《My Dream Marriage》


 Chapter 1

    A sunny morning. I have been tossing and turning in my bed for the whole night. I could say I am nervous for a reason. Today is the day, in my twenty-five years of living, this is my first time meeting a high society ss of family.


    I have had few contacts on rich people, but those were the parents of some of my colleagues at college. I attended a public college in my neighborhood as my parents couldn¡¯t afford to pay for a world-ss university. A good number of students there were mainly middle-ss.


    ¡°Neera, aren¡¯t you up yet, we cannot bete,¡± my mom shouts from the outside making me stand up from the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll be there mom,¡± I assure her.


    I dash to the bathroom to freshen up before heading to the closet to search for something to put on. I ransack through the line of clothes but I don¡¯t seem to get what I want. Actually I really want to impress on my first meeting with this world ss family, but my wardrobe is not helping much.


    I have been working the past few years since college but given my position as a sales assistant my sry could onlypensate for groceries and repayment of my student loan and little savings for my own upkeep. My mother works partly as a housekeeper and is responsible for my father¡¯s medical bills, after he got into an ident years ago. He was working in a transportpany but the worst happened, rendering him handicapped, losing the use of his legs and his heart weakened due to a metal that pierced him. He now stays at home, attending physiotherapy lessons which I think are of no use. Please, it¡¯s been a while since he started this and no improvement. I get upset sometimes thinking about this, he hadn¡¯t wronged anyone in any way.


    I hear my phone ringing and I see Az¡¯s name shing on the screen. ¡°Hey,¡± I say. ¡± Neera, did you forget about your promise?¡± ¡± Promise?¡± I ask with genuine surprise. ¡°Are you really my friend? You told me I could be your sidekick in this meeting, you know. If he proves unworthy then you won¡¯t marry him. This rich kids are usually spoilt brats you know.¡± She says and I chuckle in response.


    Eric Lawanson¡¯s family, a well-known business owners in all sorts of pies in Sura city. They are also known as the first family in Sura city. This was a shock to me when my mother informed me about getting engaged to his second son.


    ¡± How mom? He is a Lawanson for Christ¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°Neera listen, this was an agreement between old Lawanson and your grandpa. Mr Eric, old Lawanson¡¯s son was supposed to marry your grandpa ¡®s daughter but he had a son, your father. So it had to be passed on, and that¡¯s when it came to you,¡± she says. ¡°What was the agreement?¡±


    ¡°My daughter listen, this was signed years ago and failure to that, we face legal consequences,¡± she holds my hand, looks at me and leaves. I am left wondering about what could lead to such an agreement.


    ¡°Are you still there?¡± Az¡¯s voice breaks my reverie. ¡°Look, I aming to your house now and I have a gift for you.¡± ¡°A gift? Wow I bet this is going to be better than I thought.¡±


    ¡°So, Neera, just freshen up but don¡¯t put on anything, I got the right ones for you, I mean it,¡± she says and hangs up. She really bought me clothes for my meeting, I am lost for words. She did just the right thing at the right time. She just saved my day.


    I am sitting on the bed waiting for Az¡¯s arrival when I hear her greeting my mother. My mother seems surprised to see her from her tone of voice. ¡°Neera didn¡¯t tell me you wereing. We need to head somewhere right now and we seem to be gettingte. Neera should be here by now.¡±


    ¡°She told me about it and I am apanying her,¡± Az replies. ¡°She did? No Az you are her friend but you can¡¯te with us,¡± my mom says. ¡°Okay, then I will talk to her before you go.¡±


    ¡°Hey friend,¡± Az hugs me when she gets to my room. ¡°Hi, I heard your conversation with my mom, am so sorry about that,¡± I reply. ¡°It¡¯s okay, besides this is a family matter right?¡± ¡± Thank you for understanding, if it was up me, you would be with me in this,¡± I tell her and she smiles.


    ¡°You know Neera, I thought I would be the first one to get married between us, you didn¡¯t even have a boyfriend in college and now you are going for introduction, am shook,¡± she says and I nod in agreement. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I actually haven¡¯t got one to sweep me off my feet yet.¡± I have never dated before, there were guys who were interested in me but I didn¡¯t think I was ready for it. I adored happy endings so dating in college was a no for me. I saw how couples would break up and start dating others again and that kind of irked me. I vowed never to date before I could be stable in life, and then this arrangement came as a shock to me. This didn¡¯t leave me a choice, although I viewed it as a direct passage to marriage, without any break-ups.


    ¡°You have to kiss as many frogs before you get to your prince charming¡± was Az¡¯s usualeback but I could as usual brush it off with my perspective in mind.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, here is your gift, Neera,¡± she says handing me a carrier bag. I dip my hand and in I fish out a yellow dress. She urges me to try it on and the does some magic to my face. She goes back to the bag and brings out a pair of ck heels. I appreciate silently when they seem to be only  few inches high, not like those of Victoria¡¯s Secret models. She takes me to stand before the dressing mirror and I can¡¯t believe the woman staring back at me. My makeup is minimal with a little blush and a pale pink lipstick. The dress  hugs me and entuates my soft curves. The round cut neck is not so lowly cut, conservative at the same time giving out the sophistication and elegance. It reaches just below my knees with a short slit at the back. I look high ss now. ¡°Thank you Az. I will update you on everything when I get back. You really are a life saver.¡±¡±No worries Neera anything for my best friend.¡± We leave my room and head to the sitting room where my mom is.


    She registers her surprise with my appearance,plimenting with a nod of her head. ¡°The car is waiting, they sent a driver to pick us up,¡± she says signalling for us to leave. I bid Az goodbye, sighing at the ck Mercedes Benz packed infront of our house. I really thank Az for her thoughtful gift, I think I might blend in a bit. The driver greets us and opens the door for us. We get in, speeding to the destination of my grandpa¡¯s choosing.

 Chapter 2

    The plush leather seats in the car screams luxury. It must be the mostfortable car seat I have ever sat on- I think. The windows are tinted, although they are closed I can see the outside clearly. This gives a sense of security at the same time providing privacy to its upants. I get it, these people really don¡¯t want to be seen while driving on these roads. The driver is silent- he is driving. My mother is unusually silent. I look at her and she seems deep in thought.


    ¡°Mom, you okay?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes Neera, why? Do you need something? Are you okay yourself? Actually you should be nervous,¡± she jokes and I know she must be worried about me.¡± Mom I am okay, really and I am actually nervous, stop joking,¡± I whisper. She smiles as we continue driving past buildings  and people. The car takes a turn at a roundabout and heads towards a suburb area, upied with townhouses. The road leads to a secluded area with pine trees   that line up a narrower road that winds up a little towards the left.    Ites to a stop in front of a big brown metal gate. The driver waves a card at a sensor and the gate opens automatically, to reveal a huge mansion. The driver parks the car where it seems like a showroom for all the most expensive cars in the world. I can recognize a Bugatti, a big SUV and others I have seen but don¡¯t actually get their make.


    We get out and all the hell breaks loose! The garden is  covered with lush green grass and trees. The pathway is covered by marble stones. The house is so huge, or should I say a pce or a castle, because it¡¯s designed like those royal houses I only watched in movies- with a modern touch to it. We get inside received by  a middle aged woman who warmly greets  us and leads us to a green couch. I presume it¡¯s a waiting area since  it is the only one with a little table in front of it. The sitting area is so spacious an entire crowd of hundreds could sit. Not so far away are the white leather couchesplementing the gray and white  curtains that cover the floor to ceiling windows. A wide staircase  leads to the upper two floors of the mansion. The wall is also covered with ash white paint.


    Thedyes back with a tray. She ces it down on the table and produces two cup and a pot of tea. She pours into each one and gives to us.¡±Mr Lawanson will be here soon,¡± she says. ¡°Okay Martha,¡± my mom replies and yes, she has been here before and that¡¯s why she is familiar with people here. My father has also visited here before too. I am the only one who is not familiar with this environment. I have seen Mr Lawanson, his wife and first son on TV but my supposedly  husband to be I haven¡¯t even seen his photograph. Maybe it¡¯s because he used to live abroad. Or he doesn¡¯t like publicity so much, but his name is like a song in media houses, as he is the CEO of the Lawanson group so his major part in taking his family¡¯spany to greater heights hasn¡¯t gone unnoticed. Those who havee across him talk of his out of this world good looks and that is why he is a dream for many singledies of all calibers but no one dares post his picture.


    A sound of shoes making contact with the floor makes us turn to the direction of the stairs. Behold Mr Lawanson and his wife all in their elegance and ss. Him in a grey suit and ck shoes and ck tie while his wife  in a back dress and white pumps. He hair isbed back and gathered in a chignon, her makeup to the point and she looks younger or well kept as per her age. She is in her early fifties and I look at her in awe as she walks like a swan towards us with a smile stered on her face. His husband looks serious like he is walking into a mergers and acquisitions meeting.


    We rise in respect and greet them ordingly. They seem warmly people. Mrs Lawanson signals us to join them on another side of the sitting area where there are two plush velvet couches facing each other with a ss table in the middle. It directly faces the sliding doors leading to the back of the house where I see a swimming pool surrounded by a few palm trees.


    ¡°Where is Mr Brown?¡± Mr Lawanson¡¯s voice shifts my attention back to them sitting across us. ¡°Oh, his condition was not so good so he went for his therapy early in the morning,¡± my mother says excusing my father of his absence. I knew he had gone because he mentioned it yesterday that he had to attend the sessions when his condition worsens, and I convinced Az to be my sidekick.¡±Okay then, I guess we should continue without him. As you know, your daughter is supposed to be getting engaged to my son by now but Mr. Brown kept postponing it. So we have to decide everything today, now that you are here.¡± ¡°Where is your son by the way, I thought he should be here to be part of this,¡± my mother says and I think I also have an urge to see him too, he is my future husband for crying out loud and this concerns him too. ¡°Edward, oh you know he is busy. He could be here but today he had to travel to the next city for a business meeting, he went to check on a building where he could establish a publishingpany so he had to go,¡± Mrs Lawanson speaks with pride acknowledging his son but his husband seems unbothered. My mind wanders to how the CEO could go for a site visit while he has people who he could assign the work, skipping a meeting which concerns his life partner. I push that aside and focus on what is being discussed.


    ¡°Since this has been postponed severally, I would like to inform you that the date for the wedding has been set and there would be no engagement. We would like to present an engagement ring to Neera and proceed with the ns and preparation for the wedding,¡± Mr Lawanson breaks the news while producing a small ring box. He ces it in front of me and my mom looks just as shocked as I am. ¡°Yes Mrs Brown, we are not doing an engagement party but my son will have the grandest wedding which will be the talk of town for a long time,¡± Edward¡¯s mother replies all smiles you could think she is showing off. ¡°Try it on and tell me if it fits your finger.¡± I take it as a no discussion topic and take the box, open it to reveal an intricate silver ring with a small blue diamond curved to perfection paced on top, with a golden trimming around it. I slide it on my ring finger and to my surprise it fits perfectly, not loose not tight.  Mrs Lawanson continues,¡± the ring has been a family treasure, it was Edward¡¯s grandma¡¯s engagement ring, you know. So take care of it,¡± I nod in agreement.¡±It fits, it is okay,¡± I say. Mr Lawanson nods his head.¡±You said you have set a date for the wedding, right?¡± My mother asks and Mrs Lawanson replies, ¡°it is the first weekend of next month, that¡¯s on the  third.¡± Three weeks from now. Wow.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡±


    What!, that¡¯s a little time to prepare for a wedding,¡± my mother agrees with my thinking. ¡°Come on Mrs Brown, you don¡¯t have to prepare for anything, everything will be catered for, decorations, food, venue, invitations, everything. My family will provide everything, don¡¯t worry we won¡¯t ask you to pay for anything,¡± Mrs Lawanson replies and my mother nods in response. Mr Lawanson clears his throat and ends the meeting with,¡±we will update you on everything that will be going on.¡±


    ¡°See you around,¡± his wife bids us goodbye.


    We get outside and the same driver who picked us up bows and shows us to the car we came here with. We get in and as we leave I feel like I was in a business meeting rather than an important introduction of two families nning on their children¡¯s wedding. Mrs Lawanson is proud, so much for her son¡¯s achievements and also I think because of her statuspared to us, Mr Lawanson seems unfazed of anything. Their workers seem friendly people, their house is huge, beyond my expectations, when I look at myself I highly doubt if I could get used to all that. I am just an average girl, working a low ss job, surely they could have chosen someone better than me. A highly sophisticateddy, maybe a CEO like him, a model maybe or girls from fellow wealthy members of their high ss society. I wonder what our grandparents did that gave birth to this agreement. Was it a bad thing? Or was it a good thing that led to this? I hope it was from a good cause.


    We drive in silence as I watch the outside surroundings. I am awed that I could watch anything and everyone outside from the outside without them seeing me.  My mom looks lost in thought and I sigh not wanting to interrupt her train of thoughts. She could be thinking about anything, me, my dad or maybe the meeting we had.


    ¡°Marcus, can you take us to St. Thomas Hospital, we need to go see Neera¡¯s father,¡±  my mother addresses the driver. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± he says and continues to drive to the direction of the hospital. I really need to see my father and share the experience, maybe this time he could tell me about what led to my grandpa and old Lawanson  agreeing to have this arrangement. I couldn¡¯t talk to him in the morning since I woke upte given he had to attend his session early in the morning. I contemte calling Az and telling her about thister after talking to dad. I know she will be shocked to hear this. She was exciteding with me to this meeting but I could see her disappointment when my mother stopped her froming with us.


    Az¡¯s perspectives sometimes rhymes with my dad¡¯s  so her opinion on this won¡¯t be a bad one. I sometimes get jealous of Az¡¯s lifestyle; she got a better job in journalism just after graduation from college. Shees from a well-off family, so her father knows someone who knows someone and that¡¯s how she was connected to her job. As for me I pursued literature but could only secure a sales assistant job at a bookstore owned by one of the publishingpanies in the city. She could date whoever she wants even in college, and she could tell me about it. We helped each other in college, from assignments to me borrowing clothes from her whenever there was a function at school or a party. She had an impressive closet and she had many parties to attend to, which were thrown by the associates of her father or mom and she could invite me and I took advantage of her closet. I know he tenacious way won¡¯t let me rest when she discovers that I already came off the meeting, and I also can¡¯t wait to tell her about it. She could give me insight to all this and I can also ask for tips on having a partner.


    The cares to a stop and I notice we are already at the hospital parking lot.¡±We are here,¡± the driver announces. ¡± Thank you Marcus, have a nice day,¡± my mom tells him. ¡°You too,¡± he says and I wave at him offering a smile. He smiles back and when we get out the car, he turns and speeds off.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°Hey dad, how was your session?¡± I greet him when we get to him at the physical therapy department. He was just seated so I presume his session is done. ¡°Hi Neera, it was fine. I was almost leaving. How are you?¡± ¡°I am okay dad, we just got from Mr Lawanson¡¯s house,¡± I say. ¡°Yes David, I see your session is done, we have shocking news though. You won¡¯t believe what that family did,¡± my mom says. ¡°What did Eric say? Did he terminate the agreement?¡± ¡°No, can you believe that there won¡¯t be any engagement party and that we have three weeks to prepare for the wedding? More over his son was not even present in this crucial matter,¡± my mom disappointedly remarks.


    ¡°See, I even have an engagement ring on my finger which he gave me,¡± I show him my finger with the ring on it. He registers surprise at the information we just gave him looking at me and then at my mom. ¡°Why did he do that, why all that hurry?¡± He asks and my mum shrugs, ¡°he said that it has been postponed for too long so we just go through with the wedding.¡±


    He sighs then tells my mom that we should be leaving. My mom helps him push his wheelchair through the exit and we leave the hospital. We take a taxi home. It is already afternoon when we get home and I help my mom prepare lunch. At the table my dad eats his food lost in thought. I decide maybe this is the right time to ask the question that bothers me everytime. ¡°Dad, could I get to know how or why this agreement came about.?¡±


    ¡°My dear, I promise I will let you know, but this is not the right time to tell you,¡± he says. ¡°When is the right time dad?¡± ¡°I know you desperately want to know but do not worry, this is a promise from a father to daughter,¡± he pats me on the head and I look at my mother who looks at me and agrees with my father¡¯s decision. I bet I will have to push my curiosity at the time being and wait for the day my dad decides to confide in me. Maybe he will tell me before I get married. Or does he fear that when I get to know the story I will run away? Or decide not to continue with the arrangement. Or is it a devastating thing to hear so he doesn¡¯t want to break my heart.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    We are done eating and I finished washing the dishes and head to my bedroom. I close the door, take out my phone and jump on my bed. I have been dying to call Az the whole time since we came from the Lawanson house. She picks on the second ring and her voice almost breaks my ears. ¡°Tell me Az how was it, and tell me how is Edward, did he fall in love with you at first sight, and am switching to video call.¡± I turn my phone to full screen for the video call and there she is her face revealing the ¡®I am ready for this¡¯ look. ¡°So tell me, which question should I answer first, you have quite a number,¡± I ask and she smiles. ¡± All of them, and those are just a few and on this video you won¡¯t hide anything from me. I tell her and her expressions are a sight to behold, I feel likeughing. ¡°What is so funny?¡± She asks and I can¡¯t help augh that escape my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, actually your expressions are on another level.¡± ¡± Neera, how did manage to get married into such a family, the first family of this city? And marry the most eligible bachelor in this city too?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know what I did to deserve this, am I on the right track Az? Am I doing the right thing?¡±


    ¡°Oh Neera, who wouldn¡¯t want to get married into the Lawanson¡¯s family. And Edward, is every girl¡¯s dream ooh¡­¡± ¡°Az, stop, you know what I mean,¡± I interrupt her train of thoughts. ¡± Sorry I didn¡¯t mean that, I was just joking. See, I really am not a fan of arranged marriages but there are some which have been sessful. Although your situation isplicated and there is no way out, whatever decision you make I am right behind you. So tell me, are you in or should I kidnap you on your wedding day?¡± I chuckle. ¡°Thank you Az, this was arranged by myte grandpa and I will have to go through this . And I want a favour from you, please?¡± ¡°Tell me Az, anything for you.¡± ¡°Will you be my maid of honor? And that you have three weeks to prepare, from now.¡± ¡°What? Three weeks, why that soon? It seems Edward can¡¯t wait to get married to you,¡± Iugh and wipes my hair off my face when she exims. Oh yes, I didn¡¯t mention the ring and the date for the wedding to her.


    ¡°Are you hiding more things from me?¡±she quirks an eyebrow at me. ¡± No that¡¯s all I did not tell you.¡± When I decided to tell her about the meeting, I only told her about the house, how Edward couldn¡¯t attend and everything except for the engagement and the date for the wedding.


    ¡°You did not tell me that you were going to be engaged today. Oh wait, Edward was not there, so how did you get engaged? And who the hell gets married three weeks after a meeting? Neera are you sure about this?¡±She asks with concern etched on her face.¡±Edward¡¯s father gave me and I had to fit it on my finger, and that is how the engagement ring came about. As for the wedding, I came to know that it had been postponed severally so that¡¯s why it has to be done soon. I will go through with this arrangement, I have no much choice. I know I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡± Okay if you say so. I will be your maid of honor. I have got your back.¡± I thank her and end the call.


    ***


    It is on Monday. I woke up earlier than usual to get to work. I will have to ask for a leave for the wedding. I find the bookstore already cleaned only boxes of shipped in books ced at a corner. I ce my bag at the reception area and begin unpacking the boxes. Just then a movement catches my eye and I already know who it is. I ce the books down and face the direction of the entrance. Samara, my boss walks in. ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am, hope your weekend was great,¡± I greet her and she chimes,¡± good morning too Neera. My weekend was fantastic. Howe you are in so early? Do you want a sry advance?¡± Advance? I hadn¡¯t thought about that. Maybe it coulde in handy, but I will have to ask about thatter.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am, I just wanted to ask for a leave,¡± I answer.


    ¡°Why are you taking your leave now, in thest two years you have never asked for a leave, even your arranged leave I always give you, you always decline, why now?¡± I preferred working on my leave days because I could get to be paid extra to the usual pay rate, I was okay with my off days on weekend so working rather than taking a leave was beneficial. ¡± I actually have a wedding to attend to in three weeks time that¡¯s why.¡± ¡± You could take maybe two or three days, wait you wanted leave, that is 21 days, why, is the wedding not in this country, is it abroad?¡± ¡± No, the wedding will be here in this city.¡± ¡°Why then do you need leave for?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s my own wedding,¡± I answer and she can¡¯t conceal the shock that is evident on her face. ¡°You are getting married in three weeks time? You also get engaged,¡± she points to my fingers, ¡°and you did not tell me about it? Who is the lucky guy?¡±


    I think about not telling her but given the status of the family I am getting married into, I give in and decide to tell her. ¡°Edward Lawanson,¡± her shock couldn¡¯t be more evident. ¡°My goodness! That Edward Lawanson, the billionaire bachelor? I can¡¯t believe this? Are you serious? Where is the invite?¡± ¡°No invites yet, and yes Iam serious, I am getting married to Edward Lawanson in three weeks time,¡± I answer and she looks at me for sometime before she leaves for her office. I thank the heavens when she leaves without asking much and getting deeper into the matter. I continue with my work waiting for her response, she definitely will give me the response before we close for the day.


    ***


    Lawanson house.


    ¡°Edward, why didn¡¯t youe for the introduction on Saturday? What was so important that you couldn¡¯te back, it wasn¡¯t such a trivial matter, you could have sent an engineer to take a look at the site and you know that,¡± Eric asks. ¡°Dad, it was important that I go besides you are done with it right? You were there so I knew you could push through,¡± Edward says. ¡°You are aware this is your marriage we are talking about right? What could be more important than that?¡± ¡± Mypany needs me and this marriage was arranged a long time ago so it will go on with or without my permission. Did you ask for my opinion before you decided on my fate? Dad I am tired of this discussion.¡± Eric Lawanson furiously looks at his son and fists hand, his knuckles turning white in the process.


    ¡°Edward, your wedding is in three weeks time, so you better prepare yourself. It¡¯s a good thing you came today so you know. What were you even doing since Friday until today?¡± ¡°Eric, let him be, he was definitely busy , he needs to rest. Don¡¯t worry I will talk to him,¡± Edward¡¯s mother says when she walked in and found them arguing. ¡°You better talk to your son and make him understand, I am leaving, see you in the evening,¡± he pecks his wife on the cheek and exits the room.


    ¡°Edward, how was your trip?¡±


    ¡°It was nice, thanks mom. I came in a few moments ago and met dad here, Inded an hour ago. Mom, is the wedding in three weeks time?¡± ¡°Yes son, and I want your wedding to be the talk of town. My son cannot be aughing stock. I have started preparing for the invites and by Wednesday they will be ready for delivery. But you have to do me a favour.¡± ¡°Which favour mom?¡±


    ¡°Since you weren¡¯t here on Saturday, you have to do this for me. Next Friday I have to attend an important function and I had booked a designer for Neera¡¯s wedding gown so you have to find time to take her. You two will also get to know each other,¡± she says.


    ¡°Alright mom, I will. I need to go get my rest. See youter,¡± he says and turns to leave. ¡°Did you have something to eat? Do not starve to death. You are no girl to stay in shape. You need energy for your wedding, you know. Eat before you sleep,¡± his mom remarks but Edward brushes her off, ¡°I will eatter mom,¡± he says and leaves the room.


    ***


    The day passes on slowly and finally it is time to close for the day. I am done and I pick up my bag to leave, then I remember there is an unresolved matter with my boss Samara. I head towards her office and find her on a call. I wait until she is done and she looks up at me. ¡°Oh you are here,¡± she says and I nod.

 Chapter 4

    I am sitting on my bed after getting off work. The meeting with Samara wasn¡¯t so bad as I anticipated. She granted me two weeks leave like I wanted; thest week of this month which will have the weekend that I  will be doing my wedding and the next week for my honeymoon, then I will be back to work. My parents are not in the house right now so I am alone in the house. I think about making my way to the kitchen to start making dinner when an unknown number buzzes shes on my screen. I anticipate ignoring the call, since I don¡¯t really like receiving calls from new numbers, or rather unknown numbers.


    After a little debate with my brain I decide to pick it up. A familiar voice answers from the other end which I recognize instantly, her stern andmanding voice not to be mistaken. ¡°Hello Neera, how are you?¡±. ¡°I am fine Mrs. Lawanson, how are you?¡± I answer. ¡°I am good. I wanted to inform you of something. I have booked a designer for your wedding gown and you are supposed to go for the fitting, so on Friday afternoon you should be avable, and don¡¯t gette he is an international designer you wouldn¡¯t want to miss this appointment. It is at 2. 00pm so make sure you are there.¡± I am puzzled that I am going for a dress fitting even before I gave out my measurements to the designer. Is he so talented that he can guess my size, no wonder he is an international designer, fantastic. But I didn¡¯t give him any details on how I want it to look like. Maybe it should be off shoulder, or a v-neck. No, a white as snow off- shoulder gown with a long train that would sweep the red carpet as the choir sings a sweet melody capturing the hearts of the attendees as I walk down the isle.


    ¡°You said fitting, is it ready?¡± ¡°Yes it is, I already told him your estimate size so I know he can¡¯t go wrong with this, he is an international designer. So you go and he will see the necessary adjustments he will have to do. So make yourself avable on Friday afternoon.¡± Her tone signals no questions allowed so I decide not to question further. ¡± Okay, thank you Mrs. Lawanson, I will.¡± ¡°Alright, nice evening and greet your parents for me. And before I forget, Edward will join you, so you two can get along,¡± she says and hangs up.


    Edward? He will be with me?  I don¡¯t know what to think now about this. The first time I will be meeting my fiancee. Fiancee? We didn¡¯t even have  an engagement, anyway I have the ring. Back to my gown, how the hell did she choose my gown? She didn¡¯t even ask about my preferences. Come to think of it, she is Mrs. Lawanson. Shees from the highly influential family in this city. She surely knows how to choose. Maybe I should be grateful that someone like her chose a gown for me. It must be a masterpiece for sure. Instantly I get excited about this, I can¡¯t wait for Friday. I have to meet this designer and see this gown Piper Lawanson got for me. This time Az will not miss. I have to tell her in advance. I will call her after dinner.


