear that fell down her eyes.


    ¡°It might be hard but she¡¯ll eventually forgive you. Now, go before your mother discovers you¡¯re missing¡±, Rita said.


    Samantha nodded, rising to her feet. To Rita¡¯s surprise, she hugged her. Rita hugged her back despite everything.


    ¡°You¡¯re a really good person, I won¡¯t forget this¡±, Samantha croaked.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°And please, whatever you do don¡¯t marry Edmundo. He¡¯s an animal in human flesh¡±, Samantha seethed.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only person who adviced me on that¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°I just hope Senator Brabra realizes soon enough the beast he has for a son¡±, she said.


    ¡°I hope so too, I guess he doesn¡¯t know about his son¡¯s evil heart¡±, Rita said.


    Samantha sighed, giving Rita¡¯s hands a gentle squeeze before walking out of the room. Rita sat back down on the bed, thinking over what happened.


    Unbeknownst to Samantha, Rita had recorded everything they said. She wouldn¡¯t implicate Samantha though, just change her voice so people wouldn¡¯t know she was the one. She had to gather every evidence she had against Edmundo and make sure he pays for everything he has done. Rita knew that Samantha wasn¡¯t the only woman who Edmundo had done that too and he would be confused on who the woman really is. That would be his downfall.

 Chapter 43

    Rita woke up the next morning, nning to see Camille whom she hadn¡¯t seen for a while. After the dinner party the previous day, Rita moved out of Senator Wilson Brabra¡¯s house. Much to her satisfaction, Magdalene didn¡¯t make a fuss about her staying. It seemed to her that she was just as willing to let Rita go which she was thankful for.


    Rita got up from her bed, making her way towards the bathroom to do her toilet business. When she was done, she ced a call to Camille to see if she would be home.


    ¡°Hi, Camille good morning. How are you doing?¡±, Rita said, smiling into the phone.


    ¡°Hello dear, I¡¯m alright. How are you?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°Quite well, thank you. Would you be at home, I was nning on seeing you today¡±.


    ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯m not home. I¡¯m at my friend¡¯s on the outskirts of town. I was feeling alone and decided to stay with her for a while¡±, she said.


    Rita was secretly bummed that she didn¡¯t call her to keep herpany but she reasoned that she might just want to stay with someone who was her age group.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Camille, you could have called me toe keep youpany. You know I¡¯lle immediately¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you. You¡¯re working and being the President of a big organization like the Andersons is a lot of work. Don¡¯t worry dear, I¡¯m fine¡±, Camille chuckled.


    ¡°Okay, if you say so. Don¡¯t worry so much about Rodrigo, he¡¯ll return soon. I assure you¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Thank you dear, I believe so too¡±, Camille sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter¡± Rita said, before cutting the call.


    Immediately, she dialled Francis number. She wanted to know how far they¡¯ve gone in finding him.


    ¡°Hi, good morning Francis¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am¡±, he clipped.


    ¡°Anything new yet? Have you been able to find him?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Nothing yet ma¡¯am but when I do, I¡¯ll ce a call to you¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay, thank you. Please, try harder¡±, Rita begged.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best ma¡¯am, you have nothing to worry about¡±, he said before cutting the call.


    Rita sighed, sitting back on her bed. She believed that Rodrigo would be found but when was the question. All these days, she had remained strong, holding on to his promise. She vowed to continue to hold on until he¡¯s found.


    She got up from her bed, making her way downstairs to have breakfast. When she got to the dining room, she met her parents who were already having breakfast.


    ¡°Good morning darling¡±, her mother beamed.


    ¡°Morning¡± Rita mumbled.


    ¡°Ohe on, why the frown¡±, her father chuckled.


    ¡°Nothing, just tired¡±, she lied.


    She was a bit tired but not as much as they thought. Rita wasn¡¯t in the mood to have any conversation with them but she had to bear it since it¡¯s a must the whole family must have breakfast together.


    Her mother passed her the kettle of tea, taking care not to spill the hot liquid all over the table. Rita poured some of the rich liquid into her cup as she took a small sip.


    ¡°So, any progress about finding Rodrigo?¡±, her father asked in between meals.


    Rita sighed, sipping her tea. The issue with Rodrigo was a sour subject to her and she didn¡¯t know if she was ready to divulge everything she had learnt to them. She decided against it because for one, she knew her mother would rat everything out to the first person she spoke to.


    Rita didn¡¯t want that, she didn¡¯t need all the publicity that apanies a missing person. She would find Rodrigo herself without anybody¡¯s help.


    ¡°Fine¡­ We¡¯re making headway, better than I expected¡±, she said vaguely.


    ¡°I see, do you need any help?¡±, her mother asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Thank you¡±, Rita said.


    Getting help from her mother would be thest thing she did. A help from her mother would tie her to her and she would constantly remind you why you shouldn¡¯t disrespect her.


    ¡°Well, I hope he¡¯s found¡±, her father said.


    ¡°I hope so too¡±, Rita said quietly.


    Everyday of her not seeing Rodrigo was making her scared. Different thoughts ran through her mind on the possibilities on why he hasn¡¯t been found. Top on the list was the thought of his death. Rita shuddered, her thoughts taking on a dark twist.


    ¡°I¡¯ve.. got to go¡±, she stammered.


    She left the dinner table hurriedly, rushing towards her room. She didn¡¯t want her parents to see how affected she was about Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance. She didn¡¯t want them to see her cry in case the water gates open up. She closed the door behind her, climbing unto her bed. She sighed, refusing to give into the tears that threatened to fall.


    Rita took a deep breath just as Rodrigo had taught her and soon, her racing heart was back to normal. She picked up her phone, dialing Theresa¡¯s number. She needed to leave the house for a few hours.


    ¡°Baby girl, what¡¯s up¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. You at home?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yeah, Mateo has been having a fever so I¡¯m home¡±, she sighed.


    Rita could sense that her friend was worried. Ever since she knew Theresa, if there was one thing she feared, it was ailments. Despite her tough girl exterior, Theresa would turn to mush if somebody was Ill. This was all as a result of her mother¡¯s death, her mother was terminally ill before she died, right in her daughter¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming. Don¡¯t worry, everything would be fine¡± Rita assured.


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll inform the security you¡¯re on your way¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita smiled before cutting the call. She threw on some clothes, packing her hair into a loose ponytail. She applied a light coat of lipstick since the weather was getting cold and her lips were dry.


    She made her way downstairs, snatching her car keys from a side table. When she got outside, she was surprised that a lot of snow had filled the driveway and the entirety of thepound. Rita carefully backed her car away from the house, careful not to speed. As she drove, she decided to put on the car radio since the car was too silent.


    The first thing she heard was a missing report about a man who had just been found. ording to the newscaster, the man was a male with no memory of where is he is and who he was.


    Rita mmed on the brakes when she saw the red light had been on for a minute now. Her mind was totally on the report as she turned the volume up a notch.


    ¡°He¡¯s about 5¡¯8, brown hair and a lean build¡±, the reporter said.


    Rita¡¯s heart was pounding. The description matched Rodrigo and she was having a hard time breathing when the green lights instructed them to move.


    ¡°His age is expected to be between fourty five and fifty¡±, the reporter said, finally.


    Rita sighed, taking her mind off the reports. Rodrigo wasn¡¯t even half of that age, he was only in his thirties and this description didn¡¯t match him.


    She got to Theresa¡¯s house and drove in without any questions from the security men at the gate. No doubt, Theresa had already informed them about her arrival. She parked the car beside the house, climbing out. Rita walked towards the huge double doors, ringing the bell.


    Soon, the door opened to reveal her friend¡¯s pretty face which wasn¡¯t so pretty now due to the frown marring her face. Rita could see that her friend was beyond worried with the way her body tensed up when she hugged her.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°In his room. Come along¡±, Theresa croaked.


    Rita had always loveding to her friend¡¯s house. Even though it was a bungalow, the features in it rivaled that of a mansion. The security system attached to the house was of top most quality and the murals gave it a regal look.


    They got to Mateo¡¯s room soon and when Rita saw the boy, her heart broke. He was indeed sick, he had a pale look and he seemed lighter than usual when she carried him.


    ¡°Have you taken him to the hospital?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Yeah, the doctor said it¡¯s nothing to worry about. He said he¡¯s only teething that soon, his temperature would return to normal¡±, she said.


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t need to worry, i actually suspected this. You see, teething is actually synonymous to children especially of this age. He¡¯ll be fine girl, it only means your boy is growing older¡±, Rita smiled.


    She ced him back on his crib. He snored lightly, gripping his stuffed toy. They left his room, making their way to the living room so they wouldn¡¯t disturb him.


    ¡°So, how are you?¡±, Theresa smiled.


    Since Rita had been in the house, this was the first easy smile Theresa had given her. She could tell that she was a bit relieved that her son would be fine.


    ¡°I¡¯m just there, trying to survive. If you ask me, which you did, I just feel numb¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°Oh darling, everything¡¯s going to be okay. You just have to stop worrying and start believing that, it will be fine, trust me¡±, Theresa smiled, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°I know and I¡¯m hoping that soon all these would make sense¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°So, what would you like to have?¡±.


    ¡°Ohh please, I¡¯m not a guest. I¡¯m going into the kitchen to ransack the fridge¡±, Ritaughed, rising to her feet.


    Theresa joined her, smiling as she followed Rita to the kitchen. Rita opened the fridge, in awe of the various snacks that was loaded in it.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to have some youghurt¡±, she said.


    Rita brought out a big bowl of her favorite youghurt, scooping a healthy portion inside a cup.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been hiding the youghurt from Mateo ever since his illness began¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°That must be hard, considering how he likes this treat. How¡¯s the babying, have you told Marco yet?¡±, Rita said, taking a spoon of ice cream.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I¡¯m just waiting for the right moment to tell him. With Mateo¡¯s illness, he hasn¡¯t really been himself. But I promise, when all this is over, I¡¯ll inform him¡±, Theresa smiled .


    ¡°Okay, but do that on time. I¡¯ve learnt that men do not like it when their wives hide something as important as this to them¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Honestly. Do you know I have a feeling that this would be a girl¡±, Theresa said, rubbing her stomach.


    ¡°I hope so, I can¡¯t wait to hold my goddaughter in my hands¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s been happening with you and Edmundo?¡±.


    ¡°Nothing much just that I¡¯m avoiding him and he¡¯s doing the same. I really don¡¯t want him near me again¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I really wish that one day, you¡¯ll be free from him¡± Theresa said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish babe, I know I¡¯ll be free from him. It¡¯s only a matter of time¡±.


    ¡°I like your faith, I wish I had it too¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita smiled, eating more of the youghurt. Theresa busied herself with making her homemade spaghetti that Rita seemed to love.


    As Rita thought about everything happening to her, she knew the end was near.

 Chapter 44

    A week after her visit to Theresa, Rita got the good news that Mateo was fully recovered. Theresa also informed her that she had told Marco about the baby and he was delighted to hear the news. Rita was happy that her friend¡¯s life was getting back in shape after the bumpy episode.


    Rita was currently in her office, going over the file that Yasmin had brought her earlier on. It seemed as if whenever she got to the office, she was loaded with files of different sort. Each file wanted to seek her permission about something ranging from a meeting to a party down to a contract.


    Sometimes, she barely had time for herself and with the issue of Rodrigo which weighed her down, it was nearly impossible.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, an investor is here to see you¡±, Yasmin said.


    Rita groaned, she needed a break from everyone who wanted to see her. It seemed as if she was the only one against all of them.


    ¡°Okay, please send him in¡±, Rita said.


    Soon, there was a knock on the door. Rita instructed him toe in and soon, a well dressed man with curly hair and deep blue eyes walked in. Rita had never seen him before and wasn¡¯t so sure if what Yasmin said about him was right.


    ¡°Hello, good morning. Please have a seat¡±, Rita said.


    By now, her guard was up. She didn¡¯t trust this man who seemed suspicious and strange. Though he was dressed for a meeting but Rita could feel a bad vibeing from him.


    ¡°Good morning, my name is Nichs Stuart¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay¡­ So, my secretary informed me that you¡¯re an investor representing the petroleumpany¡­¡±, she said.


    Her hands surreptitiously creeped to the rm button beneath her table. She would waste no time in alerting the security if this man tried anything funny.


    ¡°I am, just that I really don¡¯t make my presence known that much¡±, he smiled.


    The smile reminded Rita of a shark¡¯s about to catch it¡¯s prey. Her hands crept closer and closer to the button as she gave the man a fake smile. She didn¡¯t quite understand what he said which made her all the more terrified at the evil things he could do.


    ¡°So, why are you here?¡±, she said.


    She was tired of the game he seemed to be ying. She was in no mood to do that and the only reason she hadn¡¯t kicked him out of her office was because she wanted to know what he was really up to.


    ¡°To give you this¡±, the man said.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Within the twinkle of an eye, a gun was pointed on her face. Without thinking, Rita pressed the rm button as the shrill sound of the rm filled the whole building. The man knocked her down with the gun, cing his foot on her back.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±, Rita cried out in pain.