    I proceed to the kitchen to make some macaroni and cheese. Just as I set the table I hear a knock on the door and I know my parents are here. In no time we are seated digging into our dinner. ¡°Mrs. Lawanson called,¡± I break the silence. ¡°Oh she did, what did she say. Is there any problem?¡± My dad asks. ¡± No dad, she was just telling me that she booked a designer for my gown and that I have to go on Friday for fitting,¡± I say. ¡°Gown fitting? Is it already ready?¡±my mom¡¯s turn to ask.¡±Yes mom, she said it¡¯s already done so I am going to fit it so the designer would  do the adjustments to it if necessary.¡± My mom looks at me as if I have grown wings, ¡°Neera, aren¡¯t you supposed to choose your own gown, you know what you want your dress to look like, so why did she do that. Or did you let her do it for you?¡± ¡°Mom calm down, it¡¯s okay. Besides, her social status cannot allow her choose a bad thing. And it¡¯s her son¡¯s wedding she can¡¯t afford embarrassments.¡± ¡°Neera is right, maybe she wanted the best for her daughter-inw,¡± my dad says. My mom looks at him them back at me,¡±are you okay with that Neera?¡± ¡°Yes I am, don¡¯t worry. Infact I am excited.¡±


    After the dinner I wish my parents goodnight before heading to my room. I plop on the bed and take out my phone to call Az. I know she will be happy after she didn¡¯t escort me that day. I call her and she picks immediately as if she was waiting for my call.¡±Neera, I have missed you. Where had you gone, I called you earlier and you weren¡¯t avable, or had you gone to your husband¡¯s house? Don¡¯t tell me you are married already,¡± she asks and Iugh at that,¡±stop joking Az. My phone¡¯s battery died down and that¡¯s why I was not avable. And do not worry I am not yet married. That I can¡¯t do without telling you. You are my maid of honor remember? That brings me to my reason for calling you. Edward¡¯s mother called me and told me that this Friday I have to go for my gown fitting. So will you be avable in the afternoon so you can go choose a dress for yourself?¡± ¡°Of course I have to find time. I can¡¯t miss this for anything in the world. Wait, fitting? So you already chose one for yourself?¡± She asks as if I did something offensive to her.¡±No, the one and only Piper Lawanson got one for me. He even got a designer just to make the gown. Isn¡¯t it awesome? I was shoked too.¡± ¡± Neera, you know this is your wedding. So you have to choose the color theme of your own wedding on everything, starting from the decorations to the colour of your bridesmaids¡¯  dresses. Did she choose one for me too? Because I won¡¯t ept it,¡±she says. ¡°She didn¡¯t choose one for you. Concerning her decision to choose my wedding dress, I am not offended. Simply because one; she is high ss and it is her son¡¯s wedding so she can¡¯t just choose anything for me and two;she is my future mother-inw so it is not a big deal. And since they are paying for everything that now seals the deal.¡±


    ¡± Even if she is your future mother-inw, will she be choosing everything for you? Neera think about it,¡± she says but I brush her off. ¡°Girlfriend, there is nothing wrong about that. You know what? I didn¡¯t tell you about his son going with me,¡± she exims on the other end registering her surprise.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You mean Edward will be with you on Friday? I can¡¯t believe this. Finally we shall get to meet your husband to be after hiding from you for so long. Where will you be going to fit the gown anyway?¡± Oh. I hadn¡¯t thought of that. ¡°I have no idea about the ce, I will have to ask her about it. But I think she will let me know beforehand. And no, Edward did not hide from me, he was simply busy okay. Don¡¯t stress about it. I will let you know the venue as soon as I get to know.¡±  ¡± Okay then, get your rest. You only have less than three weeks of freedom you know. Goodnight, talkter.¡± ¡°Goodnight too, see you soon,¡± I hang up smiling, she really likes to make fun of situations. At least that brings light to dark situations.


    As I lie on the bed, Az¡¯s words ring in my mind. Freedom. Freedom from what? Singlehood? Yeah. She probably meant that. Marriage is a lifetimemitment where each partner gives his or her 100%. From wedding, the vows ties up everything. The rings symbolizing eternalmitment to each other, the families, kids¡­ Kids? Oh no. Az was right, am I ready for this. I should have thought about everything. I didn¡¯t think deeply now everythinges to mind. Holding a crying baby while he doesn¡¯t want to quiet down scares the hell out of me. Will I be a good mother? What about Edward, does he love kids? Oh rather how many kids would he prefer? Two? Five or maybe more? This is getting harder than I thought. It is not just a wedding, it has a lot of additions to it. This requires thorough thinking on it than anything close to what I thought. My father could have done me big a favour if he had postponed it again, but now Eric Lawanson imed that it was toote to postpone again. My God, please help me.


    ***


    ¡°Sir, you need to see this,¡± the secretary walks into Edward¡¯s office  making him look up from whatever he was typing from hisputer. ¡°What is it Alex?¡± He asks as his secretary strides to his side of the desk and stretches his hand and shows him a picture on the screen of the iPad he is holding. ¡°What?¡±Edward is shoked to see a picture of him and a woman having dinner at a fancy restaurant. It seems like a romantic setting. ¡°Sir, there is someone threatening to post this on the inte if we don¡¯t meet his demands.¡±


    ¡°What does he want, and do we know him?¡±Edward aks again and the secretary thinks for a moment before saying,¡±for now we are not sure yet but he sounded like someone who knows you. He wants a ransom. Two million dors to keep his mouth shut. That is a big amount just for a picture if you ask me, so that means he has more with him than just a photo. What do we do sir? I have already started looking for some information that could tell us who he is. Should I send our men to take him down?¡± The secretary asks and Edward waves his hand,¡±no don¡¯t take any big action. We have to know what he has up his sleeve and if he knows a lot than he should be before deciding what to do with him. We have to gather this information first so keep him hopeful while I n our next action. Inform our men to find out what he has, they have to keep a close eye on him. Go,¡± he dismisses his secretary who leaves immediately while dialling some numbers on his phone. Edward stands up and moves next to the window while in deep thoughts.


    ***


    I have been busy since I got here in the morning and it¡¯s past lunchtime when I decide to go to the restroom. Surprisingly I don¡¯t feel hungry as usual. I meet Samara on corridor leading to the restroom. She tells me to meet her in her office that I have an important errand to run. After I finish up I go straight to her office. ¡°Neera, the bookstore has received a purchase and the books are supposed to be delivered ASAP but the delivery driver is already on another errand, so I need you to take them to Aniston Group. You already know them right? They have been out clients for a long time. They usually buy business magazines from us.¡± After that she gives me a list of the magazines I need to package. I get on the task and she gives me money for the taxi to Aniston Group which is twenty minutes drive from here. I take my phone together with the package and leave for Aniston Group.


    I arrive at my destination and pay for the taxi. I walk into the building with ¡®Aniston Group¡¯ emboldened on the front side of it. I get to the reception area and meet a shortdy with jet ck hair that greets me all smiles. It is a reception thing, I get it. I tell her where I am going to and she directs me to the elevator. I have to get on the sixth floor. I get in and I sigh in relief when Iam the only one in the elevator. I am not in the mood for curious eyes as this is my first timeing here.


    The elevator dings  and I step out. The silent unfamiliar surroundings makes me nervous so I decide to take a deep breath before I proceed. Before I know it my legs give out and now I can see my face getting nearer to the ground. ckout.

 Chapter 5

    ¡°Is she alright sir? What happened to her?¡±I can hear muffled voices and I wonder who they are talking about. Did someone get hurt? I can feel something touching my forehead and I shoot my eyes open and I meet eye to eye with a handsome face. I sit upright instantly. ¡°What  happened?¡± I ask and he looks at the other man then looks back at me. ¡°You fainted. Are you sick?¡± That¡¯s when I remember what I came here for. I had to deliver some package, but I had arrived got into the elevator and I had even reached the floor I was supposed to deliver the package then¡­ oh no! I get up from the couch I was sitting on and my head buzzes due to my swift action but this time I manage to stay put. The handsome guy tries to give me a hand but I signal to him that I am alright. I walk towards the door of therge room I assume is an office due to its setting.  I don¡¯t take into detail  the luxurious furniture as I have an important delivery to make. Before I can reach the door I spot the package I had on the table near the door and I think it could be better if I talked to the guy and ask about my package. At least he took care of me. I should be grateful.


    ¡°Thank you for taking care of me. I was supposed to deliver a package but this happened. Sorry for bothering you. Can I take my package now, please?¡± He smiles at me, showing off his perfect white teeth, ¡°no need because your package has already been delivered. So you just show me where to sign.¡± Huh? ¡°Sir? I don¡¯t understand,¡± I say and he says,¡±don¡¯t call me sir. My name is Brian Aniston and I am the one who ordered for the books. As you can see, this is the Aniston Group,¡± he indicates on a tag at one side of the wall in the office. I nod and head over to the table where the package is and take my bag which is beside it. I open it and take out a notebook and open the page which has his name on and give it to him. He takes his pen and scribbles his signature before giving it back to me. I take it and put it back in my bag.


    ¡°Did you make the payment?¡± He asks the man beside him and he nods, ¡°yes sir I already did that.¡± I presume he is his secretary. ¡°This is my secretary, Michael,¡± Brian says. He goes to his desk opens the drawer ande to me with two-hundred-dor bills and gives them to me. ¡°A tip for you,¡± he says. ¡°No need sir, I am not even a delivery person, i don¡¯t deserve it. The delivery guy was not in for the time and I was a avable that¡¯s why I am here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Brian, not sir.  And the money, just use it to buy medicine. What was the problem anyway? If you feel sick I can take you to the hospital, or should I call the doctor here?¡± Michael looks at him as if he has grown horns. I also don¡¯t understand why he would give an offer like that to me, a total stranger.


    ¡°Thank you sir, but no, this is even more than enough for the medicines. I should be on my way now.¡±  I look at Michael and he nods at me and give a little bow at Brian and head for the door.     I can hear footsteps behind me and before I can open the door someone beats me to it. Brian opens the door wide for me to go through and Iam left bewildered at his action. I give him a thank you smile and continue towards the elevator that is right across his office door. I am more surprised as he follows me again but I don¡¯t question it since this is his workce and he could be going anywhere in the building. He has every right to. I get out the elevator towards the exit and out the building. I turn to him who is still trailing behind me with a curious face and I can¡¯t resist asking him,¡±heading out sir?¡± ¡°No. I just wanted to make sure you get down safely. Do you have a car? Will you be able to drive? I can offer my driver to you.¡± Wow that¡¯s too good to be true. That¡¯s strange. Why is he doing this anyway. I don¡¯t know him and he doesn¡¯t know me.


    ¡°Thank you for the offer but no. I don¡¯t have a car but I will take a taxi back to work,¡± I answer him looking across the road for any avable taxi. I spot one and I signal it. ¡°Okay, you fainted in my office and that worried me. Don¡¯t get me wrong. This is my card, call me when you get back safely.  Make sure you do because I may be forced to give your boss a call about this. And make sure you get medicine too,¡± he says in amanding voice but given my nature I don¡¯t want to go further with this strange behavior he is showing me. I also don¡¯t want Samara to know about what transpired. ¡°Okay sir, I will, thank you,¡±I say and he opens the back door of the taxi which is already packed beside us and ushers me in. He closes it and waves at me. ¡°Where to ma¡¯am?¡± The driver asks me. ¡°Lance road, Godwin House,¡± I answer him and he speeds into the traffic. I look back and I see Brian still standing outside facing the direction of our taxi. I wave back at him and Iam not sure if he saw that. What a strange man. He is really a caring person. That must be his nature. He even gave me a generous tip. Delivery people must be earning good money. Maybe I should switch my career.


    My stomach grumbles just at a corner a few meters before my workce. There is a small restaurant for fast food and I take that as a cue to treat my stomach. I don¡¯t need medicine actually. Thank goodness he didn¡¯t know it¡¯s hunger that was bothering me. That could be somehow embarrassing. ¡°Hey, could you stop here, I need to get something.¡±  ¡°Should I wait for you?¡± ¡°No thank you. No need. You can proceed. I am just a few blocks away from my workce. How much for the ride?¡± He tells me and I pay him and go to the restaurant.     When I get to the office, Samara is seated at my little desk. ¡°You took too long. Did you forget you are supposed to be here. I can¡¯t handle two positions at the same time.¡±  ¡°Sorry Sam, there was a little traffic that¡¯s why,¡± I answer her and she looks at me for a few seconds before going back to her office. Jackie, my colleague is away on leave and she should be back before the week ends. We are usually the two of us on the sales considering the big bookstore this is, that¡¯s why Samara wasining. She had to handle the office and the sales while I had gone for delivery.


    Oh yes. I almost forgot. I am at Samara¡¯s office in the evening just a few minutes to closing. ¡°You want an off on Friday? Why though?¡±She asks and I try my best to sound normal when she talks in such a tone. She sounds upset over something. Maybe it¡¯s because she had to do double work and I came inte. ¡°I have to go for my gown fitting in the afternoon so I think I could get an off in the afternoon,¡± I tell her  and she nods. ¡°I presume Jackie will be back by then. You can go now.¡± ¡°Thank you, enjoy your evening.¡± I leave the office and head home. Today I will be walking. Thank God it¡¯s not far from where I work. Thirty minutes walk isn¡¯t a long distance for me. I also like taking a stroll. It is like an exercise since  Iam not a gym person and Iam not really keen on exercise.


    It¡¯s on Thursday. I have an early appointment. There is a purchase and the client demands  that it should be delivered as early as possible. I have to get to work early and give it to the delivery guy. Just when Iam done  packing Jackie walks in, all smiles. The leave she took must have done her good. ¡± Hey Jackie, you look great. How was your leave?¡± ¡°Oh don¡¯t mention it. It was fantastic. And you? You look different,¡± she says and I don¡¯t think I look different in any way. ¡°What? Me different? How different? Good different or bad different? ¡± I enquire and she smirks. ¡°I think you have added some weight but you don¡¯t look too jovial in some way.¡± I hand the package to the driver and he leaves. ¡°Weight? Oh no you didn¡¯t look properly.  I haven¡¯t added weight, I still fit in my clothes.¡± ¡°But why the sad look, did something happen while I was away. Did Samara unleash her disappointments towards you?¡± She leans towards me and whispers. ¡°No she didn¡¯t, and this was not about me, remember? We were talking about your leave. Did you go on vacation?¡± ¡°Yes I did, and you know what? My boyfriend proposed to me,¡± she says smiling. ¡°That exins your mood this morning.¡± I think I should tell her my story too. ¡°I am also getting married in two weeks. I am even going for my gown fitting tomorrow,¡± I tell her and she looks at me with raised eyebrows, ¡°did you have a secret rtionship with your fiance? You have never mentioned anything about having a boyfriend. You even had an engagement. Let me take a look at your ring,¡± she takes my hand and examines the ring on my finger. ¡°Wow, this is so beautiful. It also looks expensive. That means you are getting married into a rich family. Who is this rich lucky guy?¡± ¡°Edward Lawanson,¡± I say and her mouth drops to the floor. ¡°Is it another Edward Lawanson or the famous but hideous Edward Lawanson?¡±  ¡°Yeah, thetter,¡± I say and  her mouth opens further. ¡°Wow,  who would think. Don¡¯t get me wrong but, you Neera getting married to Edward Lawanson, that¡¯s so surprising? But I can assume since Edward is an influential person he could have asked you to keep your rtionship secret. A lot of celebrities usually keep their rtionship secret but the media is the one that usually expose them. So I totally understand,¡± she says and I can¡¯t disagree with that. She has saved me from the trouble of having to exin the type of rtionship we share as she has assumed the answers herself. ¡°Yes, you are right.¡±  ¡°Am I the maid of honor?¡±  She asks and Iugh at her straightforwardness,¡± I am so sorry Jackie, but I already chose that one, but you will be my bridesmaid, and you will be the only one, I choose not to have many bridesmaids,¡± her face falls and I pull her cheeks to lighten her mood.¡±That must be Az, lucky girl,¡± she pouts and I am happy that she isn¡¯t so much affected by that. ¡°I will take an afternoon off tomorrow for my gown fitting,¡± ¡°okay girl, and I will have to order for my dress as soon as possible I guess,¡±she says and I nod in agreement.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ***


    I open my office door and I can see some movements near the elevator. I assume it is one of the workers so I just proceed  towards it. Just as I get near the elevator whatever she was holding falls to the floor, quickly capturing her attention. I just run in time to catch her before her head hits the floor. Oh my. The prettiest face I have ever seen in my life. Her delicate features makes my heart skip a beat. Her blouse shifted when she was falling and my hand moves to touch her waist unwillingly but I don¡¯t stop myself. I carry her back to my office and ce her on the couch.  I touch her soft face and I can¡¯t get enough of the feeling of her skin on my hand. She looks like a delicate porcin that should be handled with maximum care.     She coughs and wakes up while holding my hand. She looks up at me and smiles. I can¡¯t help smiling back enchanted by her contagious smile. ¡°You are so handsome,¡± she says and my heartbeat elerates. She lets go of my hand and touches my face, sending shockwaves allover my body. Her voice is like a melody to my earbuds. I can listen to it every minute and won¡¯t get tired of it. My eyes won¡¯t get tired looking at her too. ¡°What is your name?¡± I ask her and she moves her sensual lips and says, ¡°Neera,¡± a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. She takes back my hand and leads me outside towards the rain. ¡°I love the rain,¡± she says and let¡¯s  go of my hand again. She stretches her hands sideways to capture the drops of rain. She gets soaked in the rain. Her hair straightens and sticks to her head. Her clothes sticks to her body showing off her beautiful curves. I can¡¯t resist moving closer to her and encircling my hands on her waist. I rest my head on her shoulder and she leans in for support. My enjoyment is short-lived as she wiggles and moves further away into the rain.


    ¡°Neera, enough of the rain, you might catch a cold,¡± I entice her so as to be able to bring her back but to my shock she doesn¡¯t respond and starts running. At some point she slips and slides down the steep road. ¡°Neera, stop!¡± I shout but my cries fall on deaf ears as she rolls faster down the hill leading to a deep valley. ¡°No! Neera,e back I reach out my hand to try to hold her but I fall down instead. Shit! I just fell down my bed! Again! This is not the first time I am having this dream about Neera. Since she delivered those books to my office I haven¡¯t stopped thinking about her either. I have an urge to see her again. I must meet her again. The woman who gives me sleepless nights.

 Chapter 6

    We have been friends with Jackie for two years, since I started working at the bookstore. Although we share a good rtionship, it isn¡¯t deep like the one I share with Az. I introduced Az to her in one of Az¡¯s birthday party. So we have been friends since then. We get to go out with her sometimes, share some light moments, she knows my parents too but my coolest buddy is Az. We can talk about anything even the deepest secret, and Jackie knows it. She also has the one she calls BFF. That¡¯s why I chose Az as my maid of honor.


    As I rummage through my clothes searching for a perfect dress for the day, I can¡¯t help thinking about what might happen when I meet Edward. This is our first meeting. I have no idea how he looks like. Is he grumpy, perhaps serious faced like his father or better a spoilt brat like Az said. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do or say. Maybe he is the coolest guy, on the positive side, so decide to give myself the benefit of the doubt. After bidding my parents goodbye, I leave for work. I have to work until noon before closing for the day. Mrs Lawanson sent me a message telling me the address where I need to go for my fitting. I will have to inform Az as soon as I get to work. From the details of the address it seems like a high-end shop in the biggest mall in the city. My oh my. This is really new to me. I really don¡¯t know what to think of this whole new experience. I take a taxi to work and in few hours time I will be done.


    ***N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°I aming to pick you up. I have a car remember? Don¡¯t stress. I have all the time today. I took  the whole day off,¡± Az says. I told her about the venue and she said she knows the ce.  I have no doubt since her clothes are designers so those areas should be her ces of shopping for them. ¡°When are you getting here?¡± I ask her and she gives me a satisfying answer, just what I wanted to hear. I have an hour to get there and given the time, there could be some traffic, and I don¡¯t want to bete on this appointment with this international designer. I also want what is best for my dream dress.


    I give Jackie a goodbye wave when Az calls to inform me that she is outside. I dash out of the building and I spot her car just across the street. I cross the road, get to her car, open the door and get in. She shes me a big smile and I can¡¯t help asking her why she is so happy. ¡°Iam going to the mall on a weekday, shopping for my best friend¡¯s wedding. And just so you know, I didn¡¯t want to go to work today so I took the whole day off,¡± she says and I get a little jealous of how she can easily get away with a simple excuse to get off work. ¡°Good for you, am even jealous,¡± I say and she chuckles. ¡°Don¡¯t be, it¡¯ll be better soon. You will have your days off and the cherry on top will be your honeymoon. Where are you going to anyway on your honeymoon? Bali? Or Maldives? I prefer Seychelles if you ask me. And I hope you have taken enough off work days for the honeymoon, especially if Edward decides to take you all over the world,¡± she says. ¡°I took two weeks off, some days before the wedding and a week after the wedding,¡± she almost ms on the brakes and asks in shock,¡±what! Two weeks? Don¡¯t you love yourself, Neera. Think beyond the after-party Neera. What if he wants to take you on a long vacation? You also would need some rest after the honeymoon you know. A month would be better,¡± she says. ¡°Iam okay with two weeks. I have work to do; I have to take care of my family. Edward is the CEO of hispany, he cannot stay away from work for long. Two weeks will do. And I don¡¯t know yet where we are going to.¡±  That reminds me, how are we going to meet with him? I don¡¯t have his contacts and I don¡¯t know him so it will be kind of hard to spot him even if hees to the boutique. Just as I am thinking about that my phone rings and I open my bag to retrieve it. There is a new number calling me. ¡°Is it Edward?¡±Az asks and I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s a new number, I don¡¯t know who it might be calling me,¡± I tell her. ¡°Just answer it, it might be the designer,¡± she tells me assuredly knowing that I have an issue with answering unknown calls. I nod and press ¡®receive¡¯  on the phone¡¯s screen.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I enquire and a male deep voice answers on the end. The sexiest voice I have ever heard, ¡°Hello, this is Edward speaking. Am I speaking to Neera?¡±  Dear Lord. I just spoke to Edward! His voice is so enticing! I am perplexed and Az looks at me curiously. ¡°Hello? Are you still there?¡± His voice reminds me that I am on a call. ¡°I¡­ yeah,¡± I stammer and I can feel his smirk from the other end. ¡°Good. As you know we are supposed to be meeting at the mall, so I¡¯ll be there at 2. 30, see you there then,¡± he says then ends the call. Straight to the point. ¡°What happened, who was it?¡±  Az asks me. ¡°Edward,¡± I answer.  ¡°Oh, that exins your flushed face. You are blushing right now. Nice one. That shows a good starting point for you. Is heing?¡±  ¡°Yes, he will being at2. 30,¡± I answer and she nods and continues driving.


    I have never been here. The stunning building with beautiful logo designs on different levels of the building, people walking in and out of the building elegantly, most of them carrying pretty shopping bags. I am sure am the only one among these people who have never visited this mall. I give myself a silent thumbs up for bringing Az with me and also thank goodness that she is familiar with this ce . We take  the  elevator to the second floor, take a right turn and as I look on the headboards just to familiarize with the shops maybe I could get another chance toe here, I bump into someone.  I could hear the ttering of broken sses. I look up and I meet a furious face of an angry woman, although she wasn¡¯t the one I bumped into. The one I bumped into was a guy who looks like he works at the shop    they came from. She looks younger than me. If looks could kill, I¡¯d be dead by now. Her made up face is cringed and I can swear I see steaming out from her ears.             The shop from which she came from looks like one for home decor and when I look down there are broken sses scattered on the floor. I sp my hands in supplication and tell her that I am truly sorry. ¡°Sorry? Really? Will that give back my expensive chandelier? Do you know how much I spent on that? Do you know that that was the only design in the whole country? You even don¡¯t look like you can afford it. This alone can buy your entire family! ¡± She screams at me. Az pulls me to the side and  holds the woman¡¯s cor,¡± what? Who are you to use her?  You should me him too, he was carrying a delicate object but can¡¯t walk carefully.¡±   ¡°And so what? You have to pay for it!  You don¡¯t belong here and yet youe here and bump into people¡¯s things. Either you pay for it or I call the police!¡± She says and I start to panic now that she makes her point clear.


    ¡°What is happening here Sara?¡±  A familiar male voice captures our attention. ¡°It¡¯s this witch who broke my chandelier I just bought and she doesn¡¯t seem like    she¡¯ll pay for it so Iam calling the police, ¡± she says and I turn to look at the man whose voice sounds familiar to me. Our eyes meet and I recognize him instantly. Aniston? And the girl¡¯s name is Sara. They know each other. ¡°No need for police here. This is a small matter,¡± he says and Sara pulls me by the hand shouting, ¡± a small matter? If it is then tell her to pay me right now Aniston!¡± She barks. Aniston pulls her hand from mine. ¡°Sara, I said this is a small matter. Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll pay for it. Let her go,¡± he says and I am shocked beyond words. ¡°What? You¡¯ll do that for this filthy woman,¡± Sara says and I wonder what else she finds so offensive from me apart from breaking her item.  ¡°She said sorry, and this gentleman offered to pay for it, why are you so bitter about this. Are you jealous that we are prettier than you?¡± Az says and Sara raises her hand to p her but Aniston holds it mid-air. ¡°Do you know who he is? This man here is my brother and I won¡¯t allow him use his money to get you out of trouble,¡± Sara says and I am shocked again that Aniston is his brother. ¡°Sara, stop this. We are going home and I said I will pay for this,¡± he says and I can¡¯t help but be grateful to him. ¡°Thank you so much sir, I have troubled you today,¡± I tell him sincerely and he smiles. ¡°It¡¯s nothing actually. Iam doing this for our friendship. Nice meeting you. We are leaving now. Take care,¡± he smiles at me and takes his sister¡¯s hand and leaves. I look at them until they disappear at the corner. ¡°Wow Neera, you just got a fan there, you two seem like you know each other,¡± Az diverts my attention back to her.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I delivered some books to his office and that is how we met,¡± I say and that confirms her suspicions. ¡°Oh right. Her sister is bad news. Is he from Aniston Group?¡±  ¡°Yes he is. At least he offered to pay for the damages. I would be in police custody by now,¡± I say and she nods in agreement. ¡°Come, we have an appointment to get to.¡±


    We get to the reception area of the boutique. We meet a middle aged woman at the reception who greets us warmly. ¡°My name is Neera and we have an appointment at 2. 00,¡± I tell her and she checks herputer. ¡°Oh yes, Mrs Lawanson informed me that you will be meeting with  Simon Cooper, the designer. He will be here shortly. ¡± She ushers us to a room inside which has mannequins with drawings on them I guess they are used by designers to draw a design for the clothes. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± I look at Az and she nods,¡±yes some juice,¡± I tell the woman and she leaves to get our orders.  Shees back with two sses of orange juice and gives it to us. ¡°I am Judy by the way,¡±she says. ¡°Thank you Judy,¡±  I say. We sip slowly while waiting for the designer to arrive.


    Simon Cooper is a bubbly man with long hair with which he has dyed it red. It suits the sharp features of his face, sharp nose, thin lips and small eyes. He isn¡¯t as serious as I thought him to be. ¡°Hi beautiful girls. I bet one of you is Neera,¡± he says in a fake Italian ent making usugh. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I say and hees to touch my face. ¡°Oh Bellissima Neera. You should be one of my models. I guess my design will look great on you. Come,¡± he leads us to another room which has the most beautiful white gown whish upies the centre space of the room. ¡°Ta da!¡±He gestures towards the gown and a big smile can¡¯t help forming on my lips. ¡°Wow, this so gorgeous, Neera,¡± Az exims and I can¡¯t  disagree with her. As much as I had felt a little upset about not being the one to choose my own wedding gown, this is so beautiful. Simon is really good at his work. ¡°Now you have to fit it so I can see if there are any adjustments I need to do. ¡°Alright,¡± I say and both him and Az help me wear it. It is some kind of hard work. I couldn¡¯t imagine a dress could require so much hard work to put on. One person cannot manage this.

 Chapter 7

    I am now staring at the woman in the dressing mirror and I can¡¯t imagine that one day I could be wearing something like this. It is a princess white gown with silver embroidery on the top of the gown. Small diamonds are scattered all over it which glitters making it seem like it would light a dark room. He ces a veil on top of my head of which the front part of it reaches my neck while the back is too long that it doesn¡¯t fit the room we are in. ¡°How long is the train,¡± Az asks. ¡°It is seven meters long,¡± he says.


    Wow, just like I perceived it. It is like a dreame true. He moves around me touching some  areas making sure it fits perfectly. He marks some part on the dress, takes some measurements and says, ¡°I need to adjust here. And Neera is it okay to your liking? If you may need anything to be done on the gown, tell me.¡±  ¡°No it it perfect the way it is. I love it. Just the waist, it¡¯s a little bit wide that¡¯s all,¡± I tell him and he nods, ¡°yeah I noticed that too. Thank you Neera. I am honored to be your designer. And you my other beautiful friend, what can I offer you,¡± he gestures to Az. ¡°I am her maid of honor so I might need a dress too,¡± Az says. ¡°Come, I might have just the right one for you, but we have to help her out of that dress first before I show you my masterpieces,¡± he says.     After they have helped me take off the dress and ced it back on the mannequin, we leave for another room on the other side of the boutique. That¡¯s when I realize that there haven¡¯t been any other customer in the boutique apart from us. This is a big boutique, so there is no possibility that there aren¡¯t any  clients here at this time. ¡°Az, have you noticed that there aren¡¯t any customers apart from us?¡±  ¡°Yes I did. I assume  the two famous guys don¡¯t want anyone else toe at this time. Think about this; a world renowned designer Simon Cooper is here and shortly Edward Lawanson will be here. Do you think they will want  anyone to know they are here. You wouldn¡¯t want to encounter a crowd of paparazzi here,¡±  ¡°Oh I don¡¯t want that, I know how roudy they can get. I am even grateful. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We get into a room full of beautiful dresses of all colours. Az looks from side to side and one beige dress captures her attention. It is ced at a corner on a mannequin although it is halfway done. The top is v-neck withce material as the outer cloth with short sleeves. The waist has little white beads that that stretches to the back of it. The skirt is designed into  mermaid-like shape although it hasn¡¯t been stitched together. ¡°This is it,¡± she says and Simon ps his hands, ¡± You have a good eye. Now Neera¡¯s wedding gown will be ready by tomorrow while yours will be ready by Tuesday. Az right?¡±  Az nods and he continues, ¡°do you want it to be delivered to your ce after it¡¯s done or during the wedding day?¡±   ¡°Oh no, let it be delivered on the wedding day, I may be forced to wear it before the D-Day,¡± she says and Simon chuckles, ¡°very well miss, I guess we are done here¡­¡±  ¡°Oh, hi Simon,¡± someone cuts him before he could finish his sentence. ¡°Edward? What a pleasant surprise. I guess you are here for your fiancee. Bad thing she already removed her dress. You should have seen her. She looked like an angel in white,¡± Simon says. ¡°Oh really?¡± Edward says. Az pinches me and pushes me forward and I find myself reaching out for support and my handnds directly on his hard chest and I stand directly  facing Edward. Although I am a talldy I can only reach past his neck. I breath in his intoxicating cologne. He is wearing a navy blue suit with a white shirt which he hasn¡¯t buttoned the top two buttons. I look up and I meet the most mesmerizing ck eyes I have ever seen looking down at me. His dark hair is trimmed on the sides leaving the middle and upper part which has long strands that are gathered into a small ponytail. ¡°Hello Neera, I am Edward,¡± he says and I am forced to look at his full lips which are smiling at me. I nearly get a mini heart attack as my heart skips a beat.  He stretches his veiny arm and that¡¯s when I remember that my hand is still on his chest. I withdraw quickly and shake his hand which holds mine firmly. I withdraw quickly again and smile. I think I look like a tomato right now.  ¡°Great, you look perfect together,¡± Simon says and Az agrees with him. ¡°By the way this is my friend Az, who happens to be my maid of honor,¡± I manage to say.


    She stretches her hand and shakes his, ¡°nice to meet you Edward,¡± he nods. ¡°I am done here, I¡¯ve had a busy day and I need to go and rest and will be working tomorrow. I don¡¯t work on weekends but now these two prettydies have decided to make me work. But don¡¯t worry Neera, it¡¯s my pleasure making that gown, and that dress too,¡± he really is witty.


    ¡°I  also have to go too, I guess we are done too, Neera see you.¡±  ¡°Thanks foring Az, see you soon,¡±  I hug her and they leave together with Simon.  We are now just the two of us in the room. I don¡¯t know what to say. I barely know the man , this is the first time I have met him.  ¡°I am famished. I haven¡¯t had my lunch. Can we go to a restaurant?¡± He asks me and I nod.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    He takes my hand and we go to the  reception. Judy smiles up at us. ¡°We are done here. We¡¯ll be leaving now,¡± he tells her and she gives us a little bow.  He takes out his phone and  dials a number. ¡°Ready?¡± He talks into the phone and I can¡¯t hear what the other person says on the other end. He hangs up, ces it back in his pants pockets and still holding my hand he leads the way back into the waiting room we were in earlier. He opens a door which I thought was leading to a restroom but leads to a little corridor. There is an elevator at the far end- a private one. We get in which was was just stand by as if waiting for us. It stops but not on the ground floor like the one we used earlier. We are at the underground parking lot. There is a ck car packed just a few steps from the elevator and a man steps out from the driver¡¯s side and opens the door and Edward leaves my hand so I can get in. The driver closes the door and Edward gets in too. The car leaves the parking lot and joins the traffic.


    I have no idea where we are headed to. Everyone in the car is seated quietly. The driver focusing on his work showcasing his skills on the steering wheel, Edward is also keen on his phone I guess he is working and I am just staring at my own fingers as I don¡¯t have anything to do. I nce asionally out of the window but the man beside me makes me nervous. I can¡¯t believe I am sitting with this kind of person.


    The trip to the restaurant is short as we are in yet another underground parking lot. Like the other  one, there is another elevator that we get in and after going up five floors ites to a halt and the doors open. We get out and the environment looks kind of hotel rooms. Why would wee to a hotel? Did he book a hotel room and would we be spending the night here? From the looks of it it is a grand hotel maybe a five star or more but I have no idea how hotels are rated. We walk straight towards the end of the hallway where we meet a young man who bows when he sees us or rather when he sees Edward. ¡°All ready sir,¡± he says and looks at me knowingly as if I look familiar to him. I am confused as to why he looks at me that way, I mean I have never met him, maybe he could have seen me somewhere but that I am not sure. I push that aside when Edward pushes  the already open door and the young man says,¡±enjoy sir,¡± he adds and I feel awkward at the moment. He leaves and Edward closes the door. I turn to take a look at the room we are in and it is nothing like what I was expecting. There are two small round dining tables with two seats each. They are positioned on the opposite sides of the room leaving a space in the middle that  leads towards the floor to ceiling windows that upies the whole side of the wall with an adjacent balcony that overlooks the city. The curtains are drawn giving natural lighting to the room. This is good for me as I really don¡¯t like using electric lights during the day. There is a television at a corner which is broadcasting I think the 3 p. m news. I see another door a few feet from the other dining table which I am not sure where it leads to. I don¡¯t dwell on that as Edward calls me to take a seat. ¡°Come let¡¯s sit,¡± he says and pulls out a chair for me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say shyly sitting down. I am grateful that he chooses the chair that faces the television; at least I will have something to look at because I can¡¯t look at him directly in his eyes. It will be a bit of a destruction when I won¡¯t be talking to him. He pulls his chair and sits automatically capturing my attention.


    ¡°So Neera, what do you do for a living?¡± That is the first question he asks me and this makes me feel like I am in a kind of interview. ¡°I work as a sales assistant at a bookstore,¡± I tell him and I see his face frown a little beforeposing himself. ¡°You studied sales in college?¡±


    ¡°No, I studied literature but the sales job came in handy because finding a job these days is quite a hustle.¡±  ¡°Good, so where did you study?¡± He asks. ¡°I studied at St. Patrick¡¯s College.¡± This is a well known public college in the whole city for peasants like me. When I was looking for a job I discovered that many employers preferred graduates from private and high ss colleges or those from Ivy league overseas universities. With a degree from a public college it¡¯s not easy to secure a job unless someone has some ¡®connection¡¯ to the senior staff. ¡°Tell me about your family,¡±  he enquires. ¡°Oh nothing much to talk about. I am an only child, my mother is a stay at  home wife. My dad used to work in a transportpany but got involved in an ident which costed him the use of both his legs and weakened his heart as well. So my mom now takes care of him and I work to meet our financial needs,¡± I say. ¡°Very hardworking, I see,¡± hepliments and I am taken aback and I can¡¯t help the blush that creeps my cheek.


    We are interrupted by a knock on the door and whoever knocked the door enters regardless. He is pushing a trolley. He pushes it to the side of our table and begins unloading whatever he was carrying on it. He puts two little table mats on Edward¡¯s side and my side of the table. He retrieves two tes of food and ces on the mats. He also retrieves the cutlery, two sses and a bottle of wine and ces them on the table. ¡°Anything else sir?¡±  ¡°No thank you but I will call you incase,¡±  Edward tells him and he pushes his trolley back, leaves the room and closes the door behind him.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°Do you like steak? I made an order while I wasing to the boutique and I didn¡¯t know what you liked and I guessed you could join me so I decided on it. Hope you¡¯ll like it,¡± Edward says and I nod, ¡°yes, I do like steak, thank you.¡± ¡°I guess you have questions too about me?¡± He asks and I chuckle because for real who doesn¡¯t know Edward in this city? ¡°A penny for yourugh?¡± He says and I notice his mouth is raised slightly at the corners and I am happy that he finds me fun. Or maybe I look funny or sound funny. I push the thought further aside and tell him,¡±Edward, you are the most influential person in this city, almost everyone knows you except for your face of course.¡± He leans on the table, looks me in the eye and asks, ¡°what do you know about me Neera?¡± ¡°The obvious,¡± I tell him and he chuckles. ¡°You mean you read about me somewhere that Iam a drug lord and a human trafficker? Don¡¯t be coy with me Neera,¡± he says that in a whisper and I get that he has a dark sense of humour. ¡°Oh no. Not that. Everybody knows that you are the CEO of yourpany and how yourmendable hard work has taken yourpany to greater heights making it the biggest in this country. All in all you are the second son of the most influential family of the Lawanson.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have questions to ask me?¡± He raises an eyebrow at me and I can¡¯t help asking the obvious question. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to reveal your face to the public?¡± He clears his throat and says, ¡°oh that. I do that for obvious reasons, the paparazzi getting on my nerves wherever I go and also for personal reason.¡± I don¡¯t want to ask about the personal reason, maybe he doesn¡¯t want to reveal his face because it would jeopardize his family¡¯s peace. But on our wedding, won¡¯t there be any pictures? ¡°And just so you know, on our wedding there will be media but I¡¯ve made arrangements that no one will leak any intimate photos or videos on the inte of us. Just a photographer who will be responsible for photos that are for the family¡¯s good times that¡¯s all.¡± He actually read my mind. As much as I would like getting on the news, I also don¡¯t like being the centre of attention that much that wherever I go everyone takes pictures of me and asks me stupid questions. I would even faint from anxiety.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± He asks me. ¡°Yes,¡± I answer. Maybe that¡¯s all for now. We eat our food and this is the most delicious steak I have ever tasted. He pours wine into the sses and by the time we are done eating, my ss of wine is still intact, with the wine untouched. ¡°You don¡¯t take wine?¡±he asks and I nod. ¡°You should at least taste it. A sip doest hurt,¡± he says in a manner that seems like weing someone in a different but illegal world at the same time sounding good. I take the ss in my hand and I take a sip and a crisp sweet liquid fills my mouth. I can¡¯t help taking another sip and another. It takes all of my taste buds together with my courage to put down the ss of wine. Very unwillingly but I really don¡¯t want to know how I¡¯d be if I drank much wine than I have. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± I say and he adds, ¡°take your time before you get used to it.¡± I agree with that.


    ¡°I think we are done here. I have something to attend to, so I should be leaving now.¡± He stands and I follow suit but my hand makes contact with my unfinished ss of wine and the contents empty onto the table and flows down quickly to my legs and shoes. I shift quickly but the drink was too quick for me to escape the mess. Now my shoes are soaked and my legs are wet. Edward looks at me and says, ¡°you can go to the restroom to freshen up before we go.¡± He points to the door I saw earlier and I make my way into the restroom. I open the door and there is another door besides the one I came in through that leads to I don¡¯t know where because I can see the restroom door open and I go to the sink to do the necessary. There are toiletries and I am happy that I don¡¯t have to do home with sticky legs in wet shoes. Although I manage to wipe the liquid off the shoes the inside is still wet but it is better now. I am going home anyway so I¡¯ll definitely be getting a change of shoes. I wash my hands and proceed to leave the restroom but the other door piques my curiosity. I twist the handle and it creaks open revealing a bedroom-like room.


    There is a bed in the middle with a small wardrobe at one side. There is a small stool with a bedsidemp beside the bed. I close the door and imagine that the bedroom is for those who want to stay overnight. Ie back to the room and I find Edward talking to the young man we met earlier outside the room in the hallway. I follow him outside and the guy closes the door behind us. It seems like Edward and Leo knows each other. ¡°Thanks Leo,¡± Edward tells him and he bows slightly, ¡°you are wee sir,¡± he says and takes my hand as we leave heading towards the elevator. My heart makes a little summersault. It seems to approve this rtionship. At the parking lot the driver is still inside the car and he gets out to open our doors when he notices us. We get in and Edward fishes out an envelope from a briefcase and hand it to me. ¡°These are some of the wedding invitation cards, so you will have to give to your close rtives who you want to invite to the wedding. I have booked a hotel that you will spend your night in before the wedding and this is the card,¡±he says fishing a gold and red coloured card and gives it to me,¡±we will drop you off before I go attend to something.¡± ¡°Okay, and thanks for the lunch.¡± He nods and I contemte opening the envelope but I decide against it. I look at the card and it is written ¡°ThE ATTIC¡±. There are numbers indicated and I think I will know their use when the timees.


    At home I find my parents seated watching TV and my mom is the first one to ask me about the meeting with Edward. ¡°Mom, he is so handsome. He even took me for lunch and he gave me a lift here. He is so nice,¡± I say and my dad says, ¡°that is what he is supposed to be doing as your fiance Neera.¡± My mom looks at him and they exchange a knowing look and I know exactly what they are implying. I take out the envelope and open it to reveal five red and golden wedding cards. On the first page if the card there is a photo of a cartoon couple- ady in a weeding dress and a man in ck suit. There are our names below the picture. There is a nk space that needs the name of the invite. On another page is detailed directions of the venue where the wedding will take ce and down below are appreciations from Edward¡¯s parents and my parents¡¯ names.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful card,¡± my mom says. ¡°And do you know mom? I will be staying in a hotel on the eve of the wedding,¡± I say, showing them the hotel card.


    Later, I am in my room searching for Az¡¯s number. I need to call her. I know she must be itching to hear from me. Before I could press the call button I see her name shing on the upper part of my screen. Oh she can be impatient sometimes. How did she know that I am already back? ¡°Hi,¡± I greet her and she can¡¯t wait to respond,¡±hi, Neera I was waiting for your call for ages,¡± I chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s just now that I got home,¡± I tell her. ¡°It seems the date was awesome, did he tell you that he fell in love at first sight?¡± I chuckle at her sense of humour, ¡°Az that can¡¯t happen. He just took me for lunch in a private restaurant.¡± ¡°Oh, a private restaurant what do you mean?¡± She asks curiosity getting the better of her. ¡°He said he was taking me to a restaurant for lunch but we had the lunch in a private luxurious room just the two of us,¡± I tell her. ¡°Oh Neera, your man seems so focused.¡± ¡°Thank you. And do you know he held my hand the entire time. I couldn¡¯t think straight when I was with him,¡± I know I am blushing right now. ¡°Neera, you got it bad, you are even blushing right now. Wait, did you fall in love at first time?¡± ¡°Oh no. I didn¡¯t. I was just carried away by what he did. Besides, he is my future husband so there shouldn¡¯t be any offence in that, right?¡± ¡°Neera listen, I am your friend. It¡¯s not good for you to fall in love with him at first sight but in my opinion, don¡¯t show him that you are in love with him. Wait for him to fall in love with you too before you tell him you do too. That¡¯s my opinion.¡± ¡°Why though, if I may ask?¡± I don¡¯t get why I wouldn¡¯t fall in love with my husband first. ¡°I don¡¯t really know but that¡¯s what I can tell you,¡± she tells me leaving me more confused. ¡°Okay Neera, I need to go but I hope we will meet before the wedding,¡± she says. ¡°Yes we will. And another thing, he gave me the wedding card so I may need to send it to you or maybe youe for it. And we shall be spending the night in a hotel before we get to the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± She asks.


    ¡°The Attic,¡± I say and she gasps her mouth hanging wide open. ¡°The Attic?¡± She repeats, ¡°that grand hotel? We shall be spending the night in that seven-star hotel? I have been pressuring my dad for so long to take me there but he always says it¡¯s expensive. It was my dream to stay there some day,¡± she says and I get why Az¡¯s father couldn¡¯t take her there. Although her family is well-off, maybe her dad doesn¡¯t want to spend that much money on her. She is working now and she has been to the luxurious hotels in the city, she has even travelled for vacations in other countries. ¡°Maybe he wants you to spend your own money,¡± I tell her. ¡°You said it Neera. Maybe I should be grateful I won¡¯t be paying for my stay at the Attic. Anyway as for the wedding card, I will be busy this whole weekend so I will pick it at your workce maybe at lunchtime so we can even do some catching up over lunch. I have missed Jackie too. She called me and told me that her boyfriend proposed to her, although since she went on her leave we haven¡¯t seen each other. See you then,¡± she concludes. ¡°Alright see you on Monday,¡± I hang up. I will have to tell Jackie about the progress on Monday.


    ***


    ¡°Sara, why did you get yourself into a fight? Do you want to get all over the inte again? Thest time I had to pay a ransom to get the story from going viral. Why do you like creating problems wherever you go?¡± ¡°Aniston, she was the one at fault. And why are you taking her side? Do you know her?¡± Sara retorts. ¡°I am not taking sides Sara. You are my only sister and I did that to protect you. You know you are the only family I got. Don¡¯t do things that would get you on the bad side if the media. They would tarnish your name.¡±. ¡°Okay Aniston but that was the only design in the country. How do I get another?¡± Sara asks. ¡°You are still talking about that? You could order for another design or you could contact the one who designed it for you to do the same, I will pay for it,¡± Aniston says leaving the sitting room and heads upstairs. He enters his room with a big smile on his lips.


    ¡°I got to meet her again. And I helped her in a tough situation. This will get me in her good book. But what was she doing there on a working day. There is only another shop where they seemed to be headed to. Or she was escorting her friend,¡± Aniston can¡¯t help thinking about her. He gets into the shower with satisfaction written allover his face.

 Chapter 9

    ¡°Mom, I am ready,¡± I call out to my mom when I have finished packing up my suitcase. I have selected the dresses I will be wearing at my new home. They aren¡¯t much and my suitcase isn¡¯t a big one. Anyway incase I may need more I wille back. I pull it behind me to the sitting room. I go back to get my phone and I look around the room, thinking about the time I have spent in here. It holds a lot of my memories since it is the only house I have lived in. My mother always praises dad saying that he made the right decision in buying the house. I take onest look at my room, I¡¯m gonna miss it. I close the door and my mother emerges from their room pushing my father¡¯s wheelchair. We head to the sitting room. ¡°Neera have you packed everything you need?¡± My mom asks. ¡± Yes I have. Az will be picking me up soon.¡± Right on time I hear the sound of a car outside. She is already here. ¡°Take care Neera, we will meet you tomorrow,¡± my dad says and mom adds, ¡°make sure you get enough rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.¡± ¡°Hello Mr and Mrs Brown,¡± Az says. ¡°Oh hello there Az. How are you?¡±My mom greets her. ¡°I am fine thank you, I see Neera is ready,¡± she says looking at my suitcase. ¡°Yes,¡± I say and she helps push it to her car. We follow her and I hug my mom and dad. ¡°Take care girls, we¡¯ll see you tomorrow, don¡¯t do anything stupid. Take enough rest for tomorrow is a big day,¡± my mom says. ¡°Don¡¯t worry mom, we will be fine,¡± I tell them and give them and give them a wave as I enter the passenger side of the car driving off towards the Attic.


    The Attic is a tall buildingprising of twenty two floors. It is painted white and has palm trees lined on either sides of a road that leads to the parking area, though there are no visible cars parked anywhere. I think it is an underground parking lot. There are beautiful azaleas on raised flower beds around the fence of the premises and argepound with scattered trees that provides dark shades on the manicured green grass. There are some arm chairs under some trees on which people are seated. A cool breeze gives a breath of fresh air to the environment. Ady and a young man in ck and white uniformes to greet us and leads us towards the reception area.


    ¡°Good eveningdies, may I have your information please?¡± The beautiful receptionist asks. ¡°My name is Neera and this is my card,¡± I say and fish out the golden card that Edward gave me the day we went out for lunch. She takes it and scans it. ¡°Oh, right. Edward Lawanson booked it in your name. This is your room number and the card is also the key to your room. Will you be expecting anyone else?¡± She shows me the numbers 1412 indicated on the card. ¡°Yes, our friend, Jackie Nelson will be joining uster,¡± I tell her and she says, ¡°alright. Just scan the card on the screen inside the elevator and it will take you to your floor. Enjoy your stay.¡± We thank her and head to the elevator. We get in and I scan the card and number 22 shes on the screen. The upper floor of the building. I look at Az and she smiles and gives me a thumbs up.


    The elevatores to a halt when we get to the twenty second floor and we walk out. There are only four doors on this floor and we look for the door number 1412. I scan the card again on the screen beside the door and we enter into the most luxurious presidential suite a hotel could possibly provide. I have never been in any star hotel before but have just read about them. So this gives me the idea that it is the most luxurious one. Az screams in delight and falls on a white leather sofa that has red throw pillows. The thick red curtains goes well with the white sofas and white walls and a golden chandelier that hangs at the center of the ceiling. There are red roses in a ss vase on the ss table between the sofas. There is a knock on the door and I go to open it. There stands the chauffeur who drove our car to the parking with my suitcase and some papers in his hand. ¡°Hi, this is your suitcase and these are the details of the services you will be enjoying at our hotel. Enjoy,¡± he says handing me the papers and my suitcase. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say and he leaves and I close the door behind him. ¡°I thought it was Jackie,¡± Az says. ¡°I thought so too, but it was the chauffeur, here,¡± I hand her the papers. We sit on the sofa and begin to take a look at them.


    Included in our package is dinner, drinks, breakfast and anything we could want to take in between the meals. There is a restaurant and a club on the rooftop.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Neera, we didn¡¯t even take a tour of the suite,¡± Az says and I agree with her,¡±yeah right, let¡¯s go,¡± she drops the papers on the table. The presidential suite has two bedrooms each en-suite and a kitchen. I wonder why there is a kitchen when we could order anything we want.


    ¡°Do you have any ns for the night?¡± Az asks me. ¡°No, just staying indoors and order for anything I want,¡± before she could answer me there is a knock on the door. ¡°That should be Jackie, I will get it,¡± Az says and goes to open the door. Jackie storms in and she screams too in delight just as Az did earlier before when we came here. Shees to hug us and sits on the sofa. ¡°Wow. This is sofortable. I mean, can I stay here longer?¡± She says and Az chuckles, ¡°sorry to break this to you Jackie but you can¡¯t stay here after today. Unless you want to pay for it,¡± she wiggles her eyebrows at her. ¡°Oh, Az unless I sell my boyfriend so as to be able to pay for it,¡± ¡°Is he worth it?¡± I chip in,¡±of course, he is tall and muscr, who wouldn¡¯t buy him,¡± ¡°unless they won¡¯t afford him,¡± Jackie adds and weugh it off. ¡°I asked at the reception if they have a bar and guess what? They have a rooftop bar and a restaurant,¡± Jackie says and we are shocked at her audacity. ¡°What! You actually asked for a bar. You haven¡¯t even settled in and you are thinking about drinking. Are you serious Jackie?¡± Az asks her and sheughs, ¡°oh Az. You know it is not everyday that I get toe to The Attic. This is like a once in a lifetime chance so I have to use it well. You two get up and make yourselves avable,¡± she says excitedly. Az looks at me and adds, ¡°Neera let¡¯s celebrate this. This is supposed to be your bachelorette party. You are getting married and there won¡¯t be enough time to do this things, you know, your husband, the kids¡­¡± ¡°Stop it Az. Okay I wille with you.¡±


    We are seated at the rooftop of The Attic when the waiteres with our cocktails. ¡°Cheers to a happy marriage,¡± Jackie says and we clink our sses and sip our cocktails. The rooftop overlooks the city with the golden city lights illuminating the night. The bar is almost full of people who drinks in such a manner that it doesn¡¯t seem like drinking at all. I guess it is because I have seen wild drunkards and haven¡¯t experienced this kind of drinking before. I had even declined having this cocktail since I have never taken that. I only tasted wine that Edward offered me. Az and Jackie sweet talked me into it. We have ordered some pizza and I am d that they prepare almost every dish in this restaurant.


    Az added some wine to the list of the orders we made.


    ¡°Be careful, you might trip and fall,¡± Jackie tells me as she leads me to my room. Az is already in her room sleeping. She had too much to drink as for me, ass much as I didn¡¯t drink so much as her, I am drunk too and I can¡¯t take two steps before I lose my face. Jackie seems like the sober one although she drank as much as we did. I flop on the soft bed and Jackie helps me remove my shoes. ¡°Take a rest, I will join Az,¡± she says pulling the covers over me and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.


    ***


    I look up at him as the priest says, ¡°you may kiss the bride.¡± Edward takes my veil and pushes it at the back of my head. He leans in bringing his beautiful lips closer to mine. I close my eyes and drown in the sensation the kiss is giving me. The crowd cheers and we break apart. I can see my mom smiling at me and I look back at Edward who is now husband and he winks at me. He whispers in my ears about me being stunning and I blush. I hope my make-up is helping by hiding my red as a tomato cheeks. We are now inside a room decorated with pink flowers. There is arge mirror facing the door of the room and I walk towards it. I take a look at myself and my beauty is on another level. I feel Edward¡¯s fingers circling my waist and I gasp. ¡°We look perfect together, don¡¯t we? And you are so pretty. You look stunning in white. I can¡¯t wait to take you out of this dress,¡± he says and his hands move towards my back and starts unfastening the strips that are holding my dress intact. I turn to him and say, ¡°I love you, Edward,¡± and he seems shocked by my words,¡±please love me too,¡± I add and lean my head onto his shoulder.