    ¡°What should have been mine, thispany. I should be sitting on that chair, I should be making the decisions here but here you are, a mere woman not worthy of this position¡±, he screamed.


    He pushed the gun closer to her temple and Rita desperately wished the security men could hurry up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, who are you?¡± Rita sobbed.


    This was the time she needed Rodrigo but he wasn¡¯t here. She cried over his disappearance and the shooter thought she was crying over the pain as heughed maniacally.


    ¡°I suggest you ask your father that is if youe out alive. When I¡¯m done here, I¡¯m going for him and everyone you love. I will destroy you all until the Anderson name is history¡±, he cackled.


    He cocked his gun, ready for the final kill. Rita said a prayer to all of the gods listening above, she made a promise within herself to love Rodrigo even in death and as she waited for the pain to take over her, she felt a heavy weight pushed away from her.


    Rita scrambled to her feet to see about ten security men fill her office. Ramirez tackled the shooter to the ground, knocking the gun away from his hands. The others helped him handcuff the man as they dragged him to his feet.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you alright¡±, Ramirez said, gripping her hands.


    Asides from a cut on her head, Rita was okay just shaken a lot. She stared at the man who attacked her and she had never felt so much hatred for one person before.


    She walked towards him but Ramirez drew her back. He didn¡¯t want her close to him for fear of him attacking her again. He had a maddening look in his eyes and Ramirez could tell that this man was a hardened criminal.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t go to him. He¡¯s a criminal and he might attack you again even though he¡¯s restrained¡±, Ramirez said.


    Rita nodded as she watched them lead him away. Yasmin rushed towards her, hugging her as tears streamed down her eyes.


    ¡°Oh gosh, I¡¯ve never been so scared in my life¡±, she sobbed.


    Rita patted her back, smiling at how lucky she was to survive this. She had no idea who the man was but what he said stayed put in her heart.


    ¡°Any idea who he is?¡±, Rita asked Ramirez who still stood by.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re handing him over to the police now for proper investigations. Ma¡¯am, I suggest you leave the office for some time. The police would be in here soon, looking through the damages¡±, he said.


    ¡°But I have tons of things to do¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Trust me ma¡¯am, it¡¯s for the best. We also need to have a look at your head, it¡¯s bleeding¡±, he said.


    Rita sighed, she knew he was right but she found it hard to leave her office when there was so much pending work needing her attention. She packed the few things she would be needing before following Ramirez out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve put the whole building on lockdown for about twenty four hours as a precautionary measures against further attacks. I¡¯ve also instructed the staffs to leave the premises until further notice¡±, he said, leading her to an SUV.


    ¡°Thank you Ramirez, that was really thoughtful of you¡±, Rita said, climbing into the car.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee ma¡¯am. Henceforth, I¡¯ll be driving you anywhere you want to go. This is not the first nor second time this is happening, we need to take your security more seriously¡±, he said, driving towards the hospital.


    Rita sighed, she knew he was right. With the way she¡¯s been getting attacked in recent times, one would wonder if she was living herst days on earth.


    ¡°Please, find out more about that man. I want to know who he is¡±, she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m on it¡±, he said.


    Her phone gave a shrill sound as dozens of calls and texts from her parents and Theresa filled her phone. No doubt, Rita knew that her parents were the first to hear of this since everything that happens within the building was reported to them straight away.


    She ced the phone back on herp. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk to anyone until she had her head treated. She wanted to be in the right shape before talking to anyone.


    Her father had a lot of questions to answer and Rita couldn¡¯t wait to begin. She had a feeling that she would discover a lot of secrets, secrets that might leave her scarred for life.

 Chapter 45

    ¡°All done, you¡¯re really lucky it wasn¡¯t a superficial wound. Just a graze, I¡¯ll prescribe some painkillers for you to use and you¡¯ll be alright¡±, the doctor smiled.


    She was a young woman and Rita suspected that they were the same age. She smiled, thanking the young woman before she left with Ramirez who took the lead.


    ¡°Just drive me home, I need to rest¡±, Rita said.


    She felt tired all of a sudden as Ramirez drove her home. She was on the brink of loosing it but she held on. She was a fighter and a good one at that. She wouldn¡¯t allow the circumstances surrounding her to weigh her down.


    When Ramirez got to her house, he parked the car in front of the double doors. He ushered her in, leading her by the arm because she felt suddenly dizzy. When she got to the living room, she met her parents pacing. Her father was on the phone with someone and when he saw her, tears of joy streamed down her eyes.


    Rita had never seen him cry before and seeing him now broke her heart. Her mother rushed towards her, gripping her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Never in my life have I been so scared¡±, her father said, sitting down on the couch.


    His hands were supporting his head as he shook with pain. Rita sat beside him, gripping his hands in her¡¯s.


    ¡°I shall take my leave now. Please call me if you need anything¡±, Ramirez said.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, Rita said quietly as she watched him leave.


    Her mother sat on a chair opposite them and for some time, all was quiet. Rita could tell that her parents were trying to process everything that had happened.


    ¡°What really happened¡±, her mother said quietly.


    For the first time ever, her mother wasn¡¯t the usual chatty self she was used to. Rita didn¡¯t know how to exin the few minutes of horror she had just passed through.


    She exined everything that had happened and with each minute of rting the horrific event, she shuddered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, how did he breach the security¡±, her father said.


    ¡°That¡¯s still unclear but Ramirez and the rest of the security team are working on it, we should get an answer soon¡±, Rita said.


    Now, she decided to ask her father the questions that had been burning her in her heart. The words of the shooter was still ringing in her eyes and try as she may, she couldn¡¯t quite understand any of it..


    ¡°The shooter said something¡±, Rita said, quietly.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±, her father asked.


    Rita took a deep breath, she didn¡¯t know how he¡¯ll feel if she told him the hurtful things he said. True, her father was a strong man but for the first time, he was weak.


    ¡°He said something about being the head of thepany and I don¡¯t deserve to be there. He said I should ask you that you¡¯ll know better. Father, what did he mean?¡±, she said.


    Her father shuddered while her mother looked as if something was stuck in her throat. Rita didn¡¯t know why they reacted this way but she knew it couldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°Stuart¡±, he mother whispered.


    Rita stood up abruptly upon hearing the name. That was thest name of the shooter. There was no doubt, her parents knew all about this but they seemed to be reluctant to tell her.


    ¡°What is really going on?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Sit down¡±, her father said.


    Rita sat down without protesting. She was eager to know what her parents wanted to say, she had been waiting for this ever since the attack.


    ¡°We were a group of four men who founded the organization. Unfortunately, the three other founding members died in a ne crash. I was fortunate not to be among them because on the day they left, I had to go see my ailing father. The Anderson group was formerly called LOMA which was abination of our first names, Lawrence, Ondo, Michael and Agustus¡±, he said.


    ¡°It was agreed that in the advent of something happening to them, I was to hand over thepany to Michael¡¯s son who hade of age at that time. I agreed to it but everyone could see that Michael¡¯s son wasn¡¯t interested in running an organization¡±.


    Rita remained quiet for a while. She was getting more confused by the second. She didn¡¯t quite understand where the name Stuart came from.


    ¡°Stuart is Michael¡¯s middle name and his son took that name to be hisst when his father died. When I saw that Nichs wasn¡¯t ready to handle thepany, I took over from him. I remodeled thepany and I renamed it Anderson. Not many people know this story as everyone thinks I began the organization¡±, he said.


    Her mother shook with unshed tears and for the first time ever, Rita felt pity for her. She couldn¡¯t imagine the horrors she faced during those trying time.


    ¡°God! It all makes sense now¡±, Rita croaked.


    ¡°Yes, this is a secret we¡¯ve kept from the public. Even Senator Brabra, my closest friend doesn¡¯t know about it¡±, he said.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Then I guess we should continue to keep this a secret. No one needs to know¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes and gosh, I¡¯m really grateful that you¡¯re alive¡±, her mother croaked.


    ¡°That¡¯s all the more reason why you have to get married to Edmundo. His family has a lot of influence that could help thepany¡±, her father said.


    ¡°Dad, that¡¯s where I¡¯ll draw the line. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to marry Edmundo, it¡¯s not possible¡±, she said.


    ¡°But you must¡±, her mother said.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not a must and I won¡¯t. Have you seen the tabloids, the papers, Edmundo is a serial man whore and anyone who ends up with him would be so unlucky¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°But I believe he¡¯ll change¡±, her mother pressed.


    Rita couldn¡¯t believe they were still on this issue. She thought by now they would have forgotten everything about that issue but it seemed they were still on it.


    ¡°Change doesn¡¯te easily mother and with someone like Edmundo, I doubt if he¡¯ll ever change¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll allow nature take it¡¯s cause¡±, her father simply said.


    ¡°I need to go rest, I¡¯m having a headache¡±, Rita said, rising to her feet.


    ¡°Do you have your painkillers¡±, her mother said.


    ¡°Yes¡±, Rita said, walking towards her room.


    She climbed the steps one at a time as against two which she usually does. Her head was woozy and it seemed like everything she looked at was in two¡¯s.


    Rita got to her room soon, pulling her shoes off as she climbed into her bed. Rodrigo¡¯s face was thest thing on her mind before she went into a fitful sleep.

 Chapter 46

    ¡°I heard about the attack¡±, Camille said.


    Her call was the first thing Rita received the following morning. Rita smiled into the phone, touched by her care. She felt a bit stupid for not answering all her texts and calls the previous day. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to answer anyone until she cleared the questions that had been burning her in mind since the attack.


    ¡°It was horrible¡±, she croaked.


    Rita was still feeling a bit dizzy from the drugs she had taken and the only way she could talk was due to her headache reducing a notch.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you alright now¡±, Camille said.


    Rita could tell that she was worried from the tone of her voice. She didn¡¯t want her to be since she was trying to be strong ever since Rodrigo disappeared.


    ¡°I am now. It was just a graze, nothing much¡±, Rita smiled into the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m d it wasn¡¯t more than that. I was so worried about you yesterday¡±, Camille sobbed.


    ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m fine now, please don¡¯t cry¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°Okay..  okay, I¡¯ve stopped. I just get so emotional these days¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°Everything would be fine, that¡¯s what I¡¯m just standing on now¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes, I believe so too. You know, as the day goes by, i just have this conviction that Rodrigo would be back¡±, she said.


    ¡°I believe so too but until then, let¡¯s keep on hoping and praying for his return¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to the office today right? After everything that had happened¡±.


    ¡°Oh no, my parents wouldn¡¯t even let me step one foot out of the house. There are major investigations going on and until the police certify everything is fine, I¡¯ll be working from home for now. I even prefer it because I¡¯ll have time to rest¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°That¡¯s much better. I¡¯m still in my friend¡¯s house, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll leave but it won¡¯t be long¡±, Camille said.


    ¡°Okay, just stay safe. If you need anything, just call me please¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I will, thank you. Please take care of yourself¡±, Camille said before cutting the call.


    Rita sighed, cing the phone beside her bedside table. Just as she was about to rest her head to take a light sleep, Theresa¡¯s call came in. Rita cringed when she saw the caller ID. No doubt, Theresa would be furious at her for not returning her calls.


    ¡°Hi¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Rita Maryanne Isabe Anderson are you nuts!!!¡±, Theresa screamed into the phone.


    ¡°I know¡­ I know, I¡¯m sorry. I should have returned your calls, I was so tired yesterday¡±, Rita cringed.


    She knew that Theresa was beyond furious and the only way she could calm down was if she told her the reason why she couldn¡¯t return her calls.


    ¡°Hmph, but you could have just dropped a text so I¡¯ll know you¡¯re okay¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I totally forgot with everything that happened¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay baby girl. Anyway, I¡¯m downstairs¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita scrambled to her feet. She didn¡¯t expect her friend to be here so quickly, it was a really big surprise to her.


    ¡°Wait like¡­ You¡¯re downstairs, in my house¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Hellooo¡­ Where else would I be? I came to see you, to ascertain if you¡¯re telling me the truth. Until I see you, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll know¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m in my room. Juste on up¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a jiffy. I¡¯m going to tiptoe past the living room because of your mother, I don¡¯t want her to see me especially now that my bulge is a bit prominent¡±, Theresaughed.


    ¡°Okay, get here soon then¡±, Ritaughed before cutting the call.


    Few minutester, Theresa walked into her room wearing a flowing gown. Rita could make out the small bulge in her stomach. No doubt, the baby was growing bigger by the day and very soon, her stomach would be really obvious.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re much better than I expected¡±, Theresaughed, hugging her friend.


    She sat on the bed with Rita, crossing her feet. Her long brown hair was curled to the side, exposing her neck that was bedazzled with chains.


    ¡°I told you I wasn¡¯t so knocked out, now you can see for yourself¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°Can you me me, I was just so worried when I heard the news. Marco had to stop me froming over right at that minute¡±.


    ¡°Are you crazy? You really wanted toe. Well, I would do the same if I were in his shoes, you need to be more careful Theresa. Remember, you¡¯re carrying a human in you now¡±, Rita said.


    Theresa huffed, opening her bag to pull out various kinds of biscuits and sweets. She knew Rita liked these and didn¡¯t hesitate to buy her favorites.


    ¡°You bought the cookies¡±, Rita squealed, snatching one from her.


    ¡°I did because I know you like them. What¡¯s a friend without her bringing cookies and sweets and now that you¡¯ll be at home for sometime, expect me often¡±, Theresa smiled, opening a pack of biscuits.


    ¡°That¡¯s better. I¡¯ve been thinking on how I¡¯ll get by everyday withoutpany, thank you love¡±, Rita smiled.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°So, have you heard from Camille recently?¡±, Theresa asked.


    ¡°She called me this morning. She¡¯s fine, still in her friends house. To be honest, I think she should just remain there. She¡¯ll be much safer there¡±, Rita said, popping a sweet in her mouth.


    ¡°I hate to say this but it seems like the both of you are targets. Call it weird but that¡¯s what I think¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita mulled over her words and she agreed. Ever since Rodrigo had been working with her, she had faced a lot of attacks and there was no telling what would happen to Camille if this attacker gets to know that she¡¯s Rodrigo¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Do you think I should send security over to her friend¡¯s house?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°I think you should leave everything the way it is. Doing that might draw unnecessary attention to her which wouldn¡¯t be nice. Just tell her to be careful and she shouldn¡¯t keepte nights¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even do that. I¡¯m d though because people hardly know her which is for her benefit¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°True. Has Francis found anything yet?.


    ¡°Sadly no, but he said they¡¯re still working on it¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°I really hope he¡¯s found. This is getting longer than expected but I believe it would be over soon, I just have this feeling¡±, Theresa said with a far away look in her eyes.


    ¡°Is Mateo alright¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll be turning three next week, I want to organize a small party for him¡±, Theresa beamed.


    ¡°Am I invited?¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°If you don¡¯te, I¡¯ll skin you alive¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita smiled and for the first time in a long while, she felt bliss.

 Chapter 47

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ve been able to get some information concerning the attack¡±, Ramirez said over the phone the next day.


    Rita was just preparing to have an online meeting with some investors when Ramirez¡¯s call came in.


    ¡°Shoot¡±, Rita ordered.


    ¡°First, we discovered that he has no email, no bank ounts linked to him. The only thing we linked to him was a phone number we traced to a burner phone¡±, he said.


    It wasn¡¯t much but Rita was grateful for their help. It made her feel much better after hearing this information.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee ma¡¯am. We also discovered he used a jamming system that prevented us froming to rescue you on time¡±.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! I guessed as much because I wondered why you guys didn¡¯t arrive on time¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°Not to worry ma¡¯am, he¡¯ll be behind bars for a long time¡±, Ramirez assured her.


    ¡°Thank you, for all your help¡±, Rita smiled into the phone.


    ¡°Anytime ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll call you when I get another information¡±, he said before cutting the call.


    Rita sighed, dropping her phone on a nearby table. She switched on herptop, connecting into the website were the meeting was going to be held.


    It was the first of the numerous ones she had today and she couldn¡¯t wait to get over with it. She needed a lot of rest if she was to recover fully from the attack. As she waited for the other members to join in the meeting, Rita wondered what would have happened if she actually died in the attack.


    No doubt, Edmundo would hop onto the next woman as soon as possible. She knew he had no pity for her. If he had, he wouldn¡¯t be doing the useless things he does.


    The meeting soon began and she pushed the issue of Edmundo out of her mind. She wasn¡¯t going to allow Edmundo interfere with her life. He had no right to and she¡¯ll be damned if she allows him to rule over her thoughts.


    ************************


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re alive¡±, Edmundo said, walking into the dining room.


    She was currently having lunch and was quite surprised he showed up. She didn¡¯t want to see him but she had no way of sending him out.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re just rude. Of course, I came to see my fiancee. Why would you ask me that sort of question¡±, he said.


    ¡°I think I told you I wouldn¡¯t be getting married to you so you can stop calling me that now¡±, Rita said, sipping her tea.


    Edmundo took a seat beside her without an invite. Rita sighed at his rudeness, deciding to ignore whatever charms or trick he wanted to pull out.


    ¡°It¡¯s a done deal my dear, you¡¯re only dying the inevitable. Your parents would never support your decision¡±, he mocked.


    ¡°True, my parents might not support me but I really don¡¯t care when all I care about is my happiness. So Edmundo, you see you really don¡¯t own me and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it¡±, Rita smiled sweetly.


    Edmundo had a bitter look on his face as he stared at her. If looks could kill, Rita would have been six feet under with the way he stared at her with hatred in his eyes.


    ¡°Edmundo darling, so lovely to see you¡±, her mother beamed, walking into the dining room.


    Rita groaned, she knew she had no chance of escape. Her mother would no doubt force her to stay and listen to all their boring conversations.


    Edmundo changed his expression faster than Rita could keep up. He smiled at her mother, giving her a warm hug


    Rita was disgusted by this fake show of love. She wasn¡¯t surprised though as they were birds of a feather.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking lovely as always May¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Darling, did you offer your fiance anything to eat?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°No. Actually, Edmundo was just on his way leaving¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I¡¯m just arriving. I want to spend some time with my fiance since our wedding would being up soon¡±, Edmundo said, giving her a pointed look.


    Rita sighed, she knew there was no way she could send him away. He was here to stay and once he made up his mind about something, there was no going back.


    ¡°Oh goody! That¡¯s great. We can all have breakfast together then¡±, her mother said, drawing out a chair.


    She took the pot of tea, pouring a healthy portion into Edmundo¡¯s cup. She poured some for herself and the two fell into talking.


    Rita was grateful for this because she didn¡¯t have it in her to join in a pointless conversation about elites and those in authority. All she was concerned about is her health and finding Rodrigo. The rest didn¡¯t matter to her.


    ¡°What do you say about that Rita, you¡¯ve been awfully quiet¡±, her mother said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not following your conversation¡±, Rita said, point nk.


    Her mother chuckled, no doubt trying to douse the awkward atmosphere. Rita cared less about what she did. The conversation could get as awkward as possible and she wouldn¡¯t blink an eye.


    ¡°Your mother and I were just discussing about the Colonel¡¯s daughter who got married over the weekend¡±, Edmundo grinned.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t care about that. The Colonel¡¯s daughter could get married to whoever she wants, why do you guys even bother about all these¡±, Rita said.


    The look on their faces was priceless and Rita wished she had a camera to capture the moment andugh over it whenever she got bored.


    ¡°We are concerned because you would also be getting married very soon so we need to be in the know¡±, her mother seethed.


    Rita was fed up, she couldn¡¯t sit there and listen to their worthless stories. She stood up from her chair, giving them a tight smile.


    ¡°I have some things to attend to¡±, she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re always busy¡±, her mother said, giving her the stink eye.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I have a job mother¡±.


    ¡°Dinner in my house tomorrow?¡±, Edmundo said.


    ¡°Were you deaf when I told you I had work to do. No, I won¡¯t have dinner with you¡±, she said, finally walking away.


    Deep down, she couldn¡¯t wait to get out of the house when all the investigations in her office have been concluded.

 Chapter 48

    ¡°Mateo¡¯s birthday is in three days¡±, Theresa said over the phone the next day.


    Rita settled on her work chair at home, clutching her phone to her ear. She was gradually getting to the end of her workload and she could afford to rx when she was done.


    ¡°Ohh, why didn¡¯t you inform me earlier¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°I know¡­ I should have done that, I didn¡¯t want to disturb you knowing you¡¯ll be swamped with work¡±, Theresa sighed.


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll never be too busy to help you out. You¡¯ve been there for me Theresa even in times when I didn¡¯t expect it¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re making me teary. Okay, so you can still help me. I¡¯m totally swamped with everything, the food, presents. I don¡¯t even know where to begin¡±, Theresa whined.


    ¡°Okay¡­ Okay, I¡¯ming over¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re a life saver. But don¡¯t forget toe with Ramirez, I can¡¯t risk your life unnecessarily¡±.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯lle with him¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°Whew¡­ Thank you, see youter¡±, Theresa said before cutting the call.


    Rita dialled Ramirez¡¯s number, informing him about her visit to Theresa¡¯s house. He affirmed that he would be there soon. Rita cut the call, throwing on some loose clothes.


    Soon, Ramirez called to inform her he was downstairs. Rita made her way downstairs, bypassing her parents who were chatting in the living room.


    ¡°How are you Ramirez?¡±, Rita smiled, climbing into the SUV.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing quite alright, thank you ma¡¯am¡±, he said.


    As Ramirez drove towards her house, Rita replied texts from different clients she had postponed their messages. One particr message drew her attention, it was a message from an unknown number telling her not to trust the people she called friends.


    ¡°Ramirez, can you pull over for a minute¡±, Rita mumbled.


    Ramirez did that immediately as he parked by the side of the road. He stared at her through the rear view mirror, wondering why she gave that order.


    ¡°Is there a problem ma¡¯am?¡±, he said with a worried look in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, look at this¡±, Rita said, handing him her phone.


    He read through the message and she could tell that he was a bit worried about the content of the message.


    ¡°When did you receive this?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There were a lot of messages on my phone but I ignored them and decided to reply some of it today only to see this¡±, she said.


    ¡°Please check the date¡±, he said, handing her back her phone.


    ¡°It was three days ago, the day of the attack¡±, she shuddered.


    Ramirez nodded, a grim expression on his face. Rita could tell that his mind was working furiously, trying to piece everything together.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forward the message to my phone then show the cops. They should be able to take it up from there¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay, thank you. Please, let¡¯s go¡±, Rita said.


    Ramirez nodded before pulling into the road. As he drove towards Theresa¡¯s house, her mind was on the message. There was no doubt that this message was rted to the attack, something she found ufortable.


    They got to Theresa¡¯s house soon. A big monster truck was parked inside the garage and Rita could tell that Marco was around.


    ¡°Should I wait for you ma¡¯am?¡±, Ramirez asked, bringing the car to a stop.


    ¡°No, you can go. When I¡¯m about leaving, I¡¯ll give you a call¡±, she said, walking towards the house.


    When she got to the double doors, she pressed the doorbell as she waited for an answer from within.


    Soon, the door opened to reveal the muscr face of Marco. He smiled upon seeing her, giving her a side hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time I saw you¡±, Rita smiled, walking into the house.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I know, work and business takes me all around the world¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°How is business by the way?¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Fine car¨¤, we can¡¯tin¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear¡±, she said.


    ¡°How is your old man?, I¡¯ve been wanting to see him to talk business. I have a business proposal to make¡±, he said.


    ¡°You cane by to the mansion when you¡¯re free. Pops is always at home¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop by the moment I¡¯m free¡±, he said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Theresa?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s with Mateo who has refused to take his bath. Sometimes, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do to that boy¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Let me see if I can salvage the situation¡±, Rita said, moving towards the room.


    When she got to Mateo¡¯s room, she pushed the door gently andughed when she heard his squeal and Theresa threatening Heaven and Earth.


    ¡°Can I help?¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°Oh you¡¯re here. Good gracious!, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do with this boy¡±, Theresa groaned.


    Ritaughed, moving towards the squealing child. She crouched beside him, petting his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to take a bath¡±, he screamed.


    ¡°Okay, here¡¯s what is going to happen Mateo. If you allow mummy take your bath, I¡¯ll put you on my ne the moment you¡¯re on holiday from school. How does that sound?¡±, Theresa smiled.


    Mateo seemed to think about it for a while as his cunny eyes darted between his mother and Rita.


    ¡°Okay¡±, he garbled.


    There was a look of relief on Theresa¡¯s face as she gave her hands a gentle squeeze. Rita smiled, sitting on Mateo¡¯s small bed.


    She watched as Theresa cooed at him as she took his bath while the little boy sshed water all over the floor.


    Rita felt a sharp tug in her heart as she desperately wished for what Theresa had, she also wanted to feel the love of a child.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

 Chapter 49

    ¡°So I¡¯ve already arranged for the props and food but we need to get the decorations but I have no idea how to¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°That¡¯s easy, I have some people who do stuffs like this and the good thing is they owe me a favour¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Oh goody! That¡¯s great, that¡¯s settled then. Let¡¯s move to the number of guests we¡¯ll be inviting, personally I don¡¯t want to invite a lot of guests¡± Theresa said.


    ¡°I agree especially with the way things have turned out these past few days, I don¡¯t really support we having a lot of guests¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°True. So, would twenty guests be okay?¡±.


    ¡°That sounds good, twenty it is¡±, Rita said, crossing off the number on her jotter.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled. All we need to do now is prepare for twenty guests. I¡¯ll send out some invitations to these guests so they¡¯ll know beforehand¡±, Theresa smiled.


    ¡°So, who are these guests? Anyone in particr?¡±, Rita asked, tapping on her phone.


    ¡°Just some of Mateo¡¯s school friends and their parents, that¡¯s all¡±, she said.