    ¡°Neera, what are you saying?¡± He asks and Iam confused by what he is asking me. He shakes me and asks me again, ¡°Neera, what are you saying?¡± I open my eyes and I hear Jackie saying, ¡°I told you we should just let her have her rest alone, now we can¡¯t sleep in peace with all her noise.¡± ¡°What are you two doing in my bed?¡± I ask them and Az says, ¡± I thought it wise toe and keep youpany but it seems you are okay without us, what was with all the noise, what were you dreaming about?¡± ¡°Nothing, just a normal dream,¡± I say and Jackie chuckles, ¡°a normal dream huh? I bet you were dreaming about Edward. It seemed like a romantic dream.¡± ¡°You are actually right, a hundred percent,¡± Az agrees. ¡°Guys I need to rest, what time is it anyway?¡± I ask and Jackie points to a wall clock. It¡¯s some minutes past 2. 00 am. ,¡±Alright but we are going back to our rooms,¡± Jackie says standing up but I pull her back to sit on the bed, ¡°please don¡¯t leave, I promise I won¡¯t talk in my sleep again. It would be better if we slept together, that way we can keep this memory maybe this is the only chance we can get, okay? Besides, this bed is too big for just one person.¡± ¡°Okay, Neera, goodnight girls,¡±Az says and we all retire to bed. I can feel a surge of emotions engulf me when I think of the things we have been through together as friends, especially with Az. I hope we would keep our friendship going even as I am getting into a new chapter of life.

 Chapter 10

    ¡°Good morning sweetie,¡± Jackie¡¯s voice sounds in my ears as I get up slowly from the bed. She looks happy from the way she talks all smiles. ¡°You look happy today,¡± I remark and sheughs, ¡°oh Neera you have no idea. Oh, don¡¯t tell me you have forgotten which day today is?¡±  ¡°Of course not. I have just woken up, don¡¯t you see?¡± ¡°Okay then get up and cheer up, it¡¯s your big day,¡± she says and I can¡¯t help the big smile that forms on my lips.


    I get off thefortable bed and scamper towards the bathroom. Iam mesmerized by the enormous bathroom. I contemte whether to use the tub or just take a shower. I choose thetter and decide to take a bath in the evening after all the day¡¯s activities. It is my big day after all, all the focus will be on me entirely. I hope I won¡¯t pass out with all the attention I need to give and be given.


    I decide to take a cold shower so as to be fully awake but just as I turn on the shower the door bursts open and Az enters, followed closely by Jackie. I jump right in time to pull a towel around me before they could get closer. She has a box in her hand. ¡°Here, you really need this,¡± she says handing me the box and I look at the contents only to see that it is a shaving kit.


    ¡°What? You brought me a shaving kit? Don¡¯t be naughty right now. I don¡¯t need it,¡± I say giving it back to her but she withdraws her hand. ¡°See Neera, you do need this because today is the day. Don¡¯t worry we will help you with it. You have to be presentable today. See, you need to get rid of all this hairs on your arms and legs,¡± Jackie says touching my arms as she tries to show me the hairs on them. ¡°My arms and legs too? See, I had shaved the necessary so no need to fuss about anywhere else.¡± Az wiggles her eyebrows at me and I know that I can¡¯t argue further.


    My arms and legs are smooth when I touch my skin. This is due to Az and Jackie¡¯s smooth talking me into doing it. They can be quite convincing. I am now in the shower and I have decided against the cold water.


    I finish my shower, put on the shower gown, dry my hair and when I open the door, I am surprised to see my beautiful dress ced neatly on the bed. There is a fresh bouquet of white rose flowers ced on the bedside table. There are silver heels ced on the floor. I walk towards the bed and take the shoes looking at how beautiful they are.


    ¡°Are you done with your shower?¡±I can hear Az¡¯s voice  outside the door. ¡°Yes I have,¡± I answer and she opens the door. Shees in with a tray of food and I can¡¯t help the yawn that escapes my mouth. ¡°Feeling hungry? I brought you breakfast in bed,¡± she says adoringly and I am grateful for the friendship that we share. I don¡¯t know if I could do without her.


    ¡°Where is Jackie?¡± I ask. ¡°She is trying on her dress,¡± she answers. ¡°By the way when did this get here?¡± I ask gesturing towards the gown on the bed. ¡°Oh that. Well, it was here before you woke up,¡± she says and I am surprised. ¡°Who brought it? And you couldn¡¯t wake me up,¡± Iin and she chuckles. ¡°Oh you were sleeping soundly so I could not afford to wake you up. Simon Cooper brought it himself. He is at the restaurant but will join us soon. So you eat first.¡±


    I dig into my breakfast and my taste buds appreciate all the details made into the pancakes. I love pancakes. There are sausages and toasted bread and a sk of white tea. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± I ask Az and she shrugs, ¡°just a minute, go on, I will check on Jackie ande back. She looked hungry too,¡± she says and I nod. She leaves the room and not a minute passes before shees back with Jackie. They sit on either side of me on the couch facing the little table that is ced a few feet from the bed.


    ¡°This is delicious,¡± Jackiements and I couldn¡¯t agree more, ¡°Please don¡¯t let this be ourst meal together,¡± she adds and a chuckle escapes my mouth, ¡°what do you mean? We work together and as for Az we can always arrange for dinner dates. We can always meet even if it is everyday you know. Don¡¯t act as if I am going to the moon,e on guys.¡±  ¡°I was just hoping you would notmit too much into you newfound love and forget about your friends,¡± she says. ¡°How can I? That is impossible. We will always be together. And don¡¯t you forget yours ising soon?¡± She smiles the biggest one  and I get that she can¡¯t wait for her turn too. ¡°Okay then, all settled. Let us finish this before Simones back,¡± Az says and we continue taking our breakfast.


    A few momentster after we are done with breakfast, Simon walks in, being led by Az who went to get the door when he knocked. ¡°Heydies? Neera, I couldn¡¯t see you when I came in. Hope you had a good night¡¯s  , e¡± he says. ¡°Yes I had. Thank you,¡± I say. ¡°The stylist will be here any moment and you have to have to put on you gown before she does your hair and makeup,¡±  ¡°okay then, we will go change thene and help Neera put on her gown,¡± Jackie says.


    Jackie is stunning in her long pale pink dress while Az in her beige dress doesn¡¯t disappoint either. ¡°Wow, you look gorgeous both of you,¡± Iment and Simon gives a thumbs up. He really did magic to Az¡¯s dress. ¡°Now your turn Neera.¡± Simon, Az and Jackie all help me put on my gown. It fits me perfectly. Simon makes me sit on the bed and the doorbell rings. ¡°They are here,¡± he says. I guess he meant by the stylist. He goes to the leaving room to get them.


    The stylists are twodies and a young man who carries a box. He ces it on the small table where  we ate earlier and one of thedies help him carry it and ce it near the bed. He opens it to reveal all kinds of makeup. ¡°Ray, you make her the most beautiful bride we have ever seen,¡± Simon says to the young man. ¡°Oh sorry I forgot to introduce these three, this young man here is Ray, the shorterdy is Mary and the other one is Maggie. They will pimp you to your liking. Now you start with Neera, then the otherdies. You can start now,¡±  Simon gives the stylists instructions and goes to sit on the couch. Ray starts with my hair and goes on to do my face. asionally I have to open and close my eyes.


    I am staring at my reflection and have to admit that I like what I see. Ray seriously made me the most beautiful bride. Az and Jackie gives me a thumbs up while smiling up at me. They are both sitting on the couch watching me together with Simon. The stylists take back the table near the couch with the make-up kit. Maggie does Az¡¯s make-up while Ray does Jackie¡¯s and Mary helps them. They both do wavy hairstyles letting their hairs down flowing on their backs. Az has blonde highlights on her dark chestnut hair and the waves makes it more sophisticated. Jackie has longer ck hair than the both of us. After they are done Simon takes a look  at the final results of each of the services Ray and his team provided and gives a satisfied remark, ¡°now we have our perfect bride.¡±  ¡°Neera, your parents should be here any minute,¡± Az tells me. That reminds me I haven¡¯t seen my phone since morning. ¡°I took your phone Neera, you are not supposed to handle your phone today. You will be overwhelmed. Your mom called me and said they wille to see you before you leave for the wedding.¡±  ¡°It¡¯s okay then,¡± I tell her.


    As if on cue the doorbell rings again and I say, ¡°I hope they were not harassed at the reception,¡± but Simon assures me,¡±oh about that. Don¡¯t worry the Lawanson¡¯s own this ce so I assume they were given the instructions.¡±


    ¡°What. This hotel is Lawanson¡¯s. Wow, I couldn¡¯t imagine that,¡± Az says and I internally sigh at how much wealth this family has. I think I don¡¯t know the people I am going to give my life to, especially Edward. I have only met him once and he seemed like a cool guy which is okay with me.


    My mom enters the room adorning a blue dress with a matching kimono which has silver embroidery on the arms and the hem. My dad has on a ck suit, a blue tie and a white shirt. They look good actually and the moment my mom walks to me and says,¡¯oh my baby,¡¯ tears that I didn¡¯t feel earlier rolls down my cheeks and try to stand up but she gestures for me not to stand. She hugs me avoiding my face and says, ¡°don¡¯t cry so much you will ruin your make-up.¡± ¡°Oh mom, stop joking, I missed you two. Hello dad, didn¡¯t you miss me too?¡± My dad pushes his wheelchair towards the bed and Az gestures for the other guys to leave. After the greetings they leave and Az is thest one to leave the room, closing the door behind her.


    ¡°Neera, are you okay?¡± My dad asks me holding one of my hands. ¡°I am good dad, what of you guys?¡±  ¡°We are fine darling, are you anxious? Are youfortable?¡± He asks me and I nod. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my little girl is now grown and getting married today,¡± he says and now my tears can¡¯t seem to stop. My mom takes my other hand and squeezes it reassuringly. She takes a tissue and dabs off my tears making sure she doesn¡¯t ruin my makeup. ¡°Look Neera, we are here for you, any time you need us. Even as you go to your new home. Don¡¯t worry your mother-inw will take care of you, she is like your mother now. Don¡¯t be a bad girl, from now on you will be under Edward¡¯s care. Take care and bemitted to your husband and his family, his family is your family now,¡± that is my mother. ¡°Yes Neera, we love you so much. As for the promise I gave to you, I will do as I said sooner than you expect. Now wipe those tears and be ready because the convoy is here to pick you up. Let me pray for you. ¡®Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of life and thank you especially for this day that you nned in Neera¡¯s life. Thank you for the ups and downs that we have been through but you made a way so that our daughter has grown up to experience this day. Imit this day into your able hands¡­¡¯ ¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    After he¡¯s done praying my mother calls for Az and everyone else who was in the room. She appreciates everyone for their participation in making my wedding day sessful. Simon gives her the veil and she ces it on my head. He helps me wear my shoes while Ray does some touchups on my face. ¡°You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen, now can we go?¡± My mom asks and everyone stands to leave. Mary arranges the makeup box and is the first person to leave the room. Az holds my dress helping me walk properly. My mom pushes my dad¡¯s wheelchair towards the elevator and Jackie carries my small suitcase  and another bag they ced their belongings in.


    The elevator dings open and just a meter away there is a red carpet that is ced leading towards a car that a man in a suit  opens the door. There are some other cars that are decorated in red and white, I guess five or six, I am not sure. We walk towards the car and Simon and Az help me get in. Another guy pushes my dad¡¯s wheelchair towards another car while my mom gets in the car after me. I look closely to see my dad easily get into a car that is well designed to help him get in with his wheelchair without any help. The first guy who I remember that he is the one who drove us when we visited Edward¡¯s home. He closes the door and gets in the driver¡¯s seat. Az sits on the passenger side as the back seats could not contain the three of us due to the volume of my dress. He starts the car and I note that some other cars have already left.


    We leave the parking and into the traffic, to the wedding venue.

 Chapter 11

    Aniston Residence.


    ¡°Betty, where is my dress? I don¡¯t want to bete for this wedding,¡± Sara shouts from the dressing room to her house help. ¡°In a minute ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll bring it right away,¡± she says.


    A beautiful yellow gown ced on a mannequin is brought to Sara¡¯s dressing room. Betty, the housekeeper takes it to the dressing room. Sara gasps and holds her cheeks in admiration at the masterpiece before her.


    ¡°Wow, this is so pretty,¡± she says and Betty adds, ¡°yes ma¡¯am. I bet you will be the most beautifuldy in the wedding. Even the bride will be jealous of you.¡±. ¡°You are right. I will be the most stunning woman in my crush¡¯s wedding. I wished I could get married to Edward, but he preferred an ugly duckling to a swan. Lucky bastard,¡± she says feigning annoyance and puffing her cheeks.


    ¡°He will probably regret his decision the moment he sees you,¡± Betty says and the both burst outughing. ¡°Is Aniston ready?¡±  ¡°Oh he is. He is downstairs waiting for you,¡± Betty answers. ¡°Okay thank you Betty. Go and let him know that I will be there in no time. Oh no, infact help me put on this gown.¡±


    ¡°This name sounds familiar. Is she  the same person. She can¡¯t be. Her ss and that of Edward can¡¯t match. Anyway after today I have to look for her again. It¡¯s been long since Ist set my eyes on her. I have to talk to her too,¡±  Aniston says much to Sara¡¯s amazement.


    ¡°Brother? Are you talking to yourself? What is it that is making you think out loud? This is new,¡± Sara says and Aniston sighs in relief. Seems Sara didn¡¯t hear what he was talking about.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking about the investors I need to meet on Monday,¡± he answers but Sara seems dissatisfied. ¡°I know you big brother. First, work matters have never been a problem to you. Second, you are a poor liar. I know it because you don¡¯t lie and when you do you are not good at it. So tell me, is it about that girl?¡± She says and Aniston looks at her quizzically, ¡°which girl?¡±  ¡°Oh you know, that one I walked in on you talking about her to yourself,¡± she says.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go we will bete. If we start arguing we won¡¯t be over until eternity. Betty, take care of the house. Is the car ready?¡±  ¡°Yes  sir, enjoy your day,¡± she says.


    ***


    The car door opens and Az holds my dress in ce as I step out. There is a red carpet stretching towards where I presume could be the altar. There isn¡¯t a single soul around as I start walking, holding my bouquet of flowers on my front. My mom had left earlier when we arrived saying she is going to see dad. My dad¡¯s condition makes her be on standby in case he needs anything. There is a big door a few steps away and I know this is it. Once it opens, it literally opens to a new chapter of my life. I take a final step to approach the it and the door opens wide to reveal a crowd of people seated on white chairs arranged neatly facing the altar- made just by four posts ¨C with white and red flowers all over them. There is a whitece material ced on top, like a cover. I shift my eyes to my bouquet of flowers and I can feel all eyes on me when the announcement ¡®herees the bride¡¯es through. They all stand up and my heartbeat elerates.


    Azes to my side and whispers, ¡°just focus on your steps and you will be fine. I am behind you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± is all I can manage to say. I heed to Az¡¯s advice and descend down  the stairs. From here, the ground is t and I take a few seconds to myself, say silent prayers to the God of courage to not let my clumsiness take over me today. I breathe in and out before deciding to take another step towards the altar.


    I feel my right hand being held. I look up and I am d that my mom is here to walk me down the isle. Now my God really answered me. My clumsiness is now kept at bay.


    ¡°I am here. Don¡¯t be too nervous,¡± my mom says. ¡°Yes mom, thank you,¡± I answer more confidently this time. I wish my dad could be here too, holding my hand, walking me down the isle, but his condition cannot allow him. I feel tears forming in my eyes so I decide to focus on my steps. At the back of my mind, I can¡¯t ignore the fact that I hate whoever did this to him.


    ¡°In sickness and in health, till death do us part,¡± I am thest one to take the vow after Edward and I slip the ring on his ring finger. ¡°I now pronounce you husband and wife,¡± the priest says and we receive a round of apuse from the attendees. We sign the marriage certificates and  now it is time for the reception.


    We have taken photos with almost everyone at the wedding and I can¡¯t ignore the fact that that woman who made me look like a fool on my gown fitting day attended. She looked pissed, maybe at me, for all I care. Her brother, Aniston, attended too. I had to expect that since he is one of the top business people in Sura city so Lawanson¡¯s family couldn¡¯t have left them out. I was d when Samara was among them too.


    Everyone seems satisfied and some have started leaving. I can spot my parents talking to Edward¡¯s family. They walk towards us and Edward¡¯s mother starts introducing me to the family members. His cousins, uncle¡¯s, aunt¡¯s and some of their friends who attended.


    ¡°Neera, we are leaving now, take care,¡± she says and whoever is present at the gathering starts hugging me one by one. ¡°Wee to the family¡±  bes like a song in my ears as I am passed from one individual to another exchanging hugs.


    ¡°Hey Neera,¡± it¡¯s Samara, my boss. ¡°You look stunning today, you were the prettiest bride,¡± she says and I blush. ¡°Thank you foring. I shall see you in a week¡¯s time,¡± I tell her and she says, ¡°enjoy your time. See you then.¡±  She is thest person I get to hug after everyone else has.


    ¡°Let me take your dad home now. Edward, take care of my baby,¡± she addresses Edward and I can feel my tear nds fill up again. I hug her and crouch down to hug dad. They wave to the others and she pushes dad¡¯s wheelchair towards the car that pulls near us, the same car that dad used earlier toe here. ¡°We are leaving too, take care,¡± Eric Lawanson announces too and they leave to their cars. I am left with Edward and he holds my hand and leads me to another car where Az and Jackie are waiting.


    The door opens and Edward holds my dress so as I can get in properly. He closes it and moves to the other side to get in. Az says to me through the car window,  ¡°see you at the party.¡±


    The cares to a halt at a building. It is not so a big building but rather a three storey building. We enter the building and ady who was at the reception is instructed by Edward to take me somewhere I am not aware of.


    We take the stairs to the first floor ande to a door that she knocks. Before the door can open she leaves and I wait for whatever is in store for me.


    The door opens and I am surprised to see Simon in thepany of Jackie and Az. ¡°You guys are here,¡± I remark and they nod. ¡°See, I came here to give you this,¡± he says pointing to a long red dress ced neatly on a clothes¡¯ hanger. It has golden embroidery on its left side of the top part and is sleeveless.


    ¡°You really are a master in this,¡± I tell him and he shakes his head, ¡°I am just a designer.¡± ¡°Of course you are,¡± Az chimes in.


    They help me out of my gown and I put on the red dress. It fits perfectly fine on my body. I put on another pair of shoes which is  golden in colour. ¡°Let¡¯s go, they are probably waiting for the star of the night,¡± Simon says.


    The part room is full of youngsters only. There is not a single elder in the room. I look around the room and there isn¡¯t  anyone that doesn¡¯t look ssy. Some are sipping drinks while others are dancing their asses off. There is a table ced on one side of therge room. There are two chairs ced next to the table. The music stops abruptly and the DJ or the emcee takes the microphone and announces my arrival.


    Edwardes to me and takes my hand and leads me to the table where he makes me sit on one of the chairs and he takes another. The emcee continues, ¡°we are gathered here to celebrate the union of our friend Edward to the love of his life. Let¡¯s put our hands together for the newest couple in town,¡± he says and the crowd cheers and ps. Edward stands up and the emcee hands the microphone to him. ¡°Thank you friends for sparing your time to witness my big day. I am humbled and I look forward to more unions like these from you guys in future. Meet my lovely wife, Neera Lawanson,¡± he says and makes me stand up. Some of the people areughing at him while others are cheering. He holds my hand and raises it up. I wave to the crowd with my other hand.


    After that the emcee announces that we should take the stage and dance our first couple dance. The harmonious musices to life and I tense. ¡°Edward, I don¡¯t know how to dance,¡± I tell him and he smiles at me. ¡°No worries, just follow my lead, you will be fine.¡±


    I ce my hand on his shoulder and he snakes his hand around my waist and man, he can really dance. The musices to a stop and he releases me. ¡°You can go take your seat now. I have to talk to some of my colleagues now. I will join youter,¡± he tells me and disappears into the crowd.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I go back to where I was seated and everyone else goes on sipping on their drinks and the dance lovers takes the dance floor when the music starts. I am not a part person and if it were up to you I wouldn¡¯t be here. I could be resting after all the activities of the day.


    Jackiees to me and smiles. ¡°You look gorgeous. Would you like a drink?¡±  ¡°Yes, some juice will do,¡± I tell her. ¡°Are you enjoying though?¡± She asks.  ¡°Oh you know me well,¡± I tell her. ¡°I know you wish you were somewhere else rather than here but it¡¯s your day, enjoy baby girl. I will get the waiter right away, ¡± she says and scurries away.


    Momentster a waiteres to my side holding a tray with a ss of juice. ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am, what vour of juice would you like? I came with a pineapple one just in case,¡± he says. ¡°No worries, pineapple juice is my favorite, thank you,¡± I tell him and he says,¡±enjoy your night, ma¡¯am, if you need anything else let me know,¡± he says and I nod and he leaves. I sip my juice and smile knowingly that Jackie had something to do with it. Just as cool as I wanted it to be.


    I look around the room and I am entertained entirely by the people who really know how to wiggle their bodies to the rhythm of the songs the DJ ys one after another. I can spot Jackie talking to her fiancee while Az is busy dancing and enjoying. I can also spot some celebrities like musicians and actors and business people in the room. I sip my juice slowly as I wait for Edward who seems seriously conversing with ady and a man at the far end of the room.

 Chapter 12

    I am starting to be impatient. This room is too noisy and due to the whole day activities I feel so tired and I really want to be out of here. Everyone else is enjoying but on my part is the opposite. I look around the room to look for Jackie or Az or Edward for that matter but I can¡¯t see anyone.


    Just as I decide to get up and leave the room to go look for them, the waiter who brought me juicees back. ¡°Ma¡¯am do you need anything else?¡±  ¡°No thank you but I need a favour from you. Can you look for me thedy who asked you to bring me juice?¡±  ¡°Okay, right on it ma¡¯am,¡± he says and I really feel old this time when he addresses me like that. I hope he finds her soon because I don¡¯t want to stay any longer.


    ¡°I can see someone is bored already.¡± Az is here.


    ¡°Oh thank goodness you are here.  I really need to leave here, Az. Can you look for Edward, please?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she says. Just then Jackie joins us and Az tells her of my problem. ¡°Oh I knew it from the start you didn¡¯t want to be here. I totally understand. Didn¡¯t hee back? I saw him some moments ago,¡± Jackie says.


    ¡°I saw him too but he disappeared all of a sudden and I really want to go and rest. I am really tired,¡± I say.


    ¡°Alright then let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Az says and they disappear into the crowd.


    After what feels like an eternity theye back but with frowns on their faces.


    ¡°Did he beat you guys? Why are you looking like this? What happened?¡±  ¡± Oh no worries. Just that there isn¡¯t Edward here but his driver is here to pick you up,¡± Jackie says. ¡°What? Where did he go to or did something happen to him?¡± I ask worriedly. ¡°Nothing happened to him though the driver is in a better ce to tell you where he is gone to,¡± Jackie says. ¡°Yes Neera, are you ready to leave?¡± Az agrees too and I have no choice but leave. I was the one who wanted to leave so no problem.


    We are out of the room and instead of going outside Az leads towards the stairs and I am too tired to ask anything so I let them lead the way. Thest staircase leads to the rooftop where there is a standby  helicopter. I can see the driver standing near the helicopter and I wonder where we are going to.


    ¡°Where are you guys off to for your honeymoon?¡± Az asks. ¡°I have no idea too,¡± I answer. ¡°Oh I see. It¡¯s a surprise then,¡± she adds and I blush. ¡°Do you think so?¡± I ask and she answers almost immediately, ¡°of course. Are you sure you remember who you are married to?¡±  She asks and Jackie  adds,¡±I think she forgot after all the partying.¡± ¡°You are right. I might have forgotten him since he disappeared without a trace,¡± I say and weugh it off.


    The driver approaches us and I ask him without waiting for him to speak. ¡°He is attending to some business matters. He told me to take you when you need to get out of here. He will join youter. ¡°Okay then,¡± I agree with him look at my two friends who are hide their disappointment when I turn to them.


    ¡°Will you be okay or do you want us to keep youpany?¡± Az asks. ¡°No worries, I am and I will be fine. I just need a lot of rest right now. Thank you guys for being there for me. I deeply appreciate,¡± I say and hug them in a group hug and we take a moment before we disengage from the hug. ¡°I will miss you two,¡± I say. ¡°We will miss you too, call whenever you get time,¡± Jackie says handing me my phone and we hug again. I wipe a lone tear that escapes my left eye and watch them as they leave.


    I am seated at the seat behind the  pilot and the co-pilot  who is Edward¡¯s driver. We have already started our journey to God knows where and that piques my interest.


    ¡°Where are we going to?¡± I ask the moment I see that they are not on radio and doing those pilot things when the helicopter was taking off. ¡°We are off to Marina Ind. We will be there in about two hours,¡± the pilot answers me. ¡°Okay,¡± I don¡¯t ask more as I am surprised that Edward chose Marina Ind as our honeymoon destination. It is the most celebrated tourist destination worldwide. It is situated in our neighbouring country and that the ind is the biggest state of the states that make up the country. Now, I will be one of the people visiting the famous luxurious ind.


    I rest my head on the seat¡¯s headrest looking at the lights twinkling as the night takes overpletely. I can feel my body rxing a bit and I think about the day¡¯s event, thanking the heavens for a sessful day.


    ¡°We are here ma¡¯am,¡±  I am shaken awake by the driver. He opens the door and I get out and I notice that we somewhere that looks like a privately owned homestead. We arrived more than two hours ago at a private airstrip. We then took a car and I that I fell asleep and on getting up we are here in front of a beautiful mansion that is painted white with green highlights on the window sills.  There are coconut trees scattered everywhere in thepound. The house seems upied since the lights are on although I can¡¯t see anyone around except for the security guy who is seated next to the gate.


    Just then his phone rings and he draws it from his pocket and answers, ¡°sir,¡±  he listens for sometime and answers, ¡°alright sir, got it.¡±  He looks in my direction and gives me an apologetic look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am. There seems to be a problem and we need to leave now,¡± he says. ¡°But why? We just got here,¡± I say wondering why and where the problemes from. I was really looking forward to seeing the inside of this magnificent looking house. Moreover I really need to rest now.


    ¡°Sir Edward called and told me that we have to leave right now because of some problem. We have to go because he sounded like it is an urgent matter,¡± he says. ¡°So where are we going to?¡±   ¡°To a hotel,¡± he says.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I am in no mood to ask questions about anything but fact is that I am a bit pissed right now. I get back in the car and we leave the homestead. Maybe Edward is at the hotel too, I think so.


    I am not sure of the time we took to arrive here. My mind was elsewhere. We are at the parking lot of a grand hotel that is built such that it looks like a medieval building. It is not so a very tall building maybe seven or ten floors up. We get to the reception and in no time the receptionist gives the details of the supposed amodation after he tells her that it is booked under Edward Lawanson¡¯s name.


    He gives me the key card to the room number and he bids me goodbye. I head to the elevator and press number 10 on the number tags inside the elevator.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The elevator dings open and I get out to the tenth floor. There isn¡¯t another door I can see on the floor but a corridor that points to the penthouse. I follow it and climb the few stairs that lead towards the door of the penthouse.


    As I get near the door my heart starts racing. All of a sudden I don¡¯t know what to do. I know that Edward is in there and that we got married today but this is a new thing to me. I don¡¯t know what I am supposed to do when I get in. After staring at the door for sometime, I ring the doorbell and wait. I hear no movements inside and decide to ring again. No answer. I decide to use the key card after waiting for so long without any response from inside, although the lights are on.


    I open the door and something light falls on my head followed by another and another. I look up and I have to close my eyes because I see hundreds of red petals alling for my head. I let them fall on me until I can¡¯t feel them falling no more and I move forward after I feel the door close by itself behind me.


    I am startled when I knock  a balloon and it burst. There are balloons everywhere in the room. Red in colour. Petals scattered in a continuous line leading to a table at one side of the room which is already set with food. I start wondering where Edward could be. Is he hiding somewhere in the room? Should I check the other rooms and see if he could be there?  The decorations on the dining table are so attractive that I decide against looking for Edward in the other rooms and move towards the table. The roses ced at the centre of the table are red and so fresh that you could think they are still on the farm. I touch them and that is when I notice a note written by free hand beside the flowers. ¡® I have left for a few moments and I will be joining you in no time, Edward¡¯ , the note says.


    I move away from the table and sit on the nearby couch and decide to wait for him toe before we could eat together. This should be our first meal as a married couple. I wait and wait. Minutes? Maybe hours? I have no idea. I didn¡¯t want to do anything else aside from sitting on thisfortable couch lest he finds me in an awkward position.


    The waiting has be too much to bear. I look again at the note that Iam still holding onto and I be impatient. What? What does this mean? So Edward was here and he left? What is it with this business of his that he can¡¯t rest even on his wedding day? Suddenly I am overwhelmed and I kick off my shoes off my feet and I sit down on the floor. I look at the balloons scattered on the floor and all I can do is pick  and throw them at each other. I pinch some and they burst off sounding so loud in my ears but I don¡¯t care now. I throw my clutch  at the table. The white fluffy carpet feels so soft and the red balloons with the rose petalsplements each other. I stretch to grab a fluffy pillow from the small couch not far from me and I ce it on the carpet. I move my body until my head and neck rests on the pillow and the entire body stretching on the carpet. It feelsfortable this way and my appetite suddenly vanished and I didn¡¯t bother to look at the kind of food that has been neatly covered on the table. I look at the beautiful design of the ceiling and a bright silver chandelier at the center of it.


    This is not supposed to be happening. I am supposed to be having the most romantic dinner with my new husband but here I am, not having a single idea where he is gone to. Should I call my parents?  Maybe not. I don¡¯t want to bother them now since they could be asleep by now. Moreover, this is not such a trivial matter that needs serious attention. Maybe I am just bothering myself for no big reason. Edward said he would be back in no time. So I have to wait for a few moments and he would be back. I hold a balloon to my chest and listen to the sounds that coulde from outside the penthouse. I close my eyes slowly as the floor bes sofortable as I feel more rxed.

 Chapter 13

    My hand feels numb as I try to find afortable position to lie my body. The beddings feels so hard and fluffy when I grab it to face the other side. I press my other hand to raise my body a little bit but the loud bursting of a balloon wakes me up fully. I get up quickly and that is when I realize that I didn¡¯t sleep on the bed.


    Everything is just as it was during the night- balloons scattered everywhere on the floor, the dining still with everything on it. My clutch is also on the table.


    I get up slowly and stretch my body. I pick my shoes up and take my clutch bag from the table . I head to the only door I can see apart from the one I came in from outside. It is a big bedroom with a king-size bed. It is covered with white sheets and red petals ced on top such that they make a heart shape. I am unbothered right now. My body needs a good washing right now. I head for the closet and I find a few clothes lined up neatly with a pair of sandals and I am grateful for that. At most I need a change of clothes when I shower. I head for the bathroom and when I see the beautiful bathtub I don¡¯t want to shower again.


    I fill up the bathtub with water. I get the essential oils and add a few drops into the water. The strong organic scent of the oils fills up the bathroom and in no time I am resting my tired body in the not so hot water. After staying inside to my satisfaction I clean myself and change into afortable blue sundress.


    What am I supposed to do in this big room? No one to talk to and I am new in this town. Edward is nowhere to be found and when I looked at my phone a while ago there was no single call from him. I called my parents and our conversation went well. I talked to Az too and I assured her that I had the best night. Jackie was also convinced that I had a good night since I seemed so tired. Right now I wish I had asked the room service attendant who came to do away with the decorations and the untouched food how long I am supposed to stay here. He had asked if I  didn¡¯t find the food to my liking he would make up for it. I had dismissed him  with no offense since I was in no mood for any exnations why I didn¡¯t take the food. Now I am famished. I have to call for room service.


    The doorbell rings and I know my breakfast is here. I get the door and yes, breakfast is here.


    I devour everything that is served. I was really hungry.


    After I am done I head to the reception. I can¡¯t stay indoors the whole day. Besides if I stay here I will just be too stressed out after everything. If it were on another asion I would have dly stayed indoors. I don¡¯t know any other ce in this town but I have to at least clear my mind off bad thoughts. I am standing outside the building contemting on which direction to take. Good thing is that I am staying at the ¡®Shark Hotel¡¯-that is the name of the hotel- for as long as I want.


    Wonderful! Just a few minutes from the hotel, I guess two hundred or half a kilometre away there is a beach. I take a few selfies for myself.  The beach is not crowded and this is good.


    I walk bare feet feeling the sand prickling my soles. I find a shade and I sit under it watching as people swim in the ocean. Others surfing against the waves while others y excitedly with their families or friends am not sure.


    My phone chooses this moment to ring and when I look at the caller id I am shocked a bit. After all this time it is now that he thinks is the right time to call me. I am not picking up the phone. I am human too. A woman for that matter, who was left alone on the night of her wedding day.


    The ringing has be too much and I give in.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±  That is the first thing that he asks when I answer the call. ¡°I am at the beach,¡± I answer. ¡°Which beach?¡±


    ¡°Not far from the hotel,¡± I tell him. ¡°Can youe back now?¡± Now that feels like amand. ¡°Okay,¡± I say picking up my sandals from the ground.


    I find him together with his driver at the hotel reception. He looks sharply at me the moment Ie in front of them. He looks ravishing in casual jeans and a ck shirt except for the face that he is giving me. Why though? He is the one who I should be furious at.


    ¡°Why did you leave the hotel? You should have waited for me,¡± he says and I look at him as if he has grown horns. ¡°I waited Edward, but you didn¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°Then what gave you the courage to leave the hotel when you are new here?¡±  ¡°What could I have done? You didn¡¯te when you already have the idea that I don¡¯t know anyone or anywhere on this ind,¡± I say. ¡± Oh so you are mad at me. Is it so hard to just stay put? I am in no mood to start looking for missing adults now. Now go to the room and pick whatever is yours ande back. We need to leave,¡± he says.  ¡°Just my dress from yesterday and my shoes,¡± I tell him. ¡°In fact no need. Let¡¯s just leave. That will be taken care of.¡±


    We are already having our first couple argument on the first day of our marriage. I hope we leave this ce because people are just looking at us as they pass us by.


    I am astonished at the destination we arrive at. If I remember correctly this is the vi we were at yesterday night. Why are we here again?


    I look at him and from his look I know he knows the reason why I am looking at him. He doesn¡¯t feed my curiosity as the only thing he says is e.¡±  Okay.


    There is a middle ageddy who wees us and leads us to the dining table. There is a ready set breakfast on the table and Edward directs me to sit. ¡°I was told that you didn¡¯t have your dinner. So eat,¡± he says and I feel like standing up and leaving the table. He should know by now that he was the one at fault right now. Is sorry so hard for him to admit. I just force a smile and say, ¡± but they didn¡¯t tell you that I had breakfast.¡±  ¡°Oh? It¡¯s okay. Just take whatever is to your liking then,¡± he says.


    We eat in silence and when I decide to leave he calls Grace, the middle aged woman, to show me around the house. I don¡¯t know why but I don¡¯t feel like sitting near him. He looks moody and he doesn¡¯t want to apologize for what he did or rather didn¡¯t do.


    The vi has four bedrooms on the upper floor, and it is only one storey house. ¡°Ma¡¯am, why didn¡¯t you stay here yesterday with Edward?¡± Grace asks and I am taken aback by that. What does she mean? Edward stayed here yesterday? ¡°I stayed at a hotel,¡± I tell her and she is shocked. She clears her throat and asks me, ¡°why? He was here with ady he said was his business associate. Moreover this house is so big it could amodate the entire poption of this ind,¡±  she says and weugh it off. I like her already. But wait, why would Edward stay here. I won¡¯t ask Grace about it but the right person to provide me with the answers that I need. ¡°You should have seen the hotel room. It was decorated top notch. Besides he is a CEO, he can¡¯t afford to lose important clients,¡± I say and she shrugs, ¡°you know, my honeymoon with my then husband, we didn¡¯t even leave the country. We just stayed at the house we had bought together with him. I didn¡¯tin whatsoever because I knew he couldn¡¯t afford a long stay at a hotel, but the little that we had saved we used it on household matters and the night was a memorable one. We could have used our savings on a one or two night¡¯s stay at a hotel in another city away from home but staying at home was a better option given our standard of living. So as for you just enjoy my girl,¡±  she says. Then? ¡°So where is he?¡± I ask since sounded like they aren¡¯t together then. ¡°He iste,¡±  she says. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± I tell her since it¡¯s the only thing I can afford to tell her. I don¡¯t know the man. ¡°Don¡¯t be, you didn¡¯t do anything. Besides we have a lot of good memories together. I miss him though,¡± she says as we enter back to the house after walking around the backyard while she tells me of her love story.


    This was quite a story with just a few words. She is only middle aged. They are separated so early. ¡°Do you have children?¡±  ¡°Yes, I have a daughter who lives with me. I onlye here during the day but when the Lawanson family member is here I stay 24 hours until they leave.¡±  ¡°This is their house?¡± I am astonished. ¡°Oh I didn¡¯t let you know earlier. Yes it is,¡± she says. I think I have to take a notebook and write down one by one all the properties owned by the Lawanson family.


    I am seated across Edward who doesn¡¯t seem like he will be putting his phone down anytime soon. I am staring at the TV not even interested at what the people are talking about. With Edward seated across from me I swear I cannot concentrate. He is handsome but intimidating at the same time. He makes my thoughts vanish and right now I know I am not mad at him anymore.


    ¡°Are you satisfied? If you are then I am going somewhere. If you want you cane with me,¡± he says. So he saw me stealing nces at him. This is so embarrassing. I want to stay back  with Grace in this magnificent house but I am new to this ce and I really want to explore.  Thetter wins.


    Edward is driving and I wonder where his driver is or why he decided to drive himself. He tells me the names of some ces and buildings. We drive around the the town for sometime and I guess he is showing me around.


    This is good. I am so excited and my fears vanished away long ago. I really am enjoying hispany.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He drives into a building. ¡°Now this is our destination. We are going to meet some of my business associates here. After yesterday we had to meet again today since we still have a lot of things we have to discuss and reach an agreement. So be my guest and don¡¯t say anything. You can listen to our conversation but it will be fine if you just be a good girl and stay put. Or better still you can walk around but don¡¯t go far away. I don¡¯t want what happened in the morning to repeat itself,¡± he says. ¡°I was just taking a stroll to be familiar with the ce,¡± I say. ¡°Let¡¯s not fight again about it. Behave okay?¡± He says and I nod as we get to a door and I can hear voices from inside.

 Chapter 14

    The meeting room isn¡¯t packed. It has around five people. They seem to be discussing something but they stop as soon as they see us. I thought I was going to see people in suits and formal ties but their attires are too casual that they seem like they are going to watch a casual game or rather taking a walk in the park. There are twodies and three gentlemen in the room.


    ¡°Hey guys, you are here already,¡±  Edward says excitedly as he goes to hug each of them. They are genuinely happy to see him. The hugs with thedies are too clingy for my liking and I think they are exaggerating it a bit.


    ¡°So guys, this is Neera, my wife. And Neera this beautifuldy here is Valen,¡± he refers to a curvaceous one, ¡± and this one is Rael,¡± referring to the otherdy, ¡°this is Martin, Garvy and Jones, my  buddies,¡±  he introduces all of them to me. They shake my hand cheerfully but Valen seems a little off and shows a bit of dislike towards me. I could understand it could be she has a crush over Edward. That is not my problem.


    They get back to their seats and continue with their discussion. I can understand from their discussion that they have ns to start a project here in Man Ind, an oil and gas project.


    I just sit quietly not daring to say anything since Edward instructed me not to. I feel like a fool just looking at the walls and asionally looking at them as they go on with their conversation. I feel like a third wheel even. This is so boring.


    I signal to Edward that I am leaving the room. He nods giving me a go ahead and I exit. I can make myself useful maybe by just looking at the activities going on outside through the ss walls of the building. I move nearer to the walls and I touch the cool ss walls. I can see the ocean from here and this view is the best. Some are walking in the water not minding the depths but their courage is shortlived when they reach at some point and  the earth supporting their feet breaks and falls deeper in the water and they scream and swim back to the beach. I can see the ridges from here and I wish I could tell them when they reach the end but I am far from them and my voice can barely leave the building. So I just watch in silence as they fall and struggle to get back on top of the water.


    ¡°Enjoying the view?¡±  A voice startles me and I look back to find Valen looking at me with disgust written all over her face. ¡± I am. Very much,¡± I answer her. ¡°I see,¡± she says. ¡°What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in a meeting?¡±


    ¡°I was justing to see if you haven¡¯t thrown yourself down the building,¡± she says making me crease my eyebrows.


    ¡°What makes you think that I would stoop to that level of killing myself?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Look. I don¡¯t like you and I don¡¯t have your time. I just wanted to tell you that even if you are Edward¡¯s wife, he doesn¡¯t like you either,¡± she says and Iugh at that. ¡°What? Are you Edward? How would you know that he doesn¡¯t like me? Especially when he was willing and is already married to me?¡±


    She scoffs and says, ¡°oh, the wedding. I know your marriage is an arranged one. Edward did you a favour because no man can find you attractive. You have no ss and nothing to your name. What can you give to Edward? Nothing. You are just but a gold digger and watch me as I ce you where you belong.¡±


    ¡°Valen or whatever name you call yourself, Edward is my husband. I know you have a crush on him but wake up and smell the coffee. Edward is someone else¡¯s husband and you have to live with that. He is already taken. Girl, get a life,¡± I walk past her and whatever she says next stops me in my tracks.


    ¡°Edward was with me in his vi yesterday. I know you might be wondering where he spent his night after leaving you alone on your wedding night, when he was supposed to be with you. So if I were you, I would already be processing my divorce papers already,¡± she says.


    I have to admit this information got me but I am not going to let  her win this fight. ¡°I know that. You are just his business associate,¡± I tell her. ¡°Okay, if you say so,¡± she says flipping her long brown hair over her shoulders as she walks back to the meeting room.


    I was just putting on a serious face not to show my broken feelings but after she is out of my sight I feel like crying. Whatever I had pushed aside about yesterday nightes back crumbling my mind. I feel so bad that Edward made me not spend the night at the vi but he did himself with another woman. What breaks me the most is that he didn¡¯t offer an exnation about it.


    Grace told me about Edward spending the night at the vi but I felt like he didn¡¯t want to bother me with work rted issues so I could spend a wonderful night at the hotel. Maybe that is the reason. I am just overthinking things. Valen could just be wanting to make me hate Edward because from how she sounded she has a massive liking to Edward. No. I cannot let her win on this one. Women of her kind feels like everything has to work in their favour and all the good men belong to them. I won¡¯t let her get to me. I am Edward¡¯s wife.


    We are back at the vi with Edward¡¯s buddies. We are having dinner as the night slowly creeps in. Edward insisted that we have dinner at the house. I havee to know that Valen doesn¡¯t live here but they came from overseas together with Garvy. The other guys are from the ind.


    ¡°So Neera, have you travelled abroad before?¡±  Rael asks. ¡°This is my first time,¡± I say.  ¡°Oh, the literal homie,¡±  shements and everyone bursts outughing and this doesn¡¯t feel like a joke to me. I know what she meant by that but that doesn¡¯t feel kind. ¡°Edward, you should do something about this,¡±  Martin says. ¡°I have started already,¡± Edwardments.


    ¡°Yeah, I can see,¡±  Martin adds.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    I am the only one on the table who have never been out of my country- well except now that I am on this ind- this is the first time.


    Dinner is done and I proceed with the dirty dishes to the kitchen.


    ¡°So, tomorrow, what are your ns on the project?¡± I can hear Garvy asking and I can¡¯t hear the answer as I am far in the kitchen. I ce the dirty tes on the sink and decide to wash them. I have nothing to do right now and Grace might be tired by now I mean she has been here since Saturday. Edward is busy with his buddies over the new project.


    ¡°Oh no. You shouldn¡¯t be doing this. I am here. I will do that. Just go and rest,¡± Grace tries to stop me but I have decided. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Grace, I am okay with this. Besides I don¡¯t have anything to do right now,¡± I tell her.  ¡°Do you know how to do it? I would be in trouble if the boss finds out about this,¡± ¡°that won¡¯t happen. And I do this most of the time at home. I will manage,¡± I assure her.


    I am done cleaning the dishes and I decide to head upstairs. I will take a nap before Edward retires to bed.


    The bedroom is huge and I hadn¡¯t taken a good look at it. Elegance together with luxuryplement each other in this room. From the thick dark curtains to a grey rug on the floor to grey covers of the bed all scream wealth. There is a shelf covered with books and that piques my interest. I draw nearer and  look at them one by one. ¡®The River Between¡¯, yeah this one will keep me upied. This project makes me feel like Edward came for work rather than his honeymoon.


    I ce the pillows under my neck such that my head is resting properly and it is raised and now I can read properly.  I pull the duvet over my legs. I can feel the cold creeping in. I stretch my body to afortable position and open the first page of  ¡®The River Between¡¯.


    The light shines bright making my eyes to open slowly. The curtains have been drawn and I wonder why  someone would do that. The door creaks open and Grace enters. ¡°You are up. I was wondering what was making you sleep soundly. Did you take sleeping pills?¡±  She asks and I get surprised by her question. ¡°What do you mean?¡±  ¡°Oh, I see. You were too tired. It is eleven in the morning,¡± she says. ¡°What! Have I slept until thiste?¡± I can¡¯t really get it. How now?


    ¡°Sir Edward must have made you so tired that you could sleep until eleven in the morning. It is almost 12 pm.¡± I blush, but not because what she said is true. I don¡¯t even know if Edward came to bed or not. Hell, I don¡¯t even know if he slept here or not.


    ¡°I will let you freshen up, then I will go make your breakfast, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you Grace.¡±


    I am in the shower, not even bothering to scrub my body. I just let the water ssh over my body. My mind is really overworked this days. Now I am thinking if I should ask Edward if he slept in our bedroom or not. Or he stayed awake over their so called project.


    I am seated devouring my breakfast. It is so delicious. Grace brings me a ss of juice and I feel a bit ufortable. ¡°Hey could you join me?  This is enough for another stomach apart from me you know,¡± I say referring to the sausages and toasted bread. As much as they are delicious, they are enough   not just for me alone.


    ¡°Oh, no thank you, besides I will eat when you are done,¡± she says.


    ¡°What? You haven¡¯t eaten yet?  Why?¡± I don¡¯t get why she hasn¡¯t eaten until now. It is 12 noon now.  ¡°I can¡¯t eat when you haven¡¯t yet,¡± she answers. ¡°Who said that? You could have and now I could be taking mine. So this is not a request. Please sit and join me. Whoever made this rule will have to pardon us today,¡± I tell her and she hesitates before pulling and sitting on one of the seats.


    ¡°I miss my mom. So you being an elder kind of fills the gap. So don¡¯t worry, you have been kind to me,¡± I say.


    ¡°Oh, you are the kindest soul. Sir Edward is the luckiest man to have found a wife like you,¡± she says and yes, I haven¡¯t seen Edward. ¡°Where is Edward by the way? I haven¡¯t seen him since I woke up. ¡°He left for the office with his colleagues. He said they have meetings with the investors of their project.¡±  ¡°I guess my sleeping habits need to change,¡± I  couldn¡¯t even hear when he came or when he left the room.


    ¡°I guess he couldn¡¯t wake you up because you were tired. So he might have left to let you rest fully, you know,¡± she says.


    I haven¡¯t talked to my friends since Saturday and they didn¡¯t call either. I only sent them texts telling them where I was. Knowing my friends well, they are only giving me time to enjoy my honeymoon. Az told me she won¡¯t call me unless I have a problem. She imed that she didn¡¯t want to be a hindrance to a romantic holiday. I miss them. I will have to talk to them after calling my parents. Grace is in the kitchen and I am just sitting here watching TV which I am not even paying attention to.


    I run up the stairs to get my phone. I know they are missing me too.

 Chapter 15

    Aniston


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that this happened to me. The girl that I had started falling in love with just got married to another man. Wait. I think I am already in love with her. Oh no. I am in love with someone else¡¯s wife. This is unbelievable. I thought I could meet with her, talk to her about my feelings then we would take things to another level. But no..¡±


    ¡°Oh Aniston, I think you are getting crazier and crazier by day,¡± Sara remarks, walking in on  Aniston talking to himself for the umpteenth time.


    ¡°I am crazy in¡­¡± He starts talking but Sara cuts him short before he can finish talking, ¡°love? Oh Aniston. This girl better be beautiful than I am because I don¡¯t want to take you to a mental hospital because of an ugly duckling. Please, you are my only brother,¡± she says.


    ¡°Sara, that is not what I wanted to say. Moreover the crazy thing just slipped my tongue,¡± he says. ¡± I know that because you were thinking about just that,¡± she says.


    ¡°Sara, don¡¯t be ridiculous. What are you doing here in my room?¡±


    ¡°So you want to get rid of me so you can continue with your business eh? Anyway I just wanted to let you know that the chandelier was brought in today. As we speak it¡¯s being fixed in my room. I can¡¯t believe that that stupid girl is the one who got married to Edward. I wish I had called the police that day.¡±


    ¡°Sara, you can¡¯t just use people like that when you know she wasn¡¯t really the only one at fault.¡±


    ¡°She should thank her stars that you were there. I will take my revenge someday,¡± Sara says ignoring what Aniston tells her.


    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t like this woman. Could you please tell me why. Do you know her from somewhere else? And how the heck does her marrying Edward concern you? Is that the reason?¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s not. I didn¡¯t even know her before I met her that day she broke my chandelier. I just developed dislike for her since that day.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. I see you just have natural hatred for her. Just don¡¯t let your dislike get you into trouble.  You don¡¯t want to mess with the Lawanson family. I hope you understand what I am trying to say,¡± Aniston says.


    ¡°Alright I won¡¯t get into trouble because of that woman. Why are you defending her anyway? Do you know her? Who is she to you that you want to fight with your own sister?¡±


    ¡°Look Sara, I said what I said and from now onwards I don¡¯t want us to fight about her again. We have talked about her enough. Unless you want to get wrinkles this early. Are you tired of your skin? I think I can even see some grey hairs on your head,¡± he says touching some strands of her hair.


    She touches her face  and smiles, ¡°of course I love my skin,¡± she ps his hand off her hair, ¡°I will leave now. I have to check the progress in my room now.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, I will join you soon,¡± he tells her.


    ¡°I will have to keep my feelings at bay. Maybe we were not meant to be,¡± Aniston sighs and stands up, to follow Sara to her room.


    *****


    This is the third day I am sitting on this big rock in the afternoon.  It is the coolest ce I prefer on this ind. There is no one around here, just the chirping of birds and the steady flow of the water from the river. I discovered this ce on one of my boring afternoons after I had taken a walk some yards away from the house. I was instantly in love with the serenity of this ce and my afternoons have never been the same again.


    asionally I collect pebbles and throw them into the water. The sshing of water is so rxing as I watch some of them being carried away by the current while others just settle down at the depths of the clear water.


    I take my magazine and go through the pages one by one. This environment is really the best one for reading. The trees providing a cool breeze as the wind blows.


    Edward has been leaving the house early anding backte when I am already asleep. I don¡¯t even know the exact time hees home. Grace is the one who tells me. Even when I try to wait for him, I end up sleeping. So I usually spend some time with her before Ie here and before I go to sleep.


    Hmmm, I might as well just lie down and read my magazine. The trees swaying their leaves make me close my eyes since I can¡¯t look up while thinking about something falling into my eyes, unfortunately. So I just support my head with the magazine and enjoy the soundsing from the breeze, the birds and the water. So rxing.


    I flutter my eyes open and curse at my sleeping habits, they are really getting out of hand. Although I am sure I don¡¯t mean it since I enjoyed it and what could I have been doing? Nothing. Just sitting and admiring nature at the same ce. I have been here doing that for sometime, remember? Though I don¡¯t really get tired of it.


    I stretch my body and sit upright and before I know it an ear piercing aah! escapes my mouth when I notice that I havepany- an unexpected one at that. A man, not a wild animal that devours flesh at a slight given chance. Aniston.


    ¡°Sorry. I am so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you like that,¡± he apologizes. ¡°Oh I am okay, I wasn¡¯t just expecting you here,¡± I say.


    ¡°I was just enjoying a nature walk when I stumbled upon you, and because I know you I couldn¡¯t just pass by before greeting you.¡±  Wow. He is here at Marina Ind? What a coincidence.


    ¡°That is so nice of you.¡±


    ¡°I came for a business investment here in Marina. A lot of meetings. Endless discussions. So when I got a chance to have a moment to myself, I thought I couldn¡¯t waste it. That¡¯s how I ended up here. I live not far from here,¡± he says.


    Did he just answer all my questions without me asking him about a single thing?  Or does he read minds?  ¡°Oh I see.¡± That is all I can say. ¡°I presume you are on your honeymoon but what are you doing here by the way?¡±


    ¡°I live not far from here too.  I came here to appreciate nature too but I got carried away too much. You could see I was sleeping,¡± I say and he shes his perfect white teeth in a grin and say, ¡± it could be dangerous, you know. Alone in the woods.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there are dangerous animals here,¡± I say.