    ¡°Okay then. Theresa, you wouldn¡¯t believe what I saw whening over¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me someone threatened you again, I don¡¯t really think I can live with that anymore¡±, Theresa sighed.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that¡±, Rita chuckled.


    She narrated the contents of the message to her. She could tell that Theresa was affected by this especially with the light frown marring her face.


    ¡°I have a feeling this person wanted to just give you a sign or a warning against the attacker¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Yes, but apparently I saw the message a little toote¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°But let¡¯s be grateful that you¡¯re still alive, that¡¯s all that matters¡±, Theresa said, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°To be honest, I was really scared. I mean, those few minutes were the worst minutes of my life. I actually thought I¡¯d die that day seeing the rage on his face¡±.


    ¡°But Rita, there¡¯s something that still troubles me. I don¡¯t understand, what did he really want¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°He just said it should have been him who ruled the organization, I think it¡¯s a case of jealousy¡±, Rita said, vaguely.


    She didn¡¯t want to tell her about the secret her parents revealed to her. It was a family secret, one that she vowed to keep forever. Not that she didn¡¯t trust Theresa, far from it, it just sounded awkward spilling that kind of secret to her.


    ¡°A serious case of jealousy if you ask me¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I know. You know, I wanted to go to the police station to see this man. I mean, I think there¡¯s more he isn¡¯t saying¡±, Rita said, wringing her hands together.


    ¡°Are you crazy? You actually want to go see the person that attacked you. If you ask me, I¡¯ll say you should sit your ass down at home till everything blows off¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I know but I have this burning feeling that there¡¯s more he¡¯s hiding¡±.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re seriously considering this. Rita, it¡¯s dangerous. What do you expect your parents to think. Please, don¡¯t do something stupid¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Okay.. okay, what if I go with Ramirez and a couple of the security team¡±, Rita said.


    Theresa thought about this for a while. Rita could see that she wasn¡¯t on board with the n and the only reason why she was thinking about it was because of her inquisitiveness.


    ¡°I guess you can take them along but please, for the love of God take more than one with you. Even though the ce is filled with police officers, I still don¡¯t trust that man¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I will, I promise¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Which reminds me, I have something to tell you too¡±, Theresa beamed.


    Whatever it was, Rita could tell that it was something good. Theresa had a sparkle in her eyes and Rita could tell that she was giddy with excitement.


    ¡°Spit it out, I¡¯m getting anxious¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°So, I went for an ultrasound yesterday and guess what¡­ I¡¯m expecting twin girls¡±, she squealed.


    Tears of joy streamed down Rita¡¯s eyes as she hugged her friend. She was beyond happy for her, d that her bundle of joy would be three.


    ¡°Okay¡­ Okay, I¡¯m not going to cry anymore¡±, Rita croaked.


    ¡°This was exactly my reaction when the doctor told me¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°Have you told Marco?¡±, Rita said, dabbing her eyes.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll tell him after Mateo¡¯s birthday party¡±, she said.


    ¡°Do that on time though, don¡¯t dy it like thest time¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°I will and I¡¯ve even picked out names already¡±.


    ¡°Tell me¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll name the first girl Natasha after my mother and the second Rita, after you¡±, she smiled.


    Rita was beyond touched at this. She hugged her friend as tears of joy streamed down her eyes, she was beyond honoured by this.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t have to do this you know¡±, Rita said, dabbing her eyes.


    ¡°Hell no. I¡¯ve been wanting to do this ever since I knew about this. I want the girls to be as strong as you are. Look at you Rita, you¡¯ve been through a lot yet you¡¯re still strong, still smiling and giving love to the world. If I want anyone to have your traits, I want it to be my girls¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°What¡¯s all the mushiness going on in here¡±, Marco chuckled, walking in.


    ¡°Oh nothing¡±, Theresa said, giving Rita a pointed look.


    ¡°We were just talking about Mateo¡¯s birthday and how it¡¯s going to be a st¡±, Rita lied, smoothly.


    ¡°I see. Well, you girls handle everything. I¡¯ll be outside, I have a match to y with my buddies¡±, he said.


    He kissed Theresa before making his way out of the room, his huge frame filling the doorway.


    ¡°That was close¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I think he knew we were lieing¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t keep this too long from him¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Honestly, I won¡¯t. Knowing how smart my husband is, I think he¡¯s going to figure it out earlier than expected. It only takes a snap of his finger before the doctor pours everything out¡±, she chuckled.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Marco is really smart and it shows in his business dealings. How he gets some contracts still baffles me. I see everything in the papers¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°What can I say, I guess I¡¯m lucky¡±, Theresa said, handing her a ss of white wine.


    ¡°You¡¯re not lucky my dear, you¡¯re blessed¡±.


    ¡°You bet I am¡±, Theresa chuckled.

 Chapter 50

    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to go see the bastard who almost gunned you down¡±, her father seethed.


    Rita hadn¡¯t nned on informing him but she couldn¡¯t keep something like this from him. He deserved to know at least even though they really didn¡¯t see eye to eye on certain issues.


    ¡°I need to go Dad, i need to find out other things about this attack. I have a feeling that there¡¯s more to this. Please, I¡¯ll be okay. Remember, it¡¯s a police station and nothing can really go wrong there¡±, she said.


    Lawrence sighed, there was really no arguing with his daughter especially if her mind was already made up.


    ¡°Okay, just be careful. Go with Ramirez and at the first sign of trouble, please get out of there¡±, he said.


    ¡°I will, don¡¯t worry about me¡±, Rita smiled.


    She left the house soon, followed closely by Ramirez and three of the security men who all wore frightening looks.


    Rita climbed the SUV while Ramirez manned the wheels. There was another escort car behind her and she sighed at her father¡¯s paranoia.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you throughout¡±, Ramirez said.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, Rita said, quietly.


    Even though she wanted to argue with him, she couldn¡¯t because his mind was already made up and there was no going back.


    They got to the station soon. Ramirez parked Army style incase anything was to ever happen they could make a quick getaway.


    Rita walked inside the building, closely followed by the security men who formed a human shield around her. They got to the counter soon and Rita gave the man behind it a polite smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see the suspect¡±, she said.


    If the man was surprised, he hid it well. His face was neutral as he stared at the security men who surrounded her.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°I have to seek permission from the higher-ups. Please take your seat, I¡¯ll be back soon¡±, he said, walking away.


    Rita made her way to a set of chairs, taking her seat. The security men stood at strategic corners, their trained eyes scrutinizing the environment.


    The policeman came back soon still with that same neutral expression. Rita wondered if he even smiled but she knew that his smile would be limited especially with the kind of job he did.


    ¡°Please,e with me¡±, he said.


    Immediately, her security escorts regrouped. One of them stayed back while the remaining two followed her into the interrogating room.


    When Rita saw the man that almost took her life, she shuddered. She almost called everything off and was about going back until she decided to brave it. The man appeared leaner than thest time she saw him. His hair was disheveled and his entire body was unkempt. He stared at Rita as she came in with cool dead eyes.


    Rita took a seat with Ramirez and the other security agents who stood at strategic corners. They surreptitiously crowded the man in case he tried anything funny.


    ¡°Why are you here, haven¡¯t you done enough¡±, he said with a scratchy voice.


    ¡°Mr Stuart, I¡¯m not here to fight you. I¡¯m only here for some answers¡±, Rita said, calmly.


    ¡°I bet you are. I guess daddy didn¡¯t give you the answers you so desired¡±, he mocked.


    Rita reigned her temper down, giving the man a disgusted look. She expected him to be sober and still remorseful but it seemed he still had a lot of fight left in him.


    ¡°Why did you reallye?¡±, Rita asked.


    She could feel the anger pouring out of Ramirez¡¯s body. She knew that he was just holding on to thest shred of patience he had.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you or are you suddenly dumb¡±, he seethed.


    ¡°Mind the way you speak to her¡±, Ramirez growled.


    For the first time since she had arrived, the man had a fearful look in his eyes. No doubt, Ramirez had that effect on people.


    ¡°Why did you reallye?¡±, she asked again.


    ¡°Asides wanting to rule thepany, your father did something really bad¡±, he said.


    Rita didn¡¯t know if she could believe him but she reasoned that since he was here, he had no reason to lie.


    ¡°What did he do?¡±, Rita croaked.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t want to know¡±, he said.


    ¡°I do, just spit it out¡±, Rita said.


    She was getting more impatient and every minute kept in suspense was eating her up. Deep down, she had a feeling that her father didn¡¯t tell her the whole truth and now, this man just confirmed it.


    ¡°Your father caused the death of the other founding members¡±, he said, finally.


    It was as if Rita¡¯s whole world wasing to an end. She swayed on her seat as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. She didn¡¯t want to believe him but knowing who her father was, she had no doubt he was capable of that.


    ¡°No.. I don¡¯t believe this¡±, she croaked.


    ¡°I guess he told you they died in a ne crash right?¡±, he chuckled.


    All the colour on her face drained upon hearing this. There was no doubt now that this man was telling the truth.


    ¡°But how..?¡±, she stuttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe daddy could help¡±, he mocked.


    Rita ignored this, focusing on the words he said. She stared at Ramirez but the security man gave no sign that he was affected by this. She stared at the other man but he also gave the same expression.


    Suddenly, the ce was too hot for her to stay. She stood up abruptly, swaying from the dizziness. It seemed as if more and more secrets concerning the people in her life resurfaced each day.


    ¡°Going so soon¡±, Nichs chuckled.


    ¡°Our meeting here is over. I have nothing else to say to you¡±, she said.


    Nichs chuckled, rattling the chains that bound his hands together. For a minute, Rita thought he was going to attack her but then, she noticed that it would be impossible as he was literally shackled to the chair.


    ¡°Have a nice life Miss Anderson¡±, he mocked.


    ¡°And I hope you rot in jail where you truly belong¡±, Rita said before making her way out.


    The security men followed her out, climbing into the car with her. As they made the journey home, Rita¡¯s mind was filled with everything she had heard.


    ¡°Ramirez, don¡¯t tell my parents what you heard¡±, she said.


    The security man nodded, quiet understanding what she meant. It wouldn¡¯t do him good if he ratted out on her especially since he had formed quite a strong bond with her.


    Rita knew what to do but she only hoped that none of her ns will bounce back on her.

 Chapter 51

    Rita knew she had to tell somebody about what she heard but she didn¡¯t quite know who to tell. The issue was a very sensitive one and there was no telling what would happen if the information fell into the wrong hands.


    As she thought about it, Camille¡¯s name popped in her mind. If there was one person she could trust, it was her. She was also sure of getting good advice from her on how best to handle the case.


    Rita picked up her phone, deciding to call the woman whom she could proudly call her friend.


    ¡°Hi Camille¡±, Rita said, smiling into the phone.


    ¡°Oh, hello dear. How have you been?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been good. Please, I need to see you. Are you still in your friend¡¯s house¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Oh no, I got back to my house yesterday. Is anything the problem dear?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid yes, I need to talk to you about something¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Is it Rodrigo?¡±, she croaked.


    ¡°No¡­ No, it¡¯s not Rodrigo¡±, Rita said.


    She couldn¡¯t live with it if Camille thought Rodrigo was dead, it would make her sad, knowing there was nothing she could do to bring him back.


    ¡°Okay, whatever it is dear I¡¯m all ears¡±, she said.


    ¡°I was hoping to see you¡­ I mean, to discuss one on one¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°No problem dear, you¡¯re free. Please,e over. I¡¯ve also missed your home made spaghetti¡±, Camille chuckled.


    ¡°I promise, when I¡¯m done telling you everything, I¡¯ll make some for you¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be expecting you dear¡±, Camille said before cutting the call.


    Rita ced her phone on the table, throwing on some clothes. She took her bag from the rack she hanged it and was prepared to leave when her phone gave a shrill sound, indicating she had a call.


    Rita picked up the phone, swiping the screen open. The caller ID showed that it was Theresa calling. Rita gulped, feeling guilty.


    ¡°Hello¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°Did you really think you wouldn¡¯t tell me about your visit to the police station?¡±, Theresa began.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m a bad friend. I got caught up with everything that happened yesterday, I¡¯m sorry¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Rita, I¡¯m your best friend and I think I deserve to know everything that¡¯s been going on. That¡¯s what friends do¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I promise I¡¯ll make it up to you, I promise¡±, Rita said.


    Theresa remained quiet for a long time. Rita could tell that she was thinking about her words, she hated feeling this way, hated the guilt that overshadowed her. Theresa is her best friend but yet, she still found it hard to tell her everything that¡¯s going on.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Will you being to Mateo¡¯s birthday party tomorrow?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not quite sure. Theresa, you wouldn¡¯t really understand everything that¡¯s happening right now. I have a lot on my hands that need my whole attention. But I promise, I¡¯ll try to be there. Even though I don¡¯t stay for the whole event, I¡¯ll try to make an appearance¡±, Rita said.


    She needed to assure her that she would being. It wouldn¡¯t do her good if she just told her straight off that she would miss the party. Theresa would never forgive her for that and that was something she desperately wanted to avoid.


    ¡°Okay, just be careful. I love you no matter what happens, your happiness is all that matters and you shouldn¡¯t trade it for anything else okay¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Okay, thank you Theresa. I swear, I¡¯ll make it up to you¡±, Rita promised.


    ¡°I know and now, you owe me¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Hug Mateo for me. I also owe him tons of gifts too¡±, Ritaughed.


    She made her way downstairs, clutching the phone to her ear. She could hear the young child making funny noises in the background and she smiled at the innocence he radiated.


    ¡°He¡¯s been looking everywhere for you. I had to tell him you went to prepare the ne before he finally stopped nagging¡±, Theresaughed.


    ¡°I really owe him a ne ride, infact the both of you¡±, Rita smiled, climbing into the SUV.


    ¡°You bet. Okay, let me leave you now. I¡¯ll see  you soon, stay safe love¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°And you too dear¡±, Rita smiled before cutting the call.


    ¡°Where to ma¡¯am?¡±, Ramirez asked.


    ¡°To Camille¡¯s house¡±, Rita said.


    Ramirez nodded before driving onto the main road. Rita sighed, looking out of the window. Even though some part of her life were okay, there were still many parts that needed light.


    ¡°Sorry to cut into your thoughts ma¡¯am but we¡¯ve been able to trace the strange message you got on your phone¡±, Ramirez said.


    ¡°Really? That was fast¡±, Rita said.


    She was quite surprised at this. She expected it to take days if not months before they could get anything.


    ¡°Yes, we had to treat it as urgent¡±, he said.


    ¡°I really appreciate all your efforts. So, what did you find?¡±, Rita said.


    She was itching for information, anything at all that could help her unravel the mystery that seemed to be her life.


    ¡°The message was sent from a burner phone that we traced from a pick¡¯n¡¯go shop downtown. The person who sold the phone her no idea who the buyer is¡±, he said.


    ¡°So that means, the identity of this person is still not known?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid yes but we¡¯re working on finding out who this person is¡±, he said.


    ¡°Thank you for all your help, it¡¯s really appreciated¡±, Rita said.


    She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d have done if these guys weren¡¯t in her life. They¡¯ve saved her more times than she could count and the only reason she was alive was because of their dedication to their job.


    ¡°Just doing my job ma¡¯am¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°So¡­ Anything on Rodrigo yet?¡±, she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid no ma¡¯am, not yet¡±.


    ¡°I really hope he¡¯s found¡±, Rita said, a lone tear sliding down her cheeks.


    ¡°He¡¯ll always find us. That¡¯s a promise I know woulde true¡±, he said.

 Chapter 52

    A week had passed since the attack in Rita¡¯s office. She was grateful for being alive, grateful that despite everything she had faced, she could wake up each day and take in the morning air.


    ¡°Ramirez said it¡¯s okay to go back to the office now¡±, Rita said over breakfast one morning.


    ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t want a repeat of that attack happening again¡±, Lawrence said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure dad, it won¡¯t happen again. Besides, the man who did it is behind bars and wouldn¡¯te out for a very long time¡±, Rita said.


    Ever since she had gone to see Nichs in his cell, she had been itching to tell her parents what he said. She didn¡¯t know what to expect if she told them. Murder was a serious offence and if her father was found guilty, he could spend the rest of his life in jail. She shuddered to think what would be of her and her mother plus, thepany would no doubt be affected by this.


    Over the years, Rita hase to learn that no one wanted to be associated with murderers and with her father¡¯s status and influence, a crime of this magnitude was disastrous.


    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you dear¡±, her mother said, quietly.


    Ever since the incident, Rita had noticed that her mother was unusually quiet and reserved these days. No doubt, the attack in Rita shook her to the core. Rita had never seen her look so scared and frightened before. She was secretly d for this. At least, it will save her from her constant reminder about her marriage to Edmundo.


    ¡°When I went to Nichs¡¯s cell¡­ I just heard ¨C you know what, never mind¡±, Rita said through a forced smile.


    ¡°Go on, I want to hear it all¡±, her father said.


    Rita took a deep breath before she spoke. No doubt, this would change their lives and the way they handled the news would go a long way in saving the family.


    ¡°Dad, Nichs said you caused the death of the other founding members. Is this true?¡±, Rita said.


    She looked him in the eye, willing him to lie or try to cover the truth but he did none of that. He stared at her, a furious look in his eyes. Her mother had gonepletely white like she had seen a ghost. Rita knew that if a ghost was to appear at that very moment, her mother wouldn¡¯t be bothered.


    ¡°Of course not, that¡¯s preposterous¡±, her mother shouted.


    ¡°Mum, I want to hear it from dad, not you¡±, Rita said, quietly.


    Her mother¡¯s lips thinned as she looked everywhere else but her daughter. She took her tea cup with shaky hands, sipping the contents gingerly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not true. Nichs is a liar and the only reason he¡¯s doing this is to destroy the good name we have built over the years¡±, he said, finally.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t get it. Why does he hate our family so much I mean, asides from you taking over thepany when he was clearly not capable to rule¡±, Rita said, pushing her food away.


    She had lost her appetite and the only way she could regain it back was if she gets all the answers to her questions.


    ¡°Power¡±, her father simply said.


    ¡°Power?¡±, Rita asked.


    She didn¡¯t expect that response and was quite baffled even he replied. It seems as if every secret she reveals had her getting more confused by the minute.


    ¡°Yes, power. You see power has the ability to rule you, make you a ve until you sumb to it. Anyone who is power drunk would no doubt make silly mistakes that could cause a lot of things. Nichs is simply power drunk that¡¯s why he¡¯s behaving this way which is all the more reason why I took over from him when he was still a young chap¡±, he said, sipping his tea.


    ¡°Even when he was still a young boy, I saw something in him that didn¡¯t quite sit well with me. Who knows what would have happened to thepany if I didn¡¯t take over as at the time I did¡±, he said, finally.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Everything was a bit clear to Rita now that her father had shed more light on the issue. She didn¡¯t understand why people could be so drive to acquire what they want without working for it.


    ¡°Michael was a good man, I don¡¯t know why his son behaves this way. I really don¡¯t know how two people whoe from the same family could havepletely different characters¡±, he sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not new to me anymore, infact I know one who is pretty close to us¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°When would you be going back to work?¡±, her mother asked.


    Some of the colour had returned back to her face but she still looked frightened but less so.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet probably tomorrow¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Just take your time a bit, don¡¯t worry yourself too much okay?¡±, her father smiled.


    Rita gave his hands a gentle squeeze. Despite everything that had happened, they would continue to stay strong for each other.


    ¡°I have to go upstairs, I need to finish up with some things¡±, Rita said


    She rose to get feet as she made her way into her room. Now that some of the answers she¡¯s been seeking were somewhat settled, she could focus on other things that were burning her in heart.


    She picked up her phone to call Francis. Since thest time she called him, she hadn¡¯t heard anything from him which left her worried.


    ¡°Good morning Francis¡±, she said.


    ¡°Morning ma¡¯am¡± he said.


    ¡°How far have you guys gone please¡±.


    ¡°Any moment from now, we¡¯ll give you an answer. We¡¯re still searching but I can assure you that he¡¯ll be found¡± he said.


    Rita was gradually loosing hope and she almost told him to forget about the case but Rodrigo¡¯s face shed through her eyes. She couldn¡¯t give up, knowing fully well that he wouldn¡¯t want her to. She was precious to him and she knew he¡¯ll be counting on her to find him.


    ¡°Okay, thank you. Please keep me posted the minute you get anything¡±, she said.


    ¡°I will ma¡¯am¡±, he said before cutting the call.


    Rita ced her phone on the table, sighing as she pulled out herptop. She still had some work to do and the earlier she gets to it, the quicker she¡¯ll be done.


    As she surfed the inte, her phone gave a sharp sound indicating she had a notification. She swiped the screen open to reveal a ring headline that read; SON OF SENATOR IN TROUBLE FOR ALLEGED MURDER.


    Rita wasn¡¯t surprised because she knew the person was no other than Edmundo. She smiled, knowing that this just made it easy for her to call off her engagement with him.


    A thought shed through her mind. She wanted to go to the Brabra¡¯s house to see how they were taking the news. Even though she hated going there, she had to to see the look on their faces as their son was being used of murder.


    Quicky, Rita shut down herptop as she threw on light clothes. She snatched her car keys from the table but not without taking her trusty recorder that would pick up any incriminating thing they might discuss.


    Rita wanted to gather every little thing she could use against them no matter how inconsequential it might be. She had a feeling that the end was drawing near and it was time to use everything she had gathered to destroy Edmundo Brabra.

 Chapter 53

    When she got to the Senator¡¯s house, everywhere was quiet, too quiet forfort. She smiled politely to Louis who opened therge double doors for her. When she still lived under their roof, she had made a lot of friends with the domestic staffs.


    ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am, it¡¯s really lovely to see you¡±, Louis said, bowing slightly.


    ¡°Hi Louis, it¡¯s nice to see you too¡±, Rita smiled.


    She was genuinely happy to see him. Louis had been a sort ofpanion even when she was still here.


    ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am. You came to see Master Edmundo no?¡±, he said.


    His Spanish ent was really obvious especially when he talked for a long period of time. Sometimes, Rita could hardly keep up with somethings he said due to his fast tongue.


    ¡°Urghh.. not quite but are the Brabra¡¯s home?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Yes but I¡¯m afraid things aren¡¯t looking good ever since the report came out about Edmundo¡¯s alleged murder¡±, he whispered.


    His eyes darted about, fearing that he would be overheard. All was clear though but Rita knew the fear he had.


    ¡°I heard that too. But wait¡­ Isn¡¯t Edmundo supposed to be in the police custody?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°To be honest ma¡¯am, I really don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll ever he arrested not with the Senator¡¯s influence¡¯, Louis said with a bitter look in his eyes.


    If they didn¡¯t n on keeping him in jail, Rita vowed to do that especially since she had a lot of incriminating evidence against him.


    ¡°So where are the Brabra¡¯s?¡±, she asked.


    ¡°In the living room, talking about issue but ma¡¯am, I must say, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen Edmundo so scared¡±, Louis chuckled.


    ¡°He has moreing for him. This is just the beginning¡±, Rita said with a determined look in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead you to them¡±, Louis smiled.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t bother Louis. I¡¯ll go to them myself. Please, be careful in case anything happens here and if you need any help,e straight to my office¡±, Rita said.


    Louis was really happy that he kissed her palm, an old tradition in Spain that never seemed to die. Rita smiled as she walked towards the living room. When she got there, she met only Edmundo¡¯s parents sitting there. The look on their faces was priceless. Rita schooled her face not to grin but she was slowly loosing the battle.


    ¡°Greetings¡±, Rita said.


    She clutched her bag tightly as she stared at them. Magdalene¡¯s face was white while the Senator¡¯s was indifferent.


    ¡°Hello Rita, nice of you to stop by,¡±, Magdalene mocked.


    There was no doubt that she knew the reason why Rita was here. Rita didn¡¯t care though because she wasn¡¯t here for them but for Edmundo.


    ¡°I just thought to stop by to apologize over the news going around now¡±, she said.


    She never liked Magdalene and the only person she could tolerate was her husband, Senator Brabra.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­¡±, she snapped.


    ¡°What hase over you¡± Senator Brabra said.


    ¡°What hase over is that our only child is used of murder and his fiancee is here to gloat¡±, she seethed.


    ¡°Gloat? What do you think the whole world is doing now that the news is all over the ce. I think you should be less worried about what Rita does and focus on what the whole world is saying¡±, he said.


    At that moment, all the colour on Magdalene¡¯s face were drained. Her expression wasughable and Rita had a hard time controlling herughter which she covered with a light cough.


    ¡°You¡¯re the Senator, I expect you to use your influence to save my son, our son¡±, she shouted.


    ¡°Magdalene, if you¡¯re expecting me to do that well I¡¯m sorry to burst your bubble because I won¡¯t¡±, he said.


    At that moment, Rita wished she could kiss him. He said exactly what was on her mind but his wife didn¡¯t seem to agree with it.


    ¡°And you¡¯ll leave your son to die like a worthlessmoner?¡±, she said.


    ¡°Of course that is, if he¡¯s found guilty¡±.


    ¡°Wilson, what hase over you? He¡¯s your son for God¡¯s sake. I¡¯m really disappointed¡±, she said.


    ¡°When I became a Senator, I swore with everything I had to always stand by the truth and nothing but the truth. If our son is found guilty of murder, let him face the full wrath of thew¡±, he said.


    Rita felt like this was a family conversation but she couldn¡¯t quite leave knowing that she was getting more and more information.


    ¡°Is Edmundo here?¡±, she said, cutting into the conversation.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s upstairs. You could go see him¡±, Senator Brabra said.


    Rita nodded before making her way towards his room. As she left, she could still hear their bickering but she wasn¡¯t really concerned about that now. All her whole mind was on Edmundo.


    When she got to his room, she was about knocking when his loud voice stopped her from doing so. He was on the phone with somebody and from the way the conversation was going, it seemed like he was in an argument.


    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s gone?¡±, Edmundo screamed.