    ¡°People can be dangerous too, not just animals,¡± he says and I agree with him. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t be asking you about this but how is your husband?  To be honest, where is he?¡± He asks. I am not gonna narrate my married life with him but, ¡± he has some investments here in Marina. He had to check up on them at some point and I didn¡¯t want to bother him so I stayed back,¡±  is what I manage to tell him.


    ¡°The tabloids really do not lie about him. He truly is a business man,¡± he says and I agree with him. If only he knew how he stays upte immersed in work that I might even forget thestmunication I had with him, he could have found another title for him. Not even a workaholic is not the best one. If only there is another term.


    The sunset is almost taking over. We have been chatting with Aniston for sometime until I got lost into the conversation. He is easy to talk to and sincerely speaking, I enjoyed hispany. He has told me about his achievements and I havee to know that Sarah is the only sibling he has and that they are orphaned. His parents left him the business to take care of since  he was twenty two when they died while Sarah was only  sixteen. That¡¯s so impressive. A twenty two year old running a business empire and from the looks of it he has made a really big impact in developing it. It is one of the biggest businesses in Sura City after Lawanson¡¯s ¨C of course.


    ¡°I must say thank you for saving me the other day. I wasn¡¯t careful that day when I broke your sister¡¯s chandelier,¡± I apologize genuinely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that one. My sister can be quite dramatic, I know her. You weren¡¯t the only one at fault you know,¡± he says casually like it was just some random staff that fell down.


    ¡°Thank you so much. I hope I didn¡¯t disrupt your nature walk anyway,¡±  he said he was on a walk and it ended with me here on the rocks.


    ¡°Oh no, just the opposite. I sure enjoyed yourpany,¡± he says what I was afraid of telling him.


    I pick my magazine up and stand up and he does so. ¡°I should be going now,¡± I say. ¡°Yes. Me too. Where do you live?¡±  He asks and I point towards the direction of the house.


    ¡°Maybe I should walk you there. What do you think?¡± He asks. ¡± If you can, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡±


    ****¡±


    Today of all days I find Edward at home. He doesn¡¯t have his phone glued to him like every other time. He is sitting on a couch putting on a pair of ck jeans and and a grey sweater. His left leg is ced on top of his right one and is sipping some tea or coffee. He just turned the little couch seem like a throne all in his glory.


    I walk towards him and he looks up when I get infront of him.


    ¡°Hi Edward,¡± I squeak.


    ¡°Where have you been? Is this house too boring  for you?¡± He asks.


    ¡°Not at all. I just took a walk,¡± I answer.


    ¡°I see. You hadpany. You already have friends in this ind. I thought you weren¡¯t the social type.¡± He saw us. But where? Probably not when we were still at the stream.


    ¡°It was Aniston,¡± I say in hopes that he won¡¯t find him a stranger.


    ¡°The same Brian Aniston?¡± he raises his eyebrows and asks. I nod.


    ¡± Oh I thought he looked familiar when I saw him at the gate but you were blocking my view so I couldn¡¯t see him properly. So how long have you known him?¡±  This is probably going to be a fight between us. A married woman sitting by the stream chatting with a stranger.


    ¡°Actually he is one of our clients who usually buy books from our bookstore. That is how I know him. He isn¡¯t much of a stranger to me,¡± I say.


    ¡°Why would you stay outside until thiste. Nobody knew where you are and you didn¡¯t bother to tell Grace where you were going to?¡±


    ¡°I thought I would just stroll for sometime before youe back. There wasn¡¯t anything else to do in the house,¡± I defend myself.


    ¡°Okay, should you want to meet other men, be sure to inform someone beforehand. We can¡¯t be stressed here while you are enjoying yourself,¡± he says.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Now that is quite offensive.


    ¡°I am sorry. It won¡¯t repeat itself. I really am sorry,¡± I say. I do not want this fight to go on. I am not good at arguments like this one. I might as well give up on this. It is not even healthy for a new couple like us.


    ¡°Good for you then. Anyway I brought something for you but when we couldn¡¯t find you here I just kept it in the bedroom. There is no need to see it anyway, I might as well discard it,¡± he says and I look at him sideways and he raises his eyebrows.


    This is not happening. I sure will beat him to it. I have to see what it is that he has brought me.

 Chapter 16

    Grace has made delicious dinner for us. Today it¡¯s just the three of us in the house; Edward, Grace and I. I persuaded Grace to have dinner with us but she had declined. I think it¡¯s because Edward is here and she told me sometime that it¡¯s against the rules so I get to break them when it¡¯s just the two of us.


    I eat slowly asionally stealing nces at him. He eats elegantly minding his table manners like holding the knife and fork like an expert. He might have been to a table manners school, if there is even one.


    ¡°I havee to realize that you always stare at me. Is my face really that funny or disgusting?¡± He says and I wasn¡¯t expecting that from him. He really caught me off guard.


    ¡°I was just liking what I was seeing,¡± wow, that was so brave of me. Anyway I can not be med for this because men, my husband is so handsome.


    ¡°Oh, you were? I appreciate that very much,¡± he says.  ¡°You mean to say I can¡¯t admire my husband?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°Of course you can for as long as you want. I just wanted to know what you see when you look at me,¡± he says. ¡°For your information it is a handsome face,¡± I tell him. ¡°Yeah sure it is,¡± he knows himself well and is proud of himself.


    We are done with dinner and Grace doesn¡¯t hesitate to clear the table after us. Edward leaves the dining table and goes back to where he was seated the time I came in from my walk earlier. I watch as he retrieves his phone from the small stool beside the couch and starts scrolling through it.


    An ideaes to my mind when I remember that he said something along the lines of bringing me a gift. I get off my seat and head upstairs to our bedroom. I will have to see the gift before he does away with it because my curiosity needs to be fed.


    I close the door behind me and scan the room. I notice a small shopping bag on the bed and I instantly know that it¡¯s the gift. I get to the bed and fish the contents out of the bag.


    I expected some kind of jewelry maybe a wristband, a ne or a pair of earrings. The thing I am seeing here is beyond my expectations. Lingerie. Edward bought me lingerie. I am lost for words.


    I guess he did this maybe to apologize for being absent since we wedded. Come to think of it, today is the only day since we got married that we got to have a good conversation. Today was really a good day. I got to know Aniston¡¯s life a bit- or rather the part of his life I didn¡¯t know before. After that Edward and I shared a light moment that I was courageous I don¡¯t know how I got that courage from.


    I am standing in front of the mirror looking at myself and wondering if I have done the right thing. This expensive ck underwear that barely covers my  nakedness fits perfectly on my body, as if I had tried them on before buying them. I wanted to try them on and see if they fit me and yes they do. I can wear them in here or maybe I could try with a certain dinner dress or sun dress tomorrow. This is so beautiful andfortable and oh so sexy.


    I haven¡¯t even got to tour this ind well. I should consider talking to Edward about this. Thest time I talked to my friends Jackie and Az they couldn¡¯t stop asking me to send them pictures of me and Edward. I have none. I should try this tomorrow.


    The door opens abruptly and I turn to face the intruder. My eyes meet Edward¡¯s and his mouth drops open. I instinctively turn around showing him my back but it doesn¡¯t help because I am now facing the mirror. Oh Lord! This couldn¡¯t get more embarrassing.


    ¡°Just give it up, you have tried your best,¡± he says but I cover my face thinking like a child, ¡®if I cover my eyes and not see him, he can¡¯t see me either.¡¯


    ¡°Can you turn around please? So that I can change?¡± I plead. ¡°Oh no, youngdy. Not when you are looking this hot,¡± he says.


    I can feel his movements as he gets closer to me. My heart is racing right now and I don¡¯t know what to do to calm it down.


    Maybe I should sprint across this room and get to the bathroom, or rather leave the room. No, I should just calm down. He is my husband for crying out loud, I shouldn¡¯t be afraid of him.


    I close my eyes and mentally prepare for his next move. I have never been this intimate with a man, I don¡¯t even know if the nights I have spent here we slept together because I was always asleep before he coulde. Now here he is, and this is new to me.


    His scent gets close and I can feel his breath fanning my ears. It is so intoxicating. He doesn¡¯t touch me but stays so close to me. I want him to touch me, I want to feel his body on mine. I want his hands all over me, for the first time in my whole life, I want the touch of the opposite gender tonight.


    In a more calcted move, I move my legs slowly backwards and as if I am tripping on my feet, I lean on him and he holds me steady circling one of his hands on my chest and the other one just below my navel. My n worked perfectly fine. He was taking too long. Or better still he could have been asking for my permission. Well I have given him the permission.


    We stay in this position for a few seconds before I feel his hand move from below my navel. His deft fingers leaves small circles on my stomach before moving to the side of my hip. The other hand ministers the chest making my mouth open in pleasure. It stops at the other side of my hip and whispers in my ear, ¡°tonight I will make you mine. I will make sure you forget that man you met earlier today,¡±  I don¡¯t even have the time to think about what he says in thest sentence as his hands start undoing the straps of my lingerie. He is now breathing hard and I can feel something pressing me from behind. I give myself a silent thumbs up since I can turn on a man like Edward, his body really responding.


    I am now in my birthday suit while he is still dressed like he is prepared for a day¡¯s work. I turn around to face him and look at the shirt he is wearing. I move my hands to start unuttoning it slowly one by one. My fingers are a bit shaky but I manage to unbutton. I help him get it off and lets it fall on the ground. I stand and look directly in his eyes but my shyness can¡¯t let me do it for long so I look down on his broad chest. My hands settle on either side of me because I don¡¯t know where to ce them and I am to shy to touch him further, not on his bare body.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t done yet, you know,¡± he whispers. Oh wait, what?  He is actually telling me about his pants that he still has on. There is no way I am going to be able to do that. ¡°You should finish what you started,¡± he adds. Silence.


    ¡°Come on. I am waiting,¡± hemands in a soft tone and I know without a doubt that he is bound to make me strip him. I sigh softly and gather the courage to touch his belt. I fumble with the belt¡¯s lock to try and unbuckle it but I fail miserably. I try more times but I can¡¯t get to loosen it.


    ¡°Have you ever done this before?¡± He asks.


    Feeling embarrassed that I failed to do a simple task like unlocking a belt I answer,  ¡°n¡­ no I haven¡¯t,¡± I never encountered such a task before and this is the very first time.


    ¡°So how did you do it? Was it just a hit and run without anything to it?¡± He says. ¡°Uh, what do you mean?¡± I asks genuinely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be coy with me, you know what I mean.¡± Oh the intimacy.


    I have never shared any information on my sex life. Az is the only one who knows about this because I spend more time with her during my free time. She even joked about mecking some hormones in my body, pheromones. Now that my husband is asking about it, I will have to let him know about it.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Actually I have never done this before. I have never been intimate with a man before,¡± there, I said it.


    ¡°What! I never thought of that. This means you have never, in your whole life?¡± He is really surprised. He can¡¯t even hide the emotions on his face.


    ¡°Yeah, never in my whole life,¡± I answer him.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t know about it. You have never told me about it,¡± he uses me.


    ¡°Yes because it is not everyday that I get to narrate to people about my lifestyle, not to talk about sex life. You never asked me and we have never talked or discussed anything about this side of rtionship. Hell, we have never even had a proper conversation,¡± he should know I really want to know about him.


    ¡°I see. You can understand I was always busy handling that project. It takes a huge toll on me sometimes and I cant miss the ns of it considering I am the one investing in this.¡±


    ¡°I know and I understand perfectly well Edward. I just want to know you more, your likes and dislikes, everything. I need to know the type of food you like, your hobbies, the kinds of movies you watch. All in all I want to know what you like in me and what you dislike so I can change to your desires. Nothing much, okay. I want to be a good wife to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will let you know all of that, okay? I will try to create time for us, but first things first,¡± he whispers, ¡°I need to get off this now. It is so ufortable down there,¡± I smile knowingly but nervously because I know what is going to happen next.


    He unbuckles his belt bends down to remove his pants and I don¡¯t dare look down. After he is done he stands back upright looking directly into my eyes holding my chin to hold my head in ce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, it is just for a moment, I will make sure you are not hurt,¡± he assures me knowing very well that I am getting nervous. The only thing I can do is close my eyes when he starts doing what he knows best on my body, leaving me yearning for more.


    I can hear rain starting to pour from a distance. Nature is also celebrating. When he makes me lie on the bed and he joins, I know this is the day and the time hase for the beginning of a passionate night. My mind shuts down giving room to a mix of feelings I had never experienced before. Losing my flower to the man that I love and cherish as my husband and I don¡¯t regret it since he is the right person. He is the one that I vowed to before God and man that I will love unconditionally, for better for worse, in sickness and in health.

 Chapter 17

    I am feeling too hot. I draw the covers off me, inviting the morning cool breeze to sweep over my body. Ooh¡­it feels so good.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I turn quickly the moment I hear the voice greeting me. It¡¯s Edward. ¡°You look good,¡± hements. Huh? How now? This early in the morning? I nce over my body and I am in nothing but my birthday suit. I quickly get up but I am pulled back down by his hand that is encircling me around my waist. Thank goodness I am facing the other side away from him.


    As much as I spent a passionate night with him, this was only the first night and I will have to get used to it after some time.


    ¡°Good morning too, Edward,¡± I say with a mission to untangle his hand off my waist. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± He asks. ¡°Yes I did,¡± I answer touching his hand softly and moving it off me. I sessfully do so, and get up quickly picking the duvet and covering my body.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Covering myself.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing I haven¡¯t seen you know,¡± he winks at me. ¡°I know but you are not allowed to see it now,¡± I smile back at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep some more?¡± I ask. I nce at the wall clock, some minutes past seven. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. If I go back to bed now, I wont get to sleep. I am thinking of making you breakfast. What do you prefer for your breakfast?¡±  ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Grace will take care of it,¡± he says pulling the other side of the duvet over him. I don¡¯t want to pester him much because he looks like he needs more rest. He has been staying outte because of his project so it would be best if he could sleep some more.


    I stealthily get off the bed to locate my clothes that I had put on the chair at the dressing mirror. I am all set and I head out the door closing it behind me and head to the kitchen. I will have to ask Grace about Edward¡¯s breakfast preferences.


    Grace is already in the kitchen when I get there. She is radiant and all set for the day¡¯s activities.


    ¡°Good morning Grace?¡± I greet her the moment I get in. ¡°Hey Neera, how was your night?¡± She asks. ¡°I am good thank you. I guess you are fine too,¡± I tell her. ¡°Oh yes I am,¡± she says excitedly. ¡°You seem so happy today. What¡¯s the asion?¡±


    ¡°My daughter is visiting meter today. I have missed her and she said she couldn¡¯t stay one more day without seeing me.¡±  I know what she means. I can¡¯t stay a single day without calling my parents on video, just to see them. ¡°Wow, then I get to meet her,¡± I say. ¡°She is just one or two years older than you, so I guess you¡¯ll get along well.¡±


    ¡°I want to make breakfast for Edward and I have no idea what he likes. Would you help me?¡±  I ask her who seems ufortable for a few seconds before answering, ¡°why the trouble? I am here. You just rx and I would do it, okay?¡±  ¡°No, I wanted to do it myself so as to be familiar with it even when we leave here, I will be able to do it. Please, this won¡¯t hurt,¡± I plead with her. ¡°Okay, girle on let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    Edward likes English breakfast. Doesn¡¯t like much sugar. Contrary to me, I like enough sugar in my tea, enough milk with not so enough tea leaves boiled together until it produces some kind of smell that could attract any tea lover from a distance.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    *****


    ¡°Hey, you must be Maria,¡± I greet her as soon as shees through the gate. I was just outside feeling the breeze from the ocean. I guess I won¡¯t go for a stroll today.


    ¡°Hello, how are you? It seems like you know me.¡±


    ¡°A bit. Your mom told me about you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she did? She likes introducing an imaginary daughter to people,¡± she remarks.  ¡°She must be proud of you that¡¯s why she can¡¯t help it,¡± I say and she smirks. ¡°My name is Neera by the way,¡± I introduce myself. ¡°Nice to meet you Neera. You must be my mom¡¯s boss¡¯s wife. Sorry for my manners,¡± she apologizes but I don¡¯t know why.  ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡±  ¡°You are like my boss you know. I talked to you like we are on the same ss,¡± she says. ¡°Ohe on. Besides I respect your mother like my own so no worries okay? So just call me Neera,¡± I say.


    ¡°Okay. You are so nice and different. Not like those ¡­,¡± she cuts herself off.


    ¡°What were you saying?¡± She should at least finish her sentence.


    ¡°Oh nothing,¡± she says. ¡°Nothing? Of course there is more to what you were saying.¡± ¡°I meant that you are different from those rich girls,¡± she says. ¡°Oh you should know there are humble girls from rich backgrounds too,¡± like Edward¡¯s family members seem nice. Or rather it¡¯s because I am not from a rich family. But I am married to a billionaire so I am counted like a rich girl, right?


    ¡°Where is she? I came to see her,¡± she says. ¡°She is inside. She is expecting you,e on,¡± I signal to her to follow me into the house.


    ¡°Mummy,¡± she yells the moment she sees her descending the stairs. She runs to her and envelops her in a hug. Her mum hugs her too and they embrace for a moment before disengaging. ¡°I missed you baby,¡± shements. ¡°I missed you too mom,¡± Maria says and I feel some loneliness suddenly. Although I talk to my parents everyday, their presence have been missed dearly. I guess from Grace¡¯s exchange with her daughter is like they are so reliant to each other. Grace doesn¡¯t have a husband so Maria should be her close confidant and considering she is the only child. Maria on the other hand doesn¡¯t have a father or siblings so all the love that she has is all for her mother.


    I decide to leave them to get along and head upstairs to our room. I should get rid of this loneliness too.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in my room. See youter,¡± I tell them and they nod at me.


    I open the bedroom door and all the memories ofst night flood my mind. Now I am no longer a little girl anymore. I am a woman now. To top it off, somebody¡¯s wife. I left Sura City a naive girl but I¡¯ll be going back a full woman. The bed is neatly spread. I close the door and move towards it and sit. My phone is ced on top of the bedside drawer and believe me when I say I have never opened it.


    I move closer and open the first drawer to reveal some notebooks and an album. This must be interesting. I pick up the photo album and start opening the pages one by one. There are mainly photos of two boys, from an early ages of like one year or maybe months and as I turn the pages there is progress in their age as they grow up. This should be Edward and his brother.


    More and more pictures of the boys and their parents, some members of their family who I can recognize from the wedding. I can see an older man¡¯s picture, a ck and white picture of two young men I can¡¯t recognize and a young couple¡¯s wedding also in ck and white. There are so many pictures here. My head could hurt from trying to take into ount many people¡¯s faces so I put it down on the bed. I will proceedter.


    I open the next drawer and inside there is an intricate blue jewelry box. I pull it out and open it. There is a beautiful silver ne with a big blue diamond. There is a matching pair of earrings. This must have cost a fortune. I wonder whose they are. Mine? Could they be another gift Edward is nning to give? But why haven¡¯t he? Shut up! My subconscious yells at me. I should let him give it to me by himself. With that in mind, I put them back together and with the album I return them back in the drawer.


    I take my phone ready to call my parents. I should be back home in two days time.


    ¡°Hey mom, hey dad?¡± I greet them cheerfully when they get connected to the video call.


    ¡°Hey Neera, how are you?¡± My dad. ¡°I am great, dad, I miss you so much,¡± I say. ¡°We miss you too baby girl. I hope you are having the best time of your life. When youe back be ready to show me the best of Marina you could visit. I guess you have taken many photos you will have to show me,¡± my mom says.


    ¡°Of course mom. It is so beautiful here. I wish I could stay much longer,¡± I say. ¡°Why? When are youing back?¡± She asks. ¡°I should be back on Saturday, visit you on Sunday because I should be going back to work on Monday.¡±


    ¡°That soon? Did Edward book just a one week holiday?¡±She asks. I haven¡¯t even asked him about it frankly speaking. When hees back I will ask him about it. If it means more days then I will have to talk to my boss about it.


    ¡°I will have to ask him about it if there is an extension.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so where are you visiting today?¡± My dad asks. ¡°I am just in the house. Edward left in the morning with his driver so I can¡¯t go out without any of them,¡± I say.  Edward is on his usual work routine. Alex is with him. Alex works as his driver and majorly his right hand man.


    I watch as my dad shifts ufortably on his wheelchair. My mom notices this and asks him, ¡°are you okay?¡±  ¡°Yes, just a little tired¡±, he answers. ¡°Dad, get yourself a rest. I will call youter. Take care,¡± I say. ¡°Okay Neera, I guess we¡¯ll talk to youter. Let me take your dad to rest.¡±  ¡°Okay mom, bye, love you dad.¡±  ¡°Love you too Neera,¡± and the screen goes nk. I know my dad sometimes gets weaker and he really needs much rest with no disturbance. My mom has done a great job in taking care of him. Her housekeeping job is at stake now because she doesn¡¯t report to work as required.


    ¡°Hey Neera, you look¡­ actually you are glowing girl. What¡¯s the secret?¡± Jackie asks the moment I connect them both.  I am on video call again. I am too bored to sit down without talking to anyone. Grace is with her daughter and I don¡¯t want to be the third wheel in their conversation.


    ¡°It must be Edward. Wait. Neera, tell me, did you do it?¡± Az asks abruptly leaving me no choice but to blush. ¡°You see. I said it. Did you see her reaction?¡±  Az says. ¡°Yes I did,¡± Jackie chimes in. ¡°You guys stop it. I haven¡¯t confirmed it,¡± I say. ¡°Oh please we don¡¯t need your confirmation. We saw it live for ourselves. Tell us, how was it?¡±  Az asks in anticipation. ¡°It was awesome.¡±  I want this topic to end as soon as it started. I am too shy for this kind of talk.


    ¡°Finally. We are on the same level,¡± Jackie says. ¡°How are you girls,¡± I ask. ¡°We are good, just missing you big time.¡±


    ¡°I miss you too but I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± I say. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were really on a week long honeymoon,¡± Az asks. ¡°Yes, I meant it. I have to go back to work. You understand what I mean,¡± I say. ¡°Yeah right. Where is Edward by the way? I hope he isn¡¯t listening to our conversation,¡± Jackie says. ¡± No he isn¡¯t. He went out for work,¡± I say. ¡°So you are just alone in the house?¡±  ¡°No, Grace, the housekeeper is here. Her daughter is here too. It¡¯s still early, I might get a chance to visit somewhere,¡± I think so.

 Chapter 18

    It¡¯s time for lunch. I head downstairs and I am weed by an aroma that sends all my hunger pangs screaming for attention. Grace really does an amazing job. The dining is already set. Maria emerges from the kitchen carrying a jug of water and ces it on the table.


    ¡°Enjoy your meal,¡± she says. ¡± Where is your food?¡± I ask. ¡°It¡¯s in the kitchen,¡± she says. ¡°Go to the kitchen, fetch your food, bring your mom along with you because I am not starting this meal before you join me,¡± I tell her. She nods reluctantly then leaves. She doesn¡¯t want to argue about this with me, I guess she is going to talk to her mother


    ¡°Tell me Grace, did you attend some culinary school?¡± I ask the moment they are seated. ¡°I haven¡¯t attended any culinary school. Most of my dishes were taught to me by my mother while others are self taught, also getting ideas from online chefs,¡± she says. She is right, these days of inte anything can be possible. Her cookings are extraordinary.


    We are almost done with lunch when the sound of a car is heard outside. Edward should be back. Grace and Maria make to stand up but I assure them, ¡°it¡¯s okay, you are eating anyway.¡±


    The door opens and Alex enters. There is nobody else with him. ¡°Hi ma¡¯am,¡± he greets. ¡°Where is Edward?¡± I ask. ¡°He is still busy so he told me to take a rest,¡± he says.


    ¡°Okay, have you eaten?¡± ¡°Not yet ma¡¯am,¡± he says.


    ¡°Okay, join us and don¡¯t call me that. Just call me Neera,¡± I feel so awkward when an older person calls me ma¡¯am. It¡¯s better if they address me by my name.


    ¡°Alex do you mind taking me somewhere?¡± We are done with lunch and I am still bored at home. I mean, I only have less than two days more before our honeymoones to an end. I haven¡¯t asked Edward about it but I guess with the kind of a busy man that he is, he won¡¯t stay away for too long.


    ¡°Of course ma¡¯am, oh sorry, Neera,¡± he says, ¡°where do you want to go?¡± ¡± Would you rmend a ce that is cool?¡± I ask him. ¡°Yes. You could go to a spa or Marina¡¯s museum, the people here have a rich history,¡± he says. ¡°The spa sounds interesting. Let me rx a bit today then tomorrow I will visit the museum. Do we have to book in advance for the two ces?¡± ¡°The museum yes, but the spa, not really,¡± he says. ¡°Let me inform Grace about it then we can proceed.¡± I go upstairs and retrieve my purse and phone from our bedroom with the card Edward gave me for upkeep.


    ¡°I will be leaving you guys now. I will be off to a small tour of the town,¡± I tell Grace. ¡°Yes Neera, enjoy yourself,¡± she says. ¡°Maria see you again, I guess when Ie back I won¡¯t meet you here.¡± ¡°Yes, I will be leaving in an hour, see you,¡± I wave them goodbye.


    *****


    Santa Marina Resort and Spa is a charming luxury vi resort. It is a secure ten-housepound with own swimming pool and private garden for each of the houses. The vis have a great view of the ocean and with the palm trees giving the tranquility of a coastal ensemble of its setting.


    We enter one of the vis which seems busypared to the other ones. This looks like amercial one-open to outsiders who want to enjoy spa services like the sauna, steam and massage services. There is also a gym.


    ¡°Hello, what services would you two like today?¡± The beautiful receptionist asks. ¡°Oh hello, just thedy,¡± Alex says. ¡± Hi, I would like to have a manicure and pedicure, is there anyone avable,¡± I ask since we hadn¡¯t booked in advance, we just walked-in. ¡°Yes. There is someone avable in like five to ten minutes. You just wait for a moment,¡± she says escorting us to a waiting couch away from the reception area.


    ¡°I will be waiting for you outside,¡± Alex tells me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to order any services yourself?¡± I ask him. ¡°No thank you, maybe some other time,¡± he says. ¡°Alright. I¡¯lle as soon as I am done.¡±


    The spa area is so serene giving out the rxation vibes needed for any spa treatment. Floor to ceiling windows that open to a beautiful garden weing the cool ocean breeze from the ocean that is not far from here. The therapist is a friendlydy who attends to me. She is so professional in her work showcasing her prowess from the way she scrubs and massages my arms and legs. She expertly removes the cuticles leaving my nails clean and fresh.


    ¡°Where are your restrooms? I need to use one,¡± I ask the moment I am done with the service. ¡°Juste I¡¯ll show show you,¡± she says. ¡°Remind me your name please,¡± I say. ¡°You can call me Molly,¡± she says. ¡°There they are, thedies¡¯.¡± ¡°Thank you Molly,¡± I say as I enter.