    ¡°I gave you a simple job to kidnap him and take him somewhere far and now, you¡¯re telling me he¡¯s gone¡±, he seethed.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    A sick feeling twisted in Rita¡¯s stomach. She didn¡¯t know what to think about the conversation she was hearing but she forced herself to because she had a feeling that something important would be revealed soon.


    ¡°Track him down and get him at all cost, he must note back here or I¡¯ll be ruined. Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the news, I¡¯m already ruined but this would only make it worse¡±, he said.


    He paused for a while and Rita could tell that he was listening to whoever was on the phone. She checked her recorder and was happy that it was still working.


    ¡°Good, track him down, kill him. Whatever you must do, do it he must note back¡±, he said.


    There was a slight pause as Rita heard him pacing about. No doubt, Edmundo was in serious trouble.


    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s now rich?¡±, he stammered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that, even though he¡¯s rich, you can still track him down. Rodrigo must note back¡±, he said.


    At the mention of his name, Rita suddenly felt weak. She leaned on the wall as her dizziness returned in full force. So it was him all these while? Edmundo was responsible for Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance and now, he was nning on killing him. Rita knew that this would not be possible because the Rodrigo she knew would never allow it.

 Chapter 54

    Rita left the Brabra¡¯s house with tears in her eyes. After Edmundo¡¯s conversation, she dashed downstairs, needing to be very far away from him. Now, she had a lot of evidence against him and she couldn¡¯t wait to put it in good use.


    First, she was going to break off her rtionship with him before taking any other action against him. Now that she knew Rodrigo was alive, she was a bit confident to carry out her ns.


    She got downstairs, practically running towards the SUV. Ramirez could tell that something was definitely wrong with her especially with the agitated look on her face.


    ¡°Home, fast¡±, Rita ordered.


    She wanted to catch her parents at home before they went for the charity dinner taking ce downtown. Ramirez drove with all of his dexterity, sensing that whatever was going on was much ore serious than he thought.


    They soon got home under ten minutes as Rita climbed out of the car, running into the house. She met her parents in the living room as they prepared to go out.


    ¡°Just stop¡±, Rita panted.


    She made her way to therge couch, slumping on it as all the breath left her. Her parents took the seat opposite her. There was a confused expression on their faces as they watched their daughter trying to catch her breath.


    ¡°Edmundo is responsible for Rodrigo¡¯s disappearance¡±, she said, finally.


    ¡°What!¡±, her father screamed, rising up abruptly.


    Her mother¡¯s face once again took up of a sickly shade of white as she tried to understand what her daughter was saying.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±, she croaked.


    ¡°Yes, I am. I think this is a good reason why I won¡¯t marry Edmundo. It¡¯s over between us and please, do not try to intervene¡±, Rita said.


    She pulled the cursed ring Edmundo gave her, cing it on the center table. Her mother sighed, all the fight leaving her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t even argue with you on this. This is too much, Edmundo had gone over the bar on this¡±, her father said.


    ¡°Thank you Dad¡±, Rita said.


    She gave her mother a pointed look, daring her to argue about it but thankfully, she remained quiet.


    ¡°I agree, he went over board with this¡±, she said, finally.


    ¡°Good, now that we¡¯re on the same page, I don¡¯t want to see him anywhere near me¡±, Rita said, rising to her feet.


    She snatched the ring from the table as she made her way towards her room. When she got there, she ced the ring on her bedside table, dropping her bag on the bed. She brought out her recorder, ying the content of the message again


    Rita smiled because she knew she had got him in a ce where he couldn¡¯t escape from. There was no telling what this evidence would do to him if it gets into the hands of the police. She picked up her phone, deciding to call Theresa who would be happy to hear this news.


    ¡°Hey babe, how are you?¡±, she said.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m okay. How have you been¡±, Theresa smiled.


    ¡°Just there. Please, could youe over, there¡¯s something major going on¡±, Rita said.


    Theresa known to never pass over a gist squealed and assured her she would be there soon. Rita chuckled, cutting the call.


    Despite everything that had happened within an hour, she had a burning feeling that Rodrigo was nearby. She could feel it, it was a deep yearning within her heart.


    Theresa arrived in less than twenty minutes as she barged into Rita¡¯s room. Theresa was the only person who never bothered to knock as she imed once that Rita¡¯s room was her¡¯s and vice versa.


    ¡°Did you fly here¡±, Rita chuckled.


    She made room for her friend to sit, taking out the recorder filled with Edmundo¡¯s atrocities.


    ¡°Mateo was sleeping and I had to make a quick getaway. I left him with Marco who protested that I spend too much time outside¡±, she chuckled.


    ¡°Thanks foring¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Just tell me what¡¯s going on¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita yed the recorder and soon, Edmundo¡¯s voice filled the room. Rita could see the horrified look that filled her friends face and she wondered what she¡¯ll do if she hears the rest of his crimes.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°That bastard, I knew he was behind this¡±, she seethed.


    When the recorder stopped ying, Rita put it away. She knew that she would be using it very soon as she had a feeling that Edmundo¡¯s end was near.


    ¡°Tell me one thing girl, I hope you broke off your engagement with him?¡±, Theresa asked.


    ¡°You bet I did, that was the first thing I did¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Good. So, let¡¯s report this to the police¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Wait, not yet. I want to see how everything turns out before I bring out this evidence. As it is, I know Edmundo¡¯s passport has been seized so he can¡¯t escape¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°My dear, there are so many way you can travel without a passport¡±.


    ¡°I know but there¡¯s one other thing¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Which is?¡±, Theresa asked with a confused expression on her face.


    Rita narrated everything she witnessed between his parents to her. The more she spoke, the more she was convinced that Edmundo wouldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned. I actually thought his father was supporting him on this¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I thought so too but it turns out that they¡¯re two different characters who just share the same blood¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. So is there anything I can do to help?¡±.


    Rita thought about this for a while. She knew she was a potential target for Edmundo and if he found out that she knew all about his crimes, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill her.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, yes. I need your help¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Okay, shoot¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make a duplicate copy of this evidence and send it to your mail. If Edmundo somehow gets wind of me knowing his crimes, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill me. In case that happens, I need someone who can submit these evidences incase I¡¯m not able to¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m very sure that won¡¯t happen¡±, Theresa croaked.


    Rita could tell that her words gave her a fright but that¡¯s just the way things work especially in their world.


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll do it¡±, Rita said, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard but I promise¡±, Theresa sighed.


    ¡°I knew I could trust you. Thank you¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re going to die, I won¡¯t let that happen. If it means ordering some of Marco¡¯s bodyguards to protect you, I will¡±, Theresa vowed.


    ¡°No¡­ No, you don¡¯t have to do that. The security i have is enough to even protect a small city¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°But seriously though, I won¡¯t allow it¡±, Theresa sighed.


    ¡°Listen to me babe. Those who are barers of the truth are usually in danger from those who has made it their life mission to snuff that truth out of them. It¡¯s left for us to make sure they don¡¯t win. Even in death babe, I¡¯ll still be your friend¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Please, let¡¯s stop talking about death. No one is going to die¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°I hope so but I can¡¯t vouch for Edmundo¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°Everyone except him. I really don¡¯t care what happens to him¡±, Theresaughed.


    ¡°I want to see Camille, to tell her that her son is alive¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°To be honest babe, I don¡¯t think you should tell her just yet¡±, Theresa said.


    ¡°Why?¡±.


    ¡°Because it would only spike her agitation up. I mean, the olddy has been expecting her son for months and if you give her this news, it would only make her feel more agitated and you said she has a recurring ailment. Anything that you tell her might trigger it up¡±, Theresa said.


    Rita knew she was right. Informing her might worsen her ailment which could increase her blood pressure.


    ¡°Okay, what do you suggest I do?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Just remain quiet until we figure out the next thing to do but I¡¯m sure that it won¡¯t be long before everything makes sense¡±, she said.


    ¡°Thank you. That reminds me, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask. How was Mateo¡¯s birthday party?¡±, She smiled.


    ¡°It was beautiful. He got a lot of gifts, some I had to hide away because he really doesn¡¯t need then now until he¡¯s of age¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m d. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t make it¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay babe. I¡¯m not angry, I¡¯ll be stupid if I¡¯m angry especially knowing what you¡¯re passing through¡±, she smiled.


    Rita was grateful for the gift of a friend and she vowed to cherish it as long as she lived.

 Chapter 55

    The next day, Rita resumed fully at the office. She could see that a lot of changes had been made especially with the security system. Yasmin, her loyal secretary was now at the top floor, a few doors down from Rita¡¯s office. The other staffs of the organization each had a string of security men, stationed at strategic corners of the building.


    Rita¡¯s office was like a vault. The security system was improved and now, anyone who wanted to see her had to pass through both physical and mechanical screening. A device that read her fingerprints was designed and installed on her office door and she alone could ess the office.


    ¡°d to have you back ma¡¯am¡±, Yasmin smiled.


    She hade upstairs to wee her boss when she was sure she had settled down. She beamed as she took in Rita¡¯s appearance. She was d to see that she was okay without any strain in her eyes.


    ¡°Yasmin, how have you been?¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Alright ma¡¯am, thank you¡±, she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Do I have any pending meetings today?¡±, Rita asked.


    She wanted to know so she could n her day without all the hassles ofst minute preparations.


    ¡°No ma¡¯am, I moved all your meetings till next week because I wanted you to get settled here first before you¡¯re ready to meet anyone¡±, she said.


    Rita was moved by her thoughtfulness and she vowed within her topensate the girl who understood her here at work.


    ¡°That¡¯s really thoughtful of you Yasmin, thank you. I owe you a raise and I promise you¡¯ll get it soon¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Thank you so much ma¡¯am¡±, she gushed.


    ¡°No, thank you fir your help so far in this organization. Without your help and dedication, I could never have gotten round all of the work so I owe it to you. Never stop being the smart girl I know¡±, Rita smiled.


    She came around to hug Yasmin who had tears of joy streaming down her eyes. Rita could see that the young girl was starstruck at the love she poured on her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t, you can count on that¡±, Yasmin said.


    ¡°Good. Please got back to your work, I¡¯ll call you if I need anything¡±, Rita said.


    Yasmin nodded, whilst thanking her before she walked out of the office. Rita sighed, heading back to her chair. It was the little things like this that matters to her, her appreciation to the people who stood by her was something she always looked forward to do.


    A sharp screech had Rita jolting until she remembered that it was the new message system that was recently installed that allowed her to speak with those who were outside.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a visitor¡±, Ramirez said through the inte.


    Rita groaned. She had juste into the office and now, she had a visitor so early. She sighed, knowing that she wouldn¡¯t have a break as long as she was here.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±, she sighed.


    ¡°Senator Brabra¡¯s son, Edmundo¡±, he said.


    Rita sat still upon hearing his words. She didn¡¯t understand how is potential murderer could still walk free despite everything he had done.


    ¡°What does he want?¡±, she seethed.


    ¡°I have no idea ma¡¯am, he won¡¯t say¡±, Ramirez said.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Send him in¡±, Rita said.


    She wanted to know why he was really here, her curiosity was eating her up. Ramirez hesitated before he spoke.


    ¡°Are you sure ma¡¯am, I can tell him you¡¯re busy¡±, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, thank you¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m escorting him in but I¡¯m not going to leave your office. Whatever he has to say, he can say it in when I¡¯m present¡±, he growled.


    Rita chuckled. She knew that most people didn¡¯t like Edmundo but Ramirez seemed to despise him.


    ¡°Alright, please send him in¡±, Rita said before switching off the inte.


    She waited for their arrival and soon, Edmundo swaggered in. Rita felt disgusted about his attitude. He always acted as if he owned the whole ce.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±, she asked crossly.


    She congratted herself on how well her voice was controlled. She¡¯d have hated it if it came out weak and fearful. She wouldn¡¯t give him that satisfaction to think that he scared her. Rita was beyond that now and there was no going back.


    ¡°I came to see my fiancee, is there a problem with that¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Thest time I checked, I¡¯m no longer your fiancee or didn¡¯t my parents give you the news?¡±, she seethed.


    ¡°Yes, they did but I¡¯m not epting it¡±, he said.


    Rita drew out her side drawer, pulling out the cursed ring. She stood up from her chair as she walked towards him. From the smile on his face, the fool thought she wasing to kiss him but his smile took on a downturn when she threw the ring at him. He bent to pick it up and at that moment, Rita wished she could kick him but she held her peace.


    ¡°It¡¯s over between us Edmundo¡±, she said, calmly.


    ¡°How dare you?¡±, he screamed.


    Ramirez attempted to walk towards them but Rita held a hand. She wanted to deal with him her own way. If she gave Ramirez the chance, she knew he would deal with him without missing a beat.


    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯ll get married to a murderer?. I hate you Edmundo with every fiber of my being and I hope you rot in jail. In fact, I¡¯ll make sure of it¡±, she said.


    He moved towards her so fast she couldn¡¯t keep up. He raised his hand, ready to strike her but before he could even get to an inch of her face, Ramirez tackled him to the ground, punching the living day light out of him.


    All that was left of Edmundo¡¯s face was a bloody pulp and some missing tooth. Ramirez kept punching and Rita knew that at this rate, Edmundo would die.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ramirez¡±, Rita said.


    She pressed the inte, summoning the other security men. Within seconds, they had arrived. When they saw the scene before them, they pulled Ramirez away from the bloodied mess of Edmundo. He was still breathing and Rita was d because she couldn¡¯t live with it if Ramirez was used of murder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ ghest.. yiuss for thiss¡±, he stuttered with the few teeth that remained inside his mouth.


    ¡°Take him away, straight to the police station. I¡¯m ready to press charges¡±, she said, finally.


    Two of the security men dragged him away while the third opened the door for them to pass through. When they left, Rita walked to Ramirez who was gripping his hands painfully.


    ¡°You should get this bandaged up¡±, Rita sighed.


    ¡°I will. It really felt good beating the crap out of him¡±, Ramirez chuckled.


    ¡°Ramirez, I¡¯m inquisitive. Did you know Edmundo before?¡±, Rita said.


    He sighed and Rita watched the look of pain that crossed his eye. She could tell that something had happened.


    ¡°Yes¡­ A lot actually¡±, he sighed.


    ¡°Really? What happened¡±, she said.


    ¡°He raped my sister when she was just fifteen¡±, he croaked.


    Rita was dumbfounded. This was the height of it, she knew Edmundo was an animal but what Ramirez said just proved that he was a beast.


    ¡°God! Where is your sister now? Isn¡¯t she going to press charges?¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°She will, now that Edmundo¡¯s crimes are graduallying out¡±, he said.


    ¡°Please, tell her to. I¡¯ll personally back up the case¡±, Rita said.


    ¡°Thank you ma¡¯am¡±, he smiled.


    ¡°Rita is fine please, I mean you¡¯ve saved my life more times than I can count so it¡¯s okay to call me Rita¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Thank you, I need to go please. I have to bandage this up but I¡¯ll assign another security outside your door¡±, he said.


    ¡°Okay, please take care of yourself¡±, she smiled as she watched him leave.


    Rita went back to her chair, sighing as she toyed with the cover of her pen. Now, she was fully guaranteed that she had every cause to deal with Edmundo.


    Just then, her phone rang. It caller ID showed that it was Theresa calling. Rita picked it up and was greeted with the whining of Mateo.


    ¡°Hey girl¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°Rita¡­ Gosh, where are you?¡±, Theresa huffed.


    ¡°In my office. What¡¯s going on?¡±, she said.


    Her heart rate just spiked up. Theresa¡¯s voice was hurried like she was going somewhere. Rita had no idea what was going on. Her thoughts travelled to her parents but she knew they were fine especially with the added security at the mansion.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on Theresa?¡±, Rita asked quietly.


    ¡°Rodrigo. Rodrigo is back and he¡¯s in Senator Brabra¡¯s house as we speak¡±, she finally said.

 Chapter 56

    In all of her years of driving, Rita had never drove as recklessly as she did now. When Rita heard the news, she flew out of her office. Even the security men had a hard time tailing her with the way she drove like a banshee.


    All of Rita¡¯s mind was focused on getting to Senator Brabra¡¯s house on time. Rodrigo was back, she could hardly believe it. Not until she sees him, she wouldn¡¯t believe it. Rita suddenly mmed on the brakes of her car when she nearly ran over an olddy who was crossing the road.


    ¡°You need to have your eyes checked¡±, the woman hissed before hobbling away.


    Rita sighed, apologizing to the woman who flipped the bird. Rita drove away, a bit more cautious than before.


    She got to Senator Brabra¡¯s house soon, parking her car haphazardly at the entryway. Rita ran all the way in, halting in her tracks when she saw a group of people in the living room. Senator Brabra and his wife Magdalene were seated and Rita could tell that there was a frigid atmosphere in the air.


    Rita walked steadily towards them but stopped when she heard her parent¡¯s voice. They came in through the other area and they were quite surprised to see her there. Thest man standing was Rodrigo who had his back to her. She stopped behind a huge table, wondering if perhaps she was seeing an apparition.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Just then, Rodrigo turned to face her. Rita¡¯s legs felt weak as she held onto the table to avoid copsing to the ground.


    ¡°Sugar girl¡±, he grinned.


    Rodrigo was not quite the man she remembered. He had changed, a lot. His face was fuller, his hair sleek and there was an air of importance around him. Rita couldn¡¯t quite ce it but she knew that something positive had happened in his life.


    Just then, from the main entryway, some policemen walked, escorting Edmundo who was bandaged due to the heavy beating he got from Ramirez. The policemen took him to a corner, standing guard beside him.


    Rita was confused on why everyone was here. She knew that something important was about to take ce but she couldn¡¯t quite ce her hand on what that was.


    ¡°What in the world is going on?¡±, her mother said.


    Her expression was one of utter confusion and if Rita looked in the mirror, she was sure that her face would be a replica of her mother¡¯s


    ¡°Great, thank you all foring¡±, Rodrigo boomed.


    Rita stared at him incredulously, she couldn¡¯t believe that he was the one who called for the meeting. She was getting more and more confused by the second and the only way her confusion could be cleared was if all your questions were answered.


    ¡°Rodrigo, what is the meaning of this?¡±, Senator Brabra said.


    ¡°In due time, all in due time¡±, Rodrigo smiled.


    Rita made her way towards arge chair, sitting away from most of them. She wanted to be neutral in times like this until she knew what the hell was going on.


    ¡°So, I have a revtion to make¡±, Rodrigo began.


    The way he spoke was filled with confidence. Rita was surprised by the way he captivated the audience. They all listened attentively, eager for more.


    ¡°First and foremost, I was kidnapped¡±.


    There were collective gasps from everyone as they stared at him with shock in their eyes. Rita wasn¡¯t surprised because she knew this all along.


    ¡°And the very person who did this is in this very room¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°Who?¡±, Senator Brabra said.


    ¡°None other person than your son, Edmundo¡±, Rodrigo said, quietly.


    There was dead silence in the living room as every eye turned towards Edmundo. Magdalene, Edmundo¡¯s mother had a sour look on her face.


    ¡°What sort of lies are these¡±, Senator Brabra seethed.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that¡±, Rodrigo smiled.


    He waved his hands to some men who stood by the door. The men seemed to understand what he said and soon, they dragged in two battered men.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your proof Senator Brabra¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°And how do I believe you?¡±, he asked, his eyes narrowed.


    ¡°This is another proof¡±, Rita said, bringing out her recorder from her bag.


    She was d that she took the recorder whereever she went and this time, it was really useful. She pressed y and soon, Edmundo¡¯s voice filled the living room. Magdalene¡¯s face was contorted as she listened to her son¡¯s voice.


    The recorder soon stopped ying and the living room was immersed in silence.


    ¡°Do you now believe me?¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°How could you?¡±, Senator Brabra screamed.


    For the first time since Rita had known him, Edmundo looked remorseful. His bandaged head was downcast as his hands shook from the embarrassment he was currently facing.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all, your precious son whom you all fawn over is guilty of rape and attempted kidnap¡±, Rita seethed.


    She was leaving no stone unturned in dealing with Edmundo and everyone associated with him. They deserved to suffer for everything and everyone they hurt. Their crimes were far beyond what anyone could imagine and it was only proper for them to be punished for what they did.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe this¡±, her father said, looking tired all of a sudden.


    ¡°Please take him away¡±, Rodrigo ordered.


    The policemen dragged him away. He didn¡¯t put up a fight as Rita thought he would but simply followed the men who dragged him out.


    ¡°Please, help my son¡±, Magdalene sobbed.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid ma¡¯am, I can¡¯t do that. This case is with the police now and I suggest you let them do their job, don¡¯t implicate yourself in the process¡±, Rodrigo said, quite sternly.


    ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand any of this. Howe you¡¯re made and suddenly influential?¡±, May said.


    Rodrigo chuckled, bringing out a small paper from the side of his powerful jacket. Rita stared at him, trying to make out everything that was happening.


    ¡°During my ¡°kidnap¡±, after your son dumped me off in a remote vige, I discovered myself. It turned out that I had a lot of inheritance left for me by my father¡±, he said vaguely.


    At that moment, Rita knew he was lieing. He wasn¡¯t being truthful and for the life of her, she couldn¡¯t understand why he had to lie.


    ¡°I starved for many days in search of the truth until I met an old nurse who also resided in the vige. She helped me a lot, telling me all about my birth and who my parents really are¡±, he said, looking straight at Senator Brabra.


    By now, Magdalene was feeling ufortable as her eyes darted all over the ce.


    ¡°And who are your parents?¡±, Senator Brabra asked.


    ¡°You are, and my mother Camille whom you dumped when she was just a teenager¡±, Rodrigo said, finally.

 Chapter 57

    In all of her life, Rita had never felt so tensed up as she felt now. The room was dead silent as the only noise that could be heard were the chirping of the birds outside.


    By now, Magdalene¡¯s face was no where near how it used to be. Senator Brabra on the other hand had an ufortable look as he looked everywhere else but Rodrigo.


    Rita couldn¡¯t believe that ever since, she had been in love with the legitimate son of the Senator. It was hard to believe but staring at them now, Rita could see the striking resemnce between the both of them.


    ¡°How, Wilson what is this nonsense he¡¯s saying?¡±, Lawrence said, pacing.


    Rita hadpletely forgotten that her father was still around as her whole mind was centered on Rodrigo. For the first time ever, her mother was lost for words as she stared at the drama unfolding before her.


    ¡°Would you like to exin or I should do the honours?¡±, Rodrigo smirked.


    Senator Brabra remained silent, staring like he had lost his sense of speech.


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll tell them the story. Senator Wilson Brabra, only a councillor then promised my mother Camille Campbell that he would get married to her. True, they were in love and were getting prepared to marry when Senator Wilson¡¯s parents kicked against their union. ording to them, a highly respected man couldn¡¯t get married to a pauper and a street urchin like my mother¡±, he said.


    ¡°Though, he tried to fight it, he couldn¡¯t. At the end, he sumbed to his parents demands and left my mother without looking back. Unbeknownst to him, my mother was a few months pregnant with me. Dejected and heart broken, my mother left. Even up until now, my mother never told me this story. I guess she was just trying to protect my identity which I¡¯m really grateful for. Maybe, if people had known who I was, I would¡¯ve been long dead¡±, he finally said.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Rita noticed toote the tears that ran down her eyes. She couldn¡¯t imagine the pain Camille had passed through in giving birth to him, all alone without the help of his father. It was too much for one person to bear and she was in awe of her bravery.


    ¡°Then how did Magdalenee into the picture?¡±, May said.


    Rodrigo smiled, putting the paper back into his pocket. He had a self assured look on his face and Rita could tell that there was still more he was yet to say.


    ¡°He married Magdalene soon after he dumped my mother. Unbeknownst to him, Magdalene was pregnant with Edmundo for another man. Due to his wealth and influence, Magdalene remained quiet about the pregnancy and imed that Senator Wilson was responsible¡±, Rodrigo said.


    The look on the Senator¡¯s eyes was one filled with fury. Magdalene stood up surreptitiously, trying to make a quick getaway.


    ¡°Make sure she doesn¡¯t escape¡±, Rodrigo snapped at one of the men in suit..


    Rita could tell that they were his bodyguards with the way they seemed to follow his everymand.


    ¡°And might I add, she was also an aplice to my kidnap¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee back, you were supposed to die in that vige¡±, Magdalene screeched.


    Senator Brabra¡¯s head was down as his thoughts were on what had just been revealed. Rita felt pity for him because she knew what it felt like to be ruled by your parents. One would be helpless and forced to obey their everymand.


    ¡°Dio Mio! What have I done?¡±, Senator Brabra groaned.


    ¡°You need to apologize to someone¡±, Rodrigo said quietly.


    Rita could tell that he wasn¡¯t angry or furious, he was just indifferent to everything that had happened.


    ¡°Rodrigo Brabra, I¡¯m sorry son¡±, Senator Brabra croaked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me. I think my mother deserves all the apology she can get¡±, Rodrigo said, calmly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is. Please, help me out¡±, he said.


    There was a pained look in his eyes when he said this and Rita was about to spill out her address but she kept quiet.


    ¡°Now, I see why Edmundo behaved the way he did. He was never my son to begin with¡±, Senator Brabra sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the address then we can all go together but that would be thest of it. I don¡¯t want you anywhere near her, you¡¯ve done enough¡±, Rodrigo said with fury in his eyes.


    ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll back off¡±, he said.


    All of a sudden, Rodrigo whirled, facing Rita. Rita¡¯s heart pounded in her chest as she watched him walk towards her.


    She stood up, not quiet sure on what he was about to do. He stood in front of her, stroking her hair, smiling.


    ¡°Sugar girl¡±, he smiled.


    Right there and then, Rita kissed him. She heard her mother shriek but she didn¡¯t care, damning all the consequences. This was the man she loved, the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and nothing would stop her from fulfilling her dreams.