    After I am done, I proceed to the sink to wash my hands. I feel rxed and right now I feel energized to go somewhere else, maybe some shopping. I emerge from the restrooms and just as I turn to head towards the spa area, I turn abruptly. I think I saw someone, if I am not wrong, I saw Valen in a shower gown. She had a malepany who was holding her hand but I could not see the man properly since he was in front and I could only see his leg. They disappeared around a corner that¡¯s when I only saw ady that really looked like Valen. Her wavy brown hair cascading her back. I walk faster trying to catch up but when I turn around the corner, I find that there are a lot other couples, and moredies with wavy brown hair, seated while others getting into rooms indicated ¡®sauna¡¯. Good for my always hungry curiosity. My eyes are really ying a game on me. Anyway, why would I even try to follow her? It¡¯s not like we are friends and I wanted to say hi. What would I even expect at a ce like this? This is a public ce for retreat. I p my cheek and smile at my stupidity. That should be none of my business. A man who wasing my way smirks and shakes his head at my cheeky action of pping myself.


    I turn to the reception and pay for my services. Outside I find Alex leaning on the car. He opens the back door of the car but signal to him that I prefer the front passenger seat. He nods, closes the door and opens the front one. He gets to the driver¡¯s side and gets in. ¡°I wanted to do some shopping, can you take me to the nearby mall?¡± ¡°Okay ma¡¯am,¡± oh back to square one. I look at him and he smiles, a smile which doesn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    ¡°Did Edward talk to you? When are you going to pick him up?¡± I have to ask him because he is in a right position to know, he is his right hand man. As for me, I still find it hard to ask some things from him, especially matters rted to work. ¡± Uh? N, no he hasn¡¯t talked to me,¡± his mind seems too upied. ¡°Is there any problem? You seem tense,¡± I note. ¡°I am totally fine,¡± he says. I focus my attention to the surrounding outside the car.


    Oh my goodness! I am so tired. I have managed to do some shopping. Some gifts for my friends Jackie and Az and not forgetting my parents.


    I am on the bed back at the mansion. I have to take a rest and wait for Edward. He texted earlier and said he would bete as usual. I don¡¯t know if Alex is still here or not. I kick off my shoes and position myself for my beauty sleep.


    There is a knock on the door and I open my eyes and slowly get off the bed. Is it Alex? There is darkness all over and this is an indication that I have slept until nightfall.


    ¡°Neera, are you there?¡± Grace calls from outside the door. ¡°Yes I aming,¡± I say as I open the door. Grace looks at me worriedly from my head to toe. ¡°Are you okay, you have been sleeping for so long. I got worried,¡± she says. ¡°I am totally fine. I have been busy touring the city so I got tired. Sorry I have worried you,¡± I say. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry. It is good that you are okay. Your dinner is ready.¡±


    ¡°Okay then let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Have you had yours?¡± I ask Grace who watches me silently as I eat. ¡°I did, you know it¡¯s past dinner time,¡± she says. I have really overslept. Now I will have to stay longer before I get to sleep again. ¡°Okay.¡±


    I am back into the bedroom perusing through the shelves looking for a book to keep me upied before I sleep, or rather before Edwardes. I can¡¯t find ¡®The River Between¡¯ so that I can continue from where I stopped. It has been misced. The other night I couldn¡¯t even read past the first chapter.


    ****


    Marina Royal Hotel-Presidential Suite.


    ¡°Sir Aniston, it seems Lawanson Group has gotten that deal. We can¡¯t beat them now,¡± Michael says. ¡°I knew it. Edward was so adamant in winning that bid.¡± I say.


    ¡°This should not continue, he is bound on taking everything that concerns Aniston group. He wasn¡¯t interested in this project but now he got interested suddenly and now he has been given the tender. He couldn¡¯t even concentrate on the initial publishingpany project he had started. He really is something else,¡± Michael says clearly pissed off.


    I stand up to face the window that has a clear view of the city. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Michael. I should have known better. He wants to take everything away from me. I let him win this one but there are more opportunities in the future. Just wait and see.¡±


    ¡°How are we going to achieve that sir? Edward has agents everywhere,¡± Michael says and I chuckle. ¡°Have you forgotten? I have everything that can take down Edward slowly by slowly. It¡¯s just that I have conscience and in business the smarter one thrives. So in future, I will have to be one step ahead of him,¡± I say. ¡°You know, that one threat didn¡¯t trouble him so much because I just wanted him to respect his boundaries. Just one mistake and he oversteps, I make my move,¡± I conclude.


    ¡°Sir, why would Edwardpete so much with you? Did you do any wrong to him? I find it hard to understand.¡± ¡± Michael, Michael. First of all, I am the only business man back in Sura City that can stand to his level, so automatically I am his toppetitor. Andpetitors can be really big enemies. That is a valid reason he could want to bring me down,peting for any chance he gets that could concern me. As for the other reasons, I don¡¯t really know.¡± ¡°Sir I have the documents here I wanted to share with you of Mr. Lee¡¯s proposal on the sr project.¡±


    I go back to where he is seated and he fishes from his briefcase a brown file. He opens it and there is a detailed n on how Mr. Lee could want this project to be.


    ¡°This one is a real deal. The sr powered nes could be a better recement for the fuel ones. This is a good n considering this era that we are experiencing climate change. We will put this excess sunlight to good use,¡± I say.


    ¡°You are really so future oriented. Not just for yourself but the future of others,¡± Michael says.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°I am just concerned about the welfare of our future generation. Moreover, I support campaigns against global warming,¡± I say. ¡°Yes sir. Green energy should now be the norm of the people.¡±


    ¡°Michael, have I ever told you a childhood story?¡±  I ask. ¡°No sir, you never talk about children,¡± Michael says. I crease my brows and touch my chin, deep in thought. ¡°Do you know why I don¡¯t talk about children?¡±  ¡± Sir, can it be because of that child that kept crying his lungs out that day we had gone for a worker¡¯s retreat?  Yes, sir, that must be the reason,¡± Michael can lose his mind sometimes. I remember that day I had decided to take all of my workers for a retreat during one of the holidays. They were allowed to bring a member of their family along or a close friend. The vice president had then a few months old baby and she decided to bring him along. At some point they decided to go hiking and because I am not a fan of hiking I had decided to stay back. So as a gentleman I offered to babysit. The baby must have been colicky, he kept crying without any reason at all and by the time they came back, I was shaken and exhausted, having said and done everything that could calm the baby, all that seemed to fall on deaf ears.


    ¡°Definitely not that one Michael,¡± he bursts outughing and I smile slowly reminiscing the events of that particr day I¡¯ll live to remember. ¡°I am not afraid of babies, but I know I cannot make a good babysitter,¡± I say. I really can¡¯t handle babies crying non-stop.


    ¡°You are right sir,¡± he says and I smack him on his shoulder. ¡°Do you have children Michael?¡±  I ask him. He shakes his head and I smile. ¡°So you want tough at me while you haven¡¯t even touched a baby yourself. At least for me I babysat for a few hours,¡± he nods, agreeing with me. ¡± Sir, about the childhood story you wanted to tell me.¡±  ¡°Yes, before you questioned my babysitting skills.¡± He clears his throat, ¡°I was never born in Sura City. I was born on  this ind. My grandfather was a well known businessman here but he died suddenly when I was still a child. His business copsed thereafter and my father told me that before grandpa died, he told him to move out of this city to Sura City to start a new life. Whenever I asked him why grandpa wanted him to move out of here, he only said that it is because his rival lived in Sura City and that he could find sce there rather than here.¡±


    ¡°Did he say who the rival was?¡±


    ¡°No. When I was still a small boy he always told me to wait and that he could tell me when I be the right age to take over his now new business. My father wanted me to take over the business at twenty seven but before that could happen, unfortunately he was taken away by death. One of his close confidants worked at the same time with the enemy. He knew all of my father¡¯s secrets in business so he made the enemy take the next move when he least expected,¡± I say. ¡°So I had to take over then. I had to fight all those who were in top positions in hispany to be the CEO. Director Maish and the court favored me since I had experience in handling a business. My father had made sure I get the necessary education and experience since when I was thirteen. It¡¯s like he knew such a time woulde.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I have never known about this to be honest. This is quite a childhood story,¡± Michael says yawning.


    ¡°Alright, I think we are done for today but before you retire to bed, I want you to schedule a meeting with Mr. Lee tomorrow. Afternoon would be fine. After we finalize the deal, I would want you to concentrate on that fully. Now you have a good night, see you in the morning,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Goodnight too boss,¡± he says as he takes his phone to make a call while I  proceed to my room.


    I get into the shower and instantly my thoughts about my business fly away. Really, I should be ashamed of myself. Thinking about a married woman. Edward is really a luck guy. He surpassed me by marrying the woman of my dreams. Yesterday was one of the best days of my life. I wasn¡¯t expecting that she could be at some a ce all by herself. Why would she stay alone when there is more on this ind she could explore, although she told me that she liked serenity more. I know for a fact that Edward is too busy to give her the needed attention. I hope she is happy.


    *****


    Ouch! Great. What a way to wake up in the middle of the night with lights still on, falling off the couch and almost hurting my elbow. I should have known better than sleeping on the couch. I look at the bed and no, Edward is not yet home. I feel a bit thirsty. The water jar that I usually fill with water is empty and now I have to go to the kitchen to get some. I need to fill my jar and also drink some.


    The kitchen lights are off and I switch them on and I jump off with fright noticing a figure in the kitchen. ¡°Valen, what are you doing here?¡± I ask unsure why she is here in the middle of the night. ¡°Oh, I came to drink  some water, I was feeling thirsty,¡± she says. ¡°I mean, why are you in this house at this time of the night?¡±  ¡°Well, I am your husband¡¯s business associate and I came here for work,¡± she sneers. ¡°Where is Edward? Is he here?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes darling Neera. Your husband is in the study.¡± She answers. I don¡¯t want to hear anything else from her. I put the jar and the ss at the nearby table and head for the study.


    ¡°Edward, when did youe?¡± I ask the moment I step into the study. ¡°Oh Neera, you are here,¡± he seems unbothered. ¡°Yes, and I am asking when did you get here. I have been waiting for you for ages. Have you had your dinner?¡±  ¡°Why? You already know that I have a project at stake and that¡¯s why I can¡¯t be sleeping all the time,¡± he says. ¡°I know that, but you can¡¯t just work every day until thiste,¡± I say. ¡°I was with you yesterday, wasn¡¯t I?¡±  ¡± I don¡¯t mean that. I am just worried that you overwork yourself. Should I bring you something to eat?¡±  ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I already had dinner. You can go back to sleep.¡± He says. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯lle as soon as I am done here. Now off you go. And Neera, we have visitors in the house who would be staying with us tonight.¡±  ¡°Oh, I saw Valen just a few moments ago.¡± I say. ¡°Oh you have? Jones is also here too. Maybe you¡¯ll meet him in the morning.¡± He says. ¡°Okay, see you soon,¡± I say. ¡°Goodnight.¡± I leave the study and go back to the kitchen to fetch my drinking water. I meet Valen on the way apanied by Jones who I have no idea where he has been. ¡°Hey Neera,¡± he acknowledges. ¡°Hey,¡± I say.  I pick up my water. I was thinking if it was only Valen here with Edward, then I couldn¡¯t have gone back to bed. I couldn¡¯t have just left a woman who has a crush on my husband alone with him. I don¡¯t know if Edward knows this, if he is smart he will have noticed that Valen has a soft spot for him. I couldn¡¯t also persuade him to leave his work when he is bound on finishing it. He even invited his colleagues to burn the midnight oil.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    I will just have to sleep because I don¡¯t know when Edward will be done. I am kind of used to him staying upte anyway.


    I stretch my body and touch the other side of the bed. Edward didn¡¯t sleep herest night, again. I get off the bed, put on my flip-flops and leave the bedroom. In the study, there isn¡¯t anyone. I check all the rooms but there isn¡¯t anyone. The kitchen is neat just like I saw itst night. It¡¯s not so early in the morning so I decide to make breakfast. If he went out early in the morning then when hees back, he will find breakfast ready. I make pancakes, toast and sausages, and white tea, just like Edward likes it. I set the dining ready and sit on one of the chairs to wait for him.


    Moments pass by but he is not yet here. The door opens and Grace enters with bags of grocery shopping. ¡°Good morning Neera, why are you up so early? I thought I woulde back and find you still sleeping,¡± she says. ¡°Good morning too, I couldn¡¯t sleep considering the fact that Edward was working untilte and when I woke up I couldn¡¯t find him,¡± I say. A car stops outside, Edward is here, finally. The door opens again but my anticipation is cut short when Alex enters, it seems like he went back to work early. ¡°Is he at work?¡± I am getting fed up with his cycle of work, work and work.


    ¡°No ma¡¯am. Actually I am from the airport,¡± he says. ¡°Airport? Why?¡±  ¡°I had to take Edward because he had to fly back to Sura City. He had an emergency that couldn¡¯t wait so he left immediately,¡± he says and I swear I have no words to say. So, he was in the house, couldn¡¯t even bother to tell me that he is leaving. I could have even gone back with him.


    I just turn to the pancakes furiously and eat with all the hunger that I don¡¯t know where it came from because I eat every food on the table. Grace and Alex look at me as if I have grown horns. ¡°Take it easy Neera, you will choke on your food.¡±  I pay no attention to them. I just run up the stairs, two at a time. I get my phone, and go back to find my sce at the stream. It¡¯s better here than the house. I need to cool down before I can listen to what Edward has to say to me. For now, let me lie down on this rock and think about this.


    My phone rings and I look at the screen. Az¡¯s name shes on my screen and I smile. ¡°Hey, how are you doing? I miss you,¡± she says excitedly.  ¡± I miss you too and don¡¯t worry about me I am fine,¡± I say. ¡°I don¡¯t know but I think you sound a little off, did Edward do anything to you?  Because if he did, he will have to contend with me.¡±  ¡°Oh Az, we both know that you won¡¯t do anything to him, he is Edward you know.¡±  She chuckles from the other end, ¡°I know he is Edward but, you have no idea what I can do,¡± she says. ¡°I know you well girlfriend, just be careful with what you are going to do to him, but hey, he didn¡¯t do anything because he isn¡¯t here with me actually,¡± she says. ¡°Oh he is gone to work, I know,¡± she says.  ¡°He went back to Sura City this morning.¡± ¡°What! So you are still in Marina? Couldn¡¯t youe back with him? Wait. Don¡¯t tell me that you  haven¡¯t had enough of that Ind so you decided to stay back,¡± of course not. ¡°Yeah, there is this ce I wanted to visit today so I couldn¡¯t go back with him. So can I talk to youter when Ie back? I was just preparing to leave,¡± this conversation is not doing me any good. ¡°Alright, take many pictures when there. Talk to youter okay?¡±  ¡°Bye,¡± I hang up the call.

 Chapter 20

    I don¡¯t want to go home yet, despite the numerous calls from Grace. This has to stop at some point. I will have to talk to Edward thoroughly about this. I am his wife for Christ¡¯s sake, he has to tell me about whatever that he ns to do. I don¡¯t deserve this at all. Is he still in denial that he is married because this wedding was sudden? Did anyone force him? This was nned a long time ago but why is he behaving as if he was told about it yesterday? I wasn¡¯t ready for this and I have to talk to him. I can¡¯t ask anyone before I talk to him. Of all the days since we got married yesterday was the only day that we got to sleep together. I wonder where he stays every other night or does he work until morning or better still doesn¡¯t sleep at all. As much as I try to calm down, this ce isn¡¯t helping much as it always does. The quietness makes my mind too clouded with negative thoughts.


    I should probably go somewhere that I should at least put my thoughts at bay. But where? The beach. Yes that is it. It is not far from here, just a walking distance. I pick up my phone and start walking towards the beach. This ce is really easier to master ces and directions easily since some ces are just nearby. Also it¡¯s like a teau, so you can see views of the city from a distance.


    My phone rings for the umpteenth time and I decide to shut it down. Alex¡¯s name shes on the screen and I just decide to talk to him before I shut it down. ¡°Hello Alex.¡± ¡°Hello ma¡¯am, where are you?¡±  He asks. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I am okay. Tell Grace not to worry, I will be backter. Cancel that trip to the museum and I will call you when I want you toe and pick me up,¡± I say. ¡°Alright, I am not currently at home, I went to check on my boss¡¯s project before I go back.¡± ¡°Right then,stly, make arrangements for my journey back tomorrow morning.¡± I say switching off my phone.


    The beach is crowded just how I wanted it to be. I buy a bottle of cold juice and sit on a lonely chair under a shade, I am not in the mood to talk to anyone. I watch in silence as people y with each other,ughing happily and throwing water everywhere around them. I put my bottle of juice down but it gets knocked over by a young boy who is running after a ball that was kicked in my direction. ¡°I am sorry miss, I wasn¡¯t careful,¡± he says apologetically. ¡°I understand it was an ident. Just be careful next time okay?¡± ¡°Okay miss, thank you,¡± he says and runs off to get the ball. I wasn¡¯t careful myself for putting it down before I could close it.


    ¡°Mind another drink?¡± A hand stretches forward a ss of juice. I look up and Aniston smiles warmly handing me the juice. ¡°Thank you, but why would you take the trouble of getting me juice? And how did you see me here?¡±  ¡°Well, I just saw a boy knock over a bottle of juice but I didn¡¯t know that it was you. I was watching him y with other kids, he is my colleague¡¯s son so his father offered to buy another one for you but something drew me to bring it and surprisingly it is you. So here I am,¡± he says. ¡°What a coincidence,¡± I say. ¡°A really big one, what are you doing here?¡±  I frown a little, of course this is a public ce. ¡°I came to enjoy the beach.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you are enjoying it. You could be swimming or ying around but you are seated here all alone.¡± ¡°Okay, I wanted to find a ce to forget about something.¡±  ¡°Are you okay? Did something happen? Is it a really bad thing that you want to forget?¡± He asks. ¡°It¡¯s not so bad. I just wanted to forget it for today. This ce sincerely speaking doesn¡¯t do it much for me. Tell me,¡± I get closer to him so that I can whisper an idea that just popped in my mind, ¡°do you know any club in this ce that they open during the day?¡± He registers his surprise, ¡°what? At this time? You are not telling me anything and from the way you are talking, you have never been to a club before,¡± he concludes. I chuckle at his keen observation,¡± you are right, I have never been but I wanted to try today. So, are you going to tell me or not?¡±  ¡°No.  That is not a ce that is suitable for someone like you. Whatever happened should not let you lose your principles like that,¡± he says. ¡°What are the ces that are suitable for someone like me? Do you have somewhere in mind?¡± I ask him. Where does he think it could be ideal for someone with a clouded mind as like I am.


    ¡°If you are willing toe with me, I might know the perfect ce in mind. Follow me if you are willing to  of course,¡± he says and I don¡¯t have the time to think twice. I get up and follow him willingly to wherever he is taking me to. ¡°Is it far from here?¡± I ask. ¡°No, it¡¯s even a walking distance.


    We walk to where his colleague is and he talks to him about our small tour. ¡°We are going somewhere for a bit but I will call you when I return. If you need to go, feel free and I will see youter,¡± he tells him. ¡°Okay but wait a minute, isn¡¯t this Edward¡¯s wife? I might have seen you from your wedding. Nice to meet you. Is Edward here with you?¡± ¡°No, he isn¡¯t here with me. Nice to meet you too,¡± I say.  ¡°Neera is my friend, no worries,¡± Aniston says. ¡°Sorry for my boy¡¯s behavior earlier, by the way you can call me Henry,¡± he says. I nod and Aniston adds, ¡± remember our meetingter, you can talk to Michael in the meantime. You tell  him I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡±


    We walk away from the beach to a road that stretches towards a park. He doesn¡¯t talk much as he looks like his mind is elsewhere. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me what is bothering you so much to the point that you wanted to go to a club at  this time of the day?¡± He asks. ¡°Nothing much, just a personal matter,¡± ¡°Which means I am in no position to know about it,¡± he says. ¡°You can say that.¡±


    ¡°This is an amusement park. Won¡¯t it be weird that we came here as adults?¡± I didn¡¯t know Brian Aniston likes nursery games. ¡°Oh you will be surprised at which ages of peoplee to this ce. This isn¡¯t a ce for nursery kids only,¡± he says but I don¡¯t think I said my thoughts out loud.


    ¡°So this is our first stop,¡± he says, stopping at a point where people are getting ready for a ride. I fasten my belt ready for my first thrilling roller coaster ride. I have been to a carousel and others but a roller coaster wasn¡¯t one I preferred because I was afraid of them. I used to when I was still a child. I wasn¡¯t ready for the adrenaline rush just yet. Today, I can do anything to keep my bad thoughts at bay.


    My hair is disheveled and I have been screaming nonstop. Aniston who was beside me was calm all the time and was just shaken a bit. ¡°Neera, this is just the beginning. We still have more to enjoy.¡± Aniston says. ¡°Exactly how many have you nned?¡± ¡°As many as you want for as long as you are willing to stay here. You have got time right?¡± He asks. ¡°I have all the time in the world so let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I think someone is following us,¡± Aniston says, pulling me to a corner away from someone¡¯s view I haven¡¯t seen. ¡°What! Who?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him but I have been watching him closely because he has been looking suspicious to me the moment I saw him. Wherever we have been he has been there too. When I got away from the cafeteria, I saw him looking in all directions like he was searching for something or someone. So yes, we are being followed.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    As if on cue, a camera light shes and I instinctively cover my eyes. This is not good. Aniston looks at the direction the sh came from and a slim guy, with a cap that covers his face takes off and Aniston runs after him but he disappears before he could get to him. Hees back and asks me, ¡°are you okay?¡± ¡°I am not okay, Aniston. Some paparazzi just took a photo of me and I have no idea why and what he wants to do with it. Moreover I wasn¡¯t alone, he took a picture of us together.¡±  ¡°Let me call Michael toe and pick us up,¡± he says, fishing out his phone from his pants pocket. ¡°It is okay, let me call Edward¡¯s driver, I had told him I will be needing his serviceter,¡± I say but my phone is switched off when I try to unlock it and call Alex.


    ¡°Michael, can youe and pick us up?¡± He beats me to it. He gives Michael a detailed direction on where he is supposed to pick us up.


    We are in the car and I am trying to switch on my phone. The first person to call me just a few seconds after I do is Edward. I don¡¯t answer the first time and I can see that he has been trying to reach me several times. He calls again and I pick it up.


    ¡°Neera, where are you? I have been trying to reach you but your phone is switched off.¡±  ¡°There is no need. I am already on my way home,¡± I tell him. ¡°Did you order a taxi, or who are you with? That man?¡±  ¡°What are you talking about Edward?¡± What? ¡°Neera, do not y smart with me, you know exactly what I am saying. Why would you go out with him again? Didn¡¯t you have enough of him that you couldn¡¯t stay away from him for long? You are so bold, a married woman like you. Or have you forgotten that you are married that soon? I left you and it hasn¡¯t been a day and you are already on the streets,¡± he uses. ¡°What? This is entirely your fault. Actually you should be the one asking yourself that question,¡± he is now getting on my nerves.  My cool demeanor might explode now that he is using me of things that he caused by himself.


    ¡°Neera, you went out by yourself again without telling anyone. And guess what? You were with that Brian Aniston and this is the second time in a row. What are you doing Neera? You even switch off your phone,¡± he goes on. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything. I just had to cool my mind off after you left in the morning without bothering to let me know. I was just at the amusement park and wait; were you spying on me? Did you send someone to follow me?¡±


    ¡°You seem to have forgotten who I am, Neera. I am a man with resources and whatever happens I have to be in the know. So whatever you do, be aware that I am ware. Now, wherever you are, get out of that car because Alex is on the way to get you.¡± ¡°I am not. He will drop me home in no time so you don¡¯t have to bother Alex,¡± I say and hung up.

 Chapter 21

    The phone rings again and I pick it up. ¡°How dare you hung up on me when I am still talking to you?¡± Edward asks. ¡°You are talking as if I havemitted a criminal offense. I asked you, why are you monitoring me? Am I some criminal?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use that tone on me Neera. I gave you specific instructions that you should not leave the house without telling anyone. What did you do? You go out with Brian Aniston without telling me. Who is he to you anyway?¡± ¡°Are you jealous?¡± I ask him because he seems to mention Aniston¡¯s name in every statement he is making. ¡°Oh Neera, you should know me better. Why would I be jealous of that man?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know Edward. Now, can I go home in peace?¡± I need to rest now.


    ¡°So you are bound on staying with that man. I told you Alex ising to pick you up. Why are you hard headed, especially at a time like this?¡±  ¡°I am not far from home now, so this should be the least of your worries,¡± can¡¯t he just hung up? We can talk about thister. ¡°It seems you have your freedom from your end. When are you nning toe back? Infact, you areing back today,¡± he says shocking me. ¡°Not today Edward. Not because I don¡¯t want toe but I haven¡¯t packed anything. Can Ie tomorrow please? I had even told Alex to make arrangements for my departure tomorrow so it would only be convenient.¡± He sighs from the other end and says, ¡°let me think about this but just know that everything has its consequences. This is entirely your fault.¡± ¡°Okay, talk to youter,¡± I say and he hungs up.


    ¡°You seem to be in trouble,¡± Aniston says to me looking down at my phone. ¡°Not really. Someone must have told him about me going out,¡± I say. ¡°Or rather about us hanging out together,¡± he says and I am taken aback. ¡°No, it¡¯s because I went out without informing him or anyone.¡± ¡°Did you two have a fight?¡± He asks. ¡°A bit. He went back to Sura City without taking me along.¡± ¡°And you are upset about that. That sounds like an emergency. Not that I was eavesdropping on your conversation but I heard you talk about not being ready to leave today. So he wasn¡¯t wrong in leaving you behind for a day.¡± If only he knew that he left without me knowing about it, but I am not going to tell him that. ¡°Edward is a business man so he is bound on making emergency trips here and there,¡± he adds. ¡°Yeah, you are right.¡±


    ¡°Is he spying on you?¡± What? Why would he even ask me something like that? ¡°Aniston you are in no position to ask me things like that. Besides he was worried about me,¡± I say that, a little bit upset.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to upset you. I was just concerned that he can¡¯t let you enjoy yourself,¡± he says. ¡°Not you again Aniston. He wasn¡¯t and this topic is done. Anyway I am more worried about the photo that was taken. He could leak it to the media and my quiet like will get ruined like that. I don¡¯t know what to do now,¡± I say. ¡°I will do my best to make sure that doesn¡¯t reach the media.¡± I will have to let Edward know about that. I don¡¯t want him to be informed about it by the media.


    ¡°Thank you, I must say I enjoyed myself before that guy interrupted. I guess we shall see each other again probably in Sura City,¡± he says after we arrive at the gate of my vi. ¡°Yes, thank you for dropping me and thank you for taking me to that amusement park, although the enjoyment was cut short,¡± I say, give Michael a small smile who fixes his sses smiling back and enter thepound through the gate. I don¡¯t think I will see him again after this drama at the park. Edward seems to not like him too.