    ¡°Gosh! I¡¯ve forgotten how soft your lips are¡±, she sobbed.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m here now¡±, he said with a tender look in his eyes.


    ¡°For months Rodrigo, I was heartbroken. I didn¡¯t know if you were dead, I even hired private investigators to look for you¡±, Rita sobbed harder.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay love, I¡¯m here now. There¡¯s no going back on our rtionship and I¡¯m d that I¡¯m rich enough to take care of you now¡±, he chuckled.


    ¡°Oh stop it. You know very well that I¡¯m not concerned about all that. Rich or poor, I¡¯ll always love you because you have a good heart¡±, she smiled.


    Rodrigo pulled out an handkerchief from his pocket, cleaning her tear streaked eye. He drew her tighter, kissing her once again.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡±, her dad cut in.


    Rodrigo pulled away from her but still clutched her hands as he gave her father a polite nod.


    ¡°What is happening here sir is that I¡¯m in love with your daughter, right from the first day I began working for her. As of now, we¡¯re in a serious rtionship¡±, Rodrigo said, staring him in the eye.


    ¡°Well¡­ I mean, that¡¯s not a problem. You¡¯re both adults and could do whatever you like¡±, her father chuckled.


    The relief that flooded Rita was palpable as she giggled happily. She kissed him once again, drawing his lower lip in her¡¯s.


    ¡°But, you can¡¯t¡±, her mother said.


    ¡°Mum, I really don¡¯t care what you think anymore. As far as father is okay with it, that¡¯s fine with me. You almost made my life miserable and i won¡¯t have you dictating to me who I¡¯m to get married to¡±, Rita said, giving her mother a pointed look.


    Thankfully, her mother withdrew, going to sit near her father who chuckled lightly.


    ¡°Please, I think we should head over to Camille¡¯s house. She¡¯ll want to know you¡¯re alive¡±, Senator Brabra said, rising to his feet.


    Rodrigo nodded, heading towards the door with Rita by his side. Rita gave his hands a gentle squeeze and she knew right there and then that everything would be fine.

 Chapter 58

    They got to Camille¡¯s house soon. Rita was surprised to see the cars that followed them all the way to her house. Rodrigo informed her that they were his, Rita was surprised but she loved this new him. Her parents went back home, promising toe by for dinnerter in the Senator¡¯s house.


    ¡°Lord, I¡¯ve missed this ce¡±, Rodrigo sighed.


    He and Rita upied a car with two of the security details who sat in front.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she has missed you too¡±, Rita said, snuggling in his arms.


    The car stopped in front of the driveway. Rodrigo climbed out of the car, pulling Rita with him. They made their way to the front door, Rita pressed the doorbell, waiting for a response.


    The door opened soon to reveal the beautiful face of Camille. When she saw who was with rita, her eyes widened.


    ¡°No¡­ It can¡¯t be¡±, she croaked.


    ¡°Mother¡±, Rodrigo said, falling into his mother¡¯s waiting arms.


    Rita shed tears of joy at this reunion. She was moved to joined them but she stayed put since it was a family reunion.


    ¡°All these days, I thought you were dead and now you¡¯re here¡±, Camille sobbed.


    ¡°Mother please, stop crying¡±, Rodrigo sighed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I thought I lost my only child and here you are, alive and might I say rich¡±, she chuckled, staring at his convoy.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone I want you to meet¡±, Rodrigo said.


    Senator Brabra came out from a corner of the building, giving her a lopsided smile. Rita watched the mixed emotions as Camille stared at him. Finally, her eyes showed peace.


    ¡°Wilson¡±, she sobbed.


    She walked towards him quickly, hugging him as tears streamed down her eyes. Rodrigo sighed and Rita knew that there was nothing he could do as they were still clearly in love.


    ¡°Camille¡­ I had no idea you were pregnant with my child, God! How can you forgive me¡±, he croaked.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I guess everything works for our good. It might only be dyed but atst, everything would surely work out for our good¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°Can we go in. It¡¯s freezing here¡±, Rodrigo grumbled.


    Rita hit his chest yfully, knowing that he didn¡¯t really like the Senator¡¯. They headed inside but not before Rodrigo instructed his security team to secure the perimeter.


    They made their way to Camille¡¯sfy living room, taking seats beside the firece to keep them warm.


    ¡°This is all I¡¯ve ever dreamed of¡±, Camille said.


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m d it is finally here¡±, Rita smiled.


    ¡°How did I ever miss it, I mean your pregnancy. Now, I feel like a fool¡±, Senator Brabra said, putting his hands on his head.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you so I guess I¡¯m to take part in the me. I was so scared that if I told you, you would reject me too. I¡¯m sorry¡±, Camille said, wringing her hands together.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be please, this is all my fault. I should have been more sensitive and shouldn¡¯t have listened to my parents¡±, he said.


    ¡°Can we stop with the pity party and actually rejoice that I¡¯m alive¡±, Rodrigo chuckled.


    ¡°Son, I owe you a huge apology. I never knew that your mother was pregnant with you, if I had known I would never have left her in that condition¡±, he said.


    Rodrigo took a deep breath. Rita gave his hands a gentle squeeze, willing him to forgive his father. After all, he was safe which is all that matters.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ Dad¡±, Rodrigo said with an ear splitting grin.


    Ritaughed, basking in the moment that was free from evil thoughts. All she could feel around her was love, pure undiluted love.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else I want to say¡±, Rodrigo said.


    He faced Rita, kissing her palm. Rita felt like her heart would burst from all the joy and excitement she was witnessing.


    ¡°Shoot son, we¡¯re listening¡±, Senator Brabra said.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get married to Rita. I know it¡¯s quite early especially since I just returned but I¡¯ve never been so sure of something before. Rita has stood by me even when I was still her chaffeur. She included mother in herpany¡¯s health care system¡±, he said.


    ¡°She gave me something to look forward to and I know, she¡¯s the right woman for me. We haven¡¯t decided anything yet as this is just me making the introductions but I¡¯m sure she has no problem with getting married to me¡±, Rodrigo chuckled.


    Rita pecked his cheek, sending in all the warmth and love. She expected this, ever since their rtionship began. Ever since the very first day he began working for her, she had wanted him to say these words to her and now, her dreams were finallying true.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This is one of the best news I¡¯ve heard this year¡±, Senator Brabra beamed.


    ¡°Me too. I have no problems with your union, I bless it¡±, Camille said with tears streaming down her eyes.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll go inform her parents soon and then the wedding preparations would begin¡±, heughed.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll go make my homemade spaghetti. I hope y¡¯all are hungry¡±, Ritaughed, rising to her feet.


    Camilleughed, following her into the kitchen. Rodrigo and Senator Brabra were left alone in the living room. There was a small awkward pause but the Senator broke the silence, clearing his throat.


    ¡°How did you survive all alone?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°To be honest, it was hard but I¡¯m d I¡¯m alive¡±, Rodrigo smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m d too. Please, if there¡¯s anything you need don¡¯t hesitate toe to me. I want to make it up to you¡±, he said, quietly.


    Rodrigo stared at him. He had a good mind to refuse his offer but when he remembered the look of joy on his mother¡¯s face, he bit his words. He didn¡¯t want to be selfish knowing fully well that his mother had never been happier.


    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll do that but not to worry, I¡¯ll keep your promise in mind¡±, Rodrigo said.


    ¡°Thank you¡±, Senator Brabra sighed.


    Soon, the women he loved came out from the kitchen, carrying bowls of steaming hot spaghetti. Rita sat beside him, cing her feet on hisp as she guzzled down her food.


    ¡°This is the best damn spaghetti I¡¯ve eaten in a long while¡±, Rodrigo chuckled.


    ¡°Good, prepare to be stuffed with more¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait especially now that I have you by my side¡±, he smiled.


    Rita ced her te on a nearby table as she scooted to be much more closer to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re back¡±, she said, softly.


    ¡°Like I said before, I¡¯ll always find you sugar girl¡±.

 Chapter 59 Epilogue

    It¡¯s been three years since Rita married Rodrigo, three years of bliss and peace. Rita couldn¡¯t ask for a better husband. His love and care was out of this world as he never failed to show the world how much he loved his family.


    A year after they got married, Rita delivered a beautiful girl that looked so much like her mother. She had blonde straight hair that seemed to sparkle whenever the sun hit it, she took her father¡¯s eyes which were the colour of the ocean and when she smiled, it was the most beautiful thing her parents had ever seen. Her name was Sophia, named after Rodrigo¡¯s half sister.


    After everything had been settled concerning their marriage, Camille broke the news to them that Sophia wasn¡¯t actually his full sister, just a step sister. She had him for a man she got married to when Rodrigo¡¯s father dumped her. The man, Thomas whom they hade to know his name had died from a terminal illness.


    Rodrigo, though sad about the incident was d that he got to share the gift of a sibling with his sister and now, little Sophia got to share the same name with her step Aunt.


    ¡°Babe, you should really hurry up. The guests would arrive soon¡±, Rodrigo said.


    Today was the unveiling of Rita¡¯s second child. Her best friend and her parents were due here any minute from now but she didn¡¯t quite seem ready.


    Rita already knew the sex of her child but she kept it from Rodrigo. She wanted to see his face when he discovered that she was carrying twin boys. She was beyond overjoyed when the doctor announced that she would be having twin boys.


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s just that sometimes, I think about how far we¡¯vee and I can¡¯t help but feel blessed¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°Darling, we are blessed. Since the very first moment I saw you, I knew I was blessed and even up until now, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re mine¡±, he said.


    Rita kissed him, pouring all her love and warmth into the kiss. They broke away soon when their two year old daughter hobbled in. She raised up her chubby hands, demanding to be carried. Rodrigoughed, raising his daughter in the air.


    The little girl screamed as her father threw her in the air, catching her before throwing her up again. Rita sighed, loving how they yed.


    ¡°Okay babe, you should seriously go get dressed¡±, Rodrigo chuckled.


    Sophia was resting on his shoulder, grabbing his hair as she mumbled incoherent words.


    ¡°Okay¡­ Okay, I¡¯m going¡±, Rita said.


    Soon, she was done as the first door bell rang. Rita hobbled towards the door, carrying a te of cake she nned on dropping on the table before the bell rang.


    She opened the door to reveal the beautiful face of her best friend Theresa who was in thepany of her bodyguard husband, Marco.


    ¡°Babes¡±, Theresa squealed, giving her a hug.


    Marco chuckled as they headed inside. He gave Rita a side hug while shaking Rodrigo¡¯s hands. Rita ced the te of cake on the table as she led them towards the living room.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d arrive so early¡±, Rita chuckled.


    ¡°You think I¡¯ll bete, not a chance¡±, Theresa chuckled.


    ¡°Where are the kids?¡±, Rita asked.


    ¡°Oh, their over at Granny¡¯s. She hasn¡¯t seen them for a while so I just decided to leave them there. Babe, you are one helluva sexy woman¡±, Theresa whistled.


    ¡°Oh please, especially not with my bloated stomach and full face. Surely, I can¡¯t be like you who is looking all shades of Kylie Jenner¡±, Rita smiled.


    The doorbell rang again but this time, Rodrigo left to get it. Soon, her parents and Rodrigo¡¯s walked in. Her mother was holding thergest gift box Rita had ever seen. She rolled her eyes, knowing how her mother could go overboard sometimes.


    ¡°Oh Mom, you didn¡¯t have to bother¡±, Rita smiled, giving her a warm hug.


    ¡°Let it never be said that the great May Anderson came to her daughter¡¯s unveiling without a gift. It¡¯s scandalous¡±, she cringed.


    Ritaughed when she saw her father shake his head whileughing silently. Rodrigo took the gift from her, cing it in a corner.


    ¡°How are you dear?¡±, Camille smiled, giving Rita a warm hug.


    ¡°Camille, I¡¯m fine. Better actually¡±, she smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that and I hope the baby is kicking well¡±, sheughed.


    ¡°They can¡¯t wait toe out¡±, Ritaughed.


    ¡°Wee everyone, it¡¯s time. Please take a seat¡±, Rodrigo boomed.


    Rita suddenly felt nervous as she watched everyone she loved take their seats. She stood in front of the group, taking out the card where the gender of the child was written. It was painted in blue and Rita couldn¡¯t wait to show them that she was expecting twin boys.


    Without missing a beat, she raised a blue card up. The whole group broke out in apuse as tears of joy streamed down her mother¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a boy¡±, Rodrigoughed.


    He received handshakes and hugs from the group as Rita watched it all with tears of joy shining in her eyes.


    ¡°Not quite¡±, she said.


    At her words, the group settled down as they stared at her. Rita saw the look of confusion on their faces but when she raised a second blue card up, the group broke out in excitement.


    Rodrigo walked towards her, staring deep into her eyes as tears of joy threatened to fall down his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be the father of twin boys¡±, he croacked.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Yes and you¡¯re going to be the best dad to our children¡±, Rita smiled.


    Rodrigo took her lips in his, pouring all his love and adoration into his. Rita knew that her joy wasplete and she couldn¡¯t wait to begin the next Chapter of their lives.


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