    ****


    ¡°Michael, do you think Edward might have someone to sniff in my business. I have been caught in multiple asions by people who doesn¡¯t seem like paparazzi because I haven¡¯t seen any of the information on media on where I was or on whatever I was doing. So I think this is a spy sent by a person with personal gain.¡±  ¡°Yes sir, from what the youngdy said, I think Edward might be watching you through her encounters with you. He might also be on your tail to find out whatever you are nning to do so yes, he might be the one doing this.¡±


    ¡°He has taken more than he can chew. Him getting into my personal business might prove the beginning of a serious rivalry, not just in business but personally.¡±  ¡°Sir, do you mean he thinks you are after his wife as well?¡± ¡°If he thinks that then so be it. It¡¯s not like he loves his wife anyway. Their marriage is only a nned one.¡± Michaelughs and looks at me through the rearview mirror, ¡°haven¡¯t you read about arranged marriages seeding? They might fall in loveter.¡± ¡°I know all that but before that, he should know better than to mess with me,¡± I say. ¡°Now we know that he went back to Sura City, why would he leave abruptly?¡± Michael asks. ¡°I have no idea why he left so suddenly but let us finish this deal with Mr Lee first. Let¡¯s go. We shouldn¡¯t bete,¡± I say.


    *****


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Grace asks the moment I step into the house. ¡°I had gone for a walk as usual. You know why. Someone in my position would have done worse,¡± I say. ¡°I know, Neera. Even though I don¡¯t support Edward¡¯s action but you have to understand him.¡± ¡°I know his job needs him. I am sorry for leaving unannounced earlier. Have you prepared anything in the kitchen? I am so hungry I could eat an elephant right now,¡± I say. ¡°Yes I have. Come before you eat me first,¡± she says and Iugh at her sense of humour.


    ¡°Thank you Grace. Let me freshen up before I start packing. I will be leaving tomorrow,¡± I say after I am done eating. ¡°Oh okay. Do you need any help?¡± ¡°No thank you. I don¡¯t have much to pack anyway,¡±  I say. ¡°Just call me if you need any help.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


    I jump into the shower and the warm water feels great on my body. My hair needs a proper wash after all those activities at the amusement park. After I am done I pick up a loose fitting dress from the wardrobe. I wonder if I should pack some of these dresses or I should just leave them here. I mean, all of them are new and I haven¡¯t even worn some of them. Edward was considerate given that I didn¡¯t carry any cloth with me. Maybe I should carry some of the new ones then the other ones I can use them when Ie back, although I don¡¯t know when I will.


    I pull out a small suitcase and ce it on the bed. I open it to start filling the clothes in. I had taken enough to my satisfaction not forgetting my freshlyundered lingerie that I wire the other day. What am I forgetting? Ah yes! The drawers. I open the first one to get the album but it isn¡¯t inside. The jewelry box is not inside too. The second drawer doesn¡¯t have them too. Where could they be? I remember I ced them back here after I took a look at the. I go to the book shelf and look through the books but I can¡¯t find the album. Could it be that it was Edward who brought it and had to take it back? I choose some random novels together with ¡®the river between¡¯. I put them securely in the suitcase.


    I am done and I think this is the right time I should talk to Edward. I call him and he picks on the second ring.


    ¡°Edward, I need to tell you something,¡± I say. ¡°What is it Neera?¡± He asks. It looks like he is busy with something.


    ¡°Some paparazzi took a photo of me and he ran off before Aniston could get him,¡± I say. ¡°What? Why are you telling me this now? Do you know the repercussions of what you have done?¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°You should be. Now you have given me more work to do that you should have. Now hung up this phone and let me get to work.¡±I hung up.


    Now mom and dad. ¡°Hey mom, how are you guys doing?¡± ¡°Hey Neera, I am fine but your dad.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± This is starting to worry me. ¡°He got serious after his usual physical therapy sessions so he is admitted now,¡± she says her voice breaking. ¡°Is he okay now?¡± I ask. ¡°The doctor says he is better than he was when I brought him in,¡± she says. ¡°Please take care mom. I will be back tomorrow and I wille to visit you guys. Tell dad I love him.¡± ¡°I love you too baby. Have a safe journey home.¡± ¡°Okay mom, inform me if anything arises, bye,¡± I say.


    Dad¡¯s condition really worries me sometimes. He can be okay this minute and the next minute his condition worsens. I wish I had nned to go back today. This day couldn¡¯t get more worse.


    I walk to the dressing mirror to do some facial routine. I should have done this before I took a shower but it¡¯s okay. I can do it anyway. There are no rules for this. After scrubbing I apply some y mask on. It pulls on my face just the way I want it. My phone rings for the millionth time today. I can¡¯t talk right now with this mask on my face I have to remove it first.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey Az, sorry I had put some mask on my face earlier that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t talk to you,¡± she is the one who was calling me earlier.  ¡°Hey Neera, it¡¯s okay. I wanted to check up on you. You really sounded so off in the morning. I could not end the day without talking to you,¡± she says. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s just that I was pissed off when Edward left back to Sura City,¡± I say. ¡°Have you calmed down now. Did you talk to him?¡± She says. ¡°Yes I did talk to him. I am not really okay though, when I went out I got photographed by some paparazzi. When I got home after that I called my mom and she told me that my dad is admitted,¡± I say and I feel so emotional right now. ¡°Oh Neera, am so sorry. Are you okay?¡± ¡± Yes I am, just a little bit shaken but yes, I am good.¡± ¡°So what are you doing now?¡± She asks. ¡°I am just packing for my journey tomorrow morning then I¡¯ll have to visit them after I get there. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll sleep tonight. Today was a hectic day for me.¡± ¡°He will be fine Neera. When you get here call me then I will take you there okay?¡± ¡°Thank you for checking up on me. I will call you the moment I arrive.¡± ¡°Bye, take care. I¡¯ll call Jackie and tell her about this too. Don¡¯t bother to call her, you are exhausted as it is,¡± she says. ¡°Thank you, bye, see you tomorrow.¡±


    Az is right. I feel like I have been carrying loads and loads of heavy objects from one ce to another. A little rest will do. I just have to pray that time moves on fast. I move to the mirror again to check myself if I cleaned my face properly. A piece of paper falls down when I ce the tube of a toner back and in the process pushing it down. I stoop to pick it up.

 Chapter 22

    I stoop down and pick up the paper. It¡¯s a receipt and I open it to see if it could be important or so. Santa Marina Resort and Spa? Payment for sauna and massage for 2? That¡¯s not mine. The date states that the payment was made yesterday. Is it here by mistake?


    There is a knock on the door and Grace calls me from outside, ¡°Neera, are you there? Alex has something for you,¡± I ce the paper back on the table and head to the door. ¡°Okay, I aming.¡±


    ¡°Neera, your flight is booked at seven in the morning. You won¡¯t be using the private jet likest time so be prepared,¡± he says. ¡°Oh alright thank you Alex,¡± I say.


    *****


    My rm goes off exactly at five in the morning. In the next thirty minutes I¡¯ll be ready for leaving. I hop into the shower and within a few minutes I am done and looking for something to wear. It¡¯s still early in the morning so I opt for pants and a shirt with a ck hoodie to keep me warm although I don¡¯t really like wearing pants.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you Neera,¡± Grace says when I hug her. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too but I will definitelye back to visit, okay?¡± ¡°Have a nice journey home,¡± she says. ¡°Thank you.¡± I get into the car with Alex already in the driver¡¯s seat, heading to the airport.


    *****


    ¡°Mom,¡± she is seated  at the reception when I enter the hospital premises. I presume she is waiting for me. ¡°You are here, that was quite fast,¡± she says. ¡°I just came here from the airport mom, I couldn¡¯t wait toe here. Where is dad?¡± ¡°He is in the ward,e with me,¡± she says holding my hand and leading the way.


    My dad is sleeping quietly and I sit on the bed holding his hand. ¡°Dad I am here, how are you feeling?¡± I ask even though he is sleeping right now and can¡¯t hear me. He breathes steadily, his chest rising and falling.


    ¡°When will he be discharged? I don¡¯t like seeing him here mom,¡± I say and I can feel tears forming in my eyes.


    ¡°The doctor hasn¡¯t confirmed yet, but I hope it will be soon,¡± she says and I can sense from her tone of voice that she doesn¡¯t like it here either.


    My phone starts vibrating in my bag. These days I have been receiving more calls than before. I release my father¡¯s hand, fish it out and check the caller id and it¡¯s Edward calling me. ¡°It¡¯s Edward mom, just a minute,¡± I say standing up and moving out of the ward to take the call.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I say.


    ¡°Neera, where are you? You need to leave whatever you are doing ande here right now,¡± he says and I wonder what could be the problem.


    ¡°I dropped by at the hospital to check up on my dad. He is admitted that is why. I wanted toe here first before I return back to the house.¡±


    ¡°Which hospital?¡± He asks.


    ¡°He is admitted at Haman¡¯s,¡± I say.


    ¡°Oh? Then I think you time there is up. I am sending Marcus to get you,¡± he says sternly.


    ¡°Is there anything wrong? Can I just stay for a little longer before Ie back?¡±  I ask. ¡°No Neera, I said you shoulde back as soon as Marcus gets there. A lot has happened so you should know. I gave Marcus your number so he will call when he gets there. End of discussion,¡± he says and hungs up.


    What could be the matter? Why could make Edward demand for my presence with urgency?


    ¡°What happened? Why is your face so gloomy? Cheer up, your dad is going to be fine,¡± my mom says the moment I enter the ward. ¡°No it¡¯s not about my daddy,¡± I say. ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°Edward called me saying that it is urgent that I go back to the house,¡± I say. ¡°Why?¡± She asks concerned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I asked him but he wouldn¡¯t tell me. He only said that he is sending his father¡¯s driver toe and pick me up and that I should go as soon he gets here,¡± I say with uncertainty hanging in the air. ¡°Okay then, you should go. I¡¯ll take care of your dad,¡± she says. ¡°But I wanted to stay longer here with dad, whatever Edward said can wait. Dad¡¯s condition is more important, I can goter anyway.¡±


    ¡°No Neera. Are you a doctor?¡± She asks me. ¡°I am not. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is that you should go. The doctors are here and they are doing their job at making him feel better. Besides that, I am here, aren¡¯t I?¡± She says.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t love me anymore?¡± I ask feigning hurt. ¡°Of course not, are not my only daughter?¡± She says pinching my cheeks.


    ¡°I just wanted to stay here with him. I want to talk to him when he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°My phone is ringing again, I guess Marcus is here,¡± I tell her. ¡°Talk to him.¡±  I swipe my phone¡¯s screen and he is connected on the line. ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am it¡¯s Marcus,¡± he says from the other end. ¡°Hi Marcus you are here already,¡± I note. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, I am at the hospital parking lot,¡± he says. ¡°I will be there in a moment.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I will be off,¡± I say though I am not happy about it. ¡°Neera, don¡¯t be sad okay? That¡¯s your new home. You should be responsible for Edward now that you are his wife. Whenever he needs you, you should be there for him. Anyway, you aren¡¯t far from us that you can¡¯t make it to visit us, right? You maye some other time but you should seek permission before youe okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay mom, I will. Tell me of any progress,¡± I say. ¡°I won¡¯t forget. Take care, I love you,¡± she says kissing one of my cheeks. ¡°I love you too mom, tell dad that I was here,¡± I kiss my dad¡¯s hand. I take my bag and leave the room closing the door behind me because if I stay a minute longer I won¡¯t want to leave here.


    The parking is filled with many cars but the ck Mercedes Benz can¡¯t be mistaken. I know it from the time he came to pick us up and a cording to the type of cars that are here, it is like distinguishing a red colour from a selection of white ones. I get a few stares here and there and I don¡¯t get why I am getting such weird nces.


    Marcus gets out of the car the moment he sees me and opens the car door for me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. ¡°You are wee ma¡¯am,¡± he says and that is the only conversation we have until we get to the mansion.


    This is the second time I am here at this magnificent homestead. I can¡¯t believe that this is now my home. I don¡¯t know how to feel about this, I am thinking about my father and definitely why Edward called me in such haste to be honest.


    When I get inside the house, everyone is seated with Edward walking aimlessly around the space between the couch and the table. His father is seated holding his chin with one hand and a newspaper with the other hand deep in thought while Dexter, his brother together with his wife are seated quietly looking at him.


    ¡°Edward, calm down, this movements of yours are making me feel dizzy,¡± Piper, his mother remarks disappointedly. ¡°I would faint anytime if he continues like this, can someone please tell him to stop?¡± Myra, Dexter¡¯s wifeins. ¡°Can you just shut up?¡± Dexter confronts her, obviously fed up with whatever they have been discussing about. ¡°What did Alex say?¡± Eric asks.


    ¡°He said that they got hold of the guy that gave out the information, although he has said that someone sent him to do that,¡± Edward says. ¡°Did he say whoever sent him to do that?¡± Eric asks again. ¡°He hasn¡¯t revealed yet, but Alex is working on it. I will have to talk to him by myself, maybe Alex isn¡¯t asking him properly.¡±  ¡°Where¡¯s the young man?¡± Dexter asks. ¡°At the warehouse,¡± Edward says. Warehouse? ¡°Why was she out there with¡­?¡± Before his mother could finish her sentence Myra sees me and signals her husband. ¡°There she is.¡±


    I walk to where they are seated and everyone shifts their gaze on me. They aren¡¯t okay with how they are frowning, like they are not too happy to see me. ¡°Why are youing home now? I thought your flight was seven in the morning?¡± His mother says. No greetings. It seems Edward didn¡¯t tell them where I have been. I don¡¯t know why they are looking at me like that.


    ¡°I arrived earlier but I had to go to the hospital first beforeing here,¡± I say. ¡°And you had to go to the hospital because?¡± She asks. Myra elbows her husband and tries to talk but he narrows his eyes at her and she pouts, closing her lips for whatever she wanted to say. ¡± My dad is in the hospital. He was admitted yesterday,¡± I answer. ¡°Oh Mr Brown is in the hospital? Did you tell anyone about that?¡± Eric asks. ¡°Yes, I told Edward earlier when he called me,¡± I say. ¡°When was this? Today? Your father was admitted yesterday and you didn¡¯t bother to tell anyone?¡± His mother asks. ¡°I was a little shaken yesterday so I didn¡¯t think of telling you, but I was nning on doing so.¡±  ¡°So you think we are not family enough to know what is going on with you right?¡±  ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± I say unsure of what to say since I am receiving endless questions from each one of them.


    ¡°Then please make us understand because this needs to stop. You were supposed to be heretest by ten since the flight from Marina to Sura City only takes only two hours. It¡¯s now almost twelve. You didn¡¯t bother to tell your husband whatever is going on. How did you get to the hospital? You didn¡¯t even say the moment you arrived here,¡± she says.


    ¡°I took a taxi from the airport.¡±


    ¡°Do you know that Lawanson family has enough cars?¡± His father asks. I don¡¯t answer that question because it¡¯s true I didn¡¯t want to wait for their driver toe and pick me up so I just used the readily avable taxi to the hospital. ¡°I am sorry. Why did you call me with such urgency? Did something happen?¡± I ask because I don¡¯t get why I am being interrogated this way. Or did he call me because they are pissed off at me for going to the hospital without telling them. ¡°Neera, don¡¯t you know who you are? Have you forgotten that Edward is your husband? What happened to your father anyway?¡± Eric asks. ¡°He usually has problems with his heart so yesterday his condition got worse. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t wait to see him. I didn¡¯t even get to talk to him,¡± I say.


    ¡°What did the doctor say about his condition?¡± Eric asks exchanging a look with his wife. ¡°For now he isn¡¯t so well but my mom said that after some treatments he will be better, although there is no guarantee that he would be healedpletely. Regr medication will do to sustain him,¡± I say and he now looks at his son who nods. Maybe that released their tension that their inw is sick and admitted at the hospital.


    ¡°You should havee here first,¡± Piper says. ¡°Wait. Is that why you called me with urgency that I didn¡¯te here first?¡± I ask because that is not making any sense to me at all.


    ¡°No, because you didn¡¯t tell anyone where you were so we thought that you were with your lover again,¡± Myra says and I am taken aback. ¡°What?¡± I ask, shocked. ¡°You heard me right,¡± she says. ¡°What is she talking about, Edward?¡± I ask surprised. ¡°We are talking about this!¡± Edward snatches the newspaper from his father¡¯s hand and throws it at me. It hits my face and falls down at my feet before I could grasp it.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°What is this? What has the paper got to do with anything?¡± I ask. ¡°It has got everything to do with all that we are talking about right now,¡± he says angrily. I look at him and he looks at me back with resentment in his eyes. ¡°Now pick it up and see for yourself,¡± he says.


    Everyone else gives me the same look. I take it and the page is about sr energy and all that. ¡°The other page,¡± he directs. I flip it and that is when I see a bold picture of, wait, that is me and Aniston. The picture is taken from an angle such that it looks like Aniston is holding me suggestively at a secluded ce. That is a ce I remember very well that it is a corner Aniston pulled me when he suspected that someone was following us. It is already in the media, a picture that was taken only yesterday. The heading reads, ¡®honeymoon blunder.¡¯ The article goes on to say how I got involved in an affair with a long time lover, leaving my new husband alone, probably because Edward could be sexually underperforming or something like that.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Have you seen what you have caused? Now the whole city knows that you are having an affair behind my back. Now tell me, is it true?¡± He asks. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®is it true¡¯?¡±  ¡°Neera, this is right in front of you. You are even holding it in your hands  before your eyes. Tell me, are you having an affair behind my back because this is not the first time I have seen you with that man and now you have decided to go public about it?¡± Edward asks. ¡°No, not at all Edward, I am not having an affair. Besides I told you what happened,¡± I say wondering why he could put such allegations knowing well he made me do that, even though it wasn¡¯t a bad thing that I did.


    ¡°How would I know if you weren¡¯t saying the truth and that you were lying to me. How did you even meet him? Did you call him? Because I don¡¯t know how you would meet just when you knew I wasn¡¯t there,¡± he says. ¡°Edward, I didn¡¯t call him, I don¡¯t even have his contact. We met when I went to the beach and I was upset after you left me. I wanted something that could calm down my nerves. Why didn¡¯t you even inform me when you were leaving? I wake up only to find out from your assistant that you hade back home. How did you think I was supposed to feel?¡±  ¡°Edward, is that true?¡± His father asks him. ¡°Dad, that is not important right now. Anyway it is her fault that we are facing this,¡± Edward says.


    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is that couldn¡¯t she find someone else besides him? How can you find another man to cool down your nerves when you are married?¡± Myra says and I feel like I could give her one p to shut her down. She is making my blood boil. ¡°Yes Neera, I also want to know. Couldn¡¯t you just have self control?¡± Piper chimes in. ¡°That is an amusement park for crying out loud. What kind of cooling down my nerves do you think I was having?¡±  ¡°We also want to know,¡± Myra says. ¡°Probably not your kind of ¡®cooling down¡¯.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be rude and answer the question. Why would you choose Aniston of all the people? If you didn¡¯t know, Aniston is like a rival to this family and anything about him shouldn¡¯t be discussed in this house,¡± Edward says. ¡°I was only a stranger in Marina and it was coincidental that I met him there. Since I know him I  couldn¡¯t just pass him by.¡±


    ¡°Look, this has to stop and from now onwards, no more meetings with other men. One more thing, you wouldn¡¯t leave this house unless Marcus is with you. Actually, you wouldn¡¯t need to leave this house without my permission,¡± Edward says.


    ¡°What are you going to do about this now?¡± Dexter asks. ¡°Even though it¡¯s already in the papers, I will have to deal with the person behind this and the media entirely. It will have to go as soon as it came,¡± He says as he makes to leave through the front door. ¡°Where are you going to Edward?¡± Eric asks. ¡°Going to take care of some things,¡± he answers. ¡°Alex is not yet back and Marcus will be leaving with me soon,¡± his father says. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll be driving myself for the time being before Alexes back. He is supposed to be back tomorrow evening,¡± he says. ¡°Take care,¡± Piper says. ¡°Bye mom, I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    ¡°I am leaving too, I have somewhere to go to,¡± Dexter announces. ¡°Can you drop me off at my boutique,  I need to check the stock, my manager said that it¡¯s almost over,¡± Myra says. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Marcuses in with my suitcase that I had left in the car. He had told me to leave it and that he would help me bring it into the house. He ces it next to me. ¡°Marcus, we will be leaving soon,¡± Eric tells him as he turns to leave. ¡°Okay sir.¡± He exits. ¡°See youter,¡± Eric says and pecks his wife and leaves.


    ¡°Neera,¡± Piper starts talking the moment we are alone, when every one has left, ¡°you have to know that Lawanson family is the most influential one in this city, and that our business is well known all over, not just Sura City. Bear in mind that whatever you do, you are carrying along the family name. We cannot afford to tarnish this name since you will be bringing down not only our family prestige but that of our respectable business. For thest time, be careful with what you do, and where you go. I don¡¯t want my mates to think that my son married a whore. I don¡¯t want our peaceful life that has been there for so long to be disrupted by you, a mere ordinary girl, you understand what I am saying?¡±  ¡°I do ma¡¯am I am also not happy about this and it won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say since I couldn¡¯t want to be the talk of town.


    ¡°Good, now that you are new here, you should make yourself familiar with this house. Martha!¡±  She calls and Martha responds from wherever she is. ¡°Ma¡¯am, what can I do for you,¡± Martha asks the moment shees before Piper. ¡°Yes, you know Neera right?¡±  ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± she says.


    ¡°I need you to show her around but first show her Edward¡¯s room.¡±  ¡°Okay ma¡¯am,¡± she says.


    She takes my bag and helps me carry it upstairs. This is a huge house. Does the whole family live here because this house is too huge I wouldn¡¯t mind if my entire extended family lived with me.


    Edward¡¯s room is at the far end of the top floor. It is huge with a walk-in closet, a huge en-suite toilet and bathroom. There is also a study room and attached to it. Far from the bed is a three seater cream couch with a TV mounted on the wall. The wall is painted ash white while the curtains are all dark grey in colour with white sheets. The queen sized bed has navy blue covers. It looks like a house inside a house.


    ¡°This is huge,¡± I remark quietly. ¡°You like it?¡± Martha asks who all the way has been observing me quietly. Did she really hear what I said? ¡°Yes I do,¡± I say, ¡°can we leave now?¡±  ¡°Of course, I have ced your suitcase in the closet,¡± she says. She could have ced it there when I was busy touring this room.


    I have been shown all over the house and outside too. The swimming pool, the garden, the y area, you name it. ¡°Do you take care of the house all by yourself?¡± I ask her because it could take an entire day to just clean maybe the ground floor alone.


    ¡°No, there are other helpers who usuallye during the weekdays,¡± she says. ¡°Oh I could imagine one person taking an entire month just to clean the whole house,¡± I say and she chuckles.


    ¡°I hope you have been shown around the house, so go and do whatever you are supposed to do for tonight we are having dinner together, something like a weing dinner for you,¡± Piper says when we get back into the house. ¡± I have, thank you,¡± I say and go upstairs, I have to know if my dad woke up.


    ¡°Mom, how is the going there?¡± I ask the moment my mom receives the call. ¡°Neera, he woke up some moments after you had left. He is a bit better now,¡± she answers. ¡°Can I talk to him?¡± ¡°Of course you can,¡± she says and few seconds pass before his voicees through from the other end. ¡°Neera,¡± his voice croaks from the other end. ¡°Hey dad, you woke up. I was there earlier,¡± I say excitedly. ¡°Your mom told me, how are you?¡± He asks. ¡°I am doing fine dad, and you? How are you?¡±  ¡°I am better now, if the doctor could allow me, I could be in the house right now,¡± he says in his usual humour. ¡°I don¡¯t like it here,¡± he adds. ¡°I also don¡¯t like it when you are there dad, I just pray that you have a quicker recovery,¡± I say and he starts coughing. ¡°Oh, sorry you should rest more, I¡¯ll get back to youter,¡± I say and my mom¡¯s voicees through, ¡°Neera, give me a minute, just hold on.¡±


    I just ce my phone on loudspeaker and wait for a moment. ¡°I just put your dad to rest. I am out of the ward and didn¡¯t want to bother him with my noise. So Neera tell me, why did Edward call you in such haste, was there anything wrong?¡±  ¡°Yes mum. Something happened while I was still in Marina,¡± I say. ¡°What happened?¡± She asks with concern etched in her voice. ¡°I was upset and wanted to go out and forget about it. There, I met a friend of mine and we went to an amusement park unfortunately some paparazzi took a photo of us together.¡±


    ¡°How is that a problem? Wait. Was it a male friend? That is a real problem,¡± she says quickly adding the maths. ¡°Yes mom, but Edward said that he is going to take care of it,¡± I say.


    ¡°Neera, but why did you decide to go out? Don¡¯t be running away from your problems,¡± my mom says. ¡°Mom, Edward was the one at fault and at that time he wasn¡¯t at home that¡¯s why,¡± I say. ¡°Neera just be careful okay? This wasn¡¯t a good start as a married woman.¡±  ¡°Alright mom, I hear you, I will be careful. I will be working as from Monday so I won¡¯t have a lot of time to go out,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Let me get back to your dad, he might be wondering where I went off to, I might as well tell him about thister. I don¡¯t want him to get worked up now,¡± she says. ¡°That is fine, if I get time tomorrow I will visit again. See you,¡± I say and she hungs up.


    I know Az might be wondering if I got here. I promised her that I would call her when I get back to Sura City but I didn¡¯t. I was in a hurry to get to the hospital and then Edward called me before I could stay as I wanted then every n fell apart. I had nned on calling her after checking on dad so that she could join meter but that¡¯s over now. Tomorrow is another day.

 Chapter 24

    Edward.


    ¡°I will be there in no time, I will have to ask him by myself,¡± I tell Darren, my other right hand man but he is a secret one because it¡¯s only my dad and brother who knows about him. I am off to the warehouse to see the idiot who gave the photo to the media. I don¡¯t remember telling anyone to take photos of any member of my family. That could be risky given that everyone wants to have photos of my family. I don¡¯t know why they are obsessed with my family, are we that fascinating to watch or stories about us sell faster they just want to know what happens in my family? Can¡¯t people just mind their own business? This paparazzi thing has never been on my good side, just wanting to disturb my peace.


    Is it that stupid Aniston? If he is the one then he will get it from me. I know he is my rival and any enemy would want to do anything to bring their rival down.


    The warehouse is just a few minutes away and this journey feels too long. Neera, what was she thinking? Is it hard to understand that I am a businessman. Why would she even think that going out with that man would make me stay with her at home. Come to think of it, she has too much freedom, that is why she cane and go as she wants. This has to stop. I will let her know when I reach home but for now let me deal with this first. I tried to end this mystery yesterday but I think whoever sent him to take the photo was so adamant in making sure it gets to be published in the news.


    ¡°Bring him out,¡± I say and sit on the chair I usually sit on when dealing with these criminals who try to tarnish my name. I am at the old warehouse.


    A haggard man is brought in before me by two of Darren¡¯s men. He looks well beaten with blood drying up on his shirt and face. He looks up at me and looks away. ¡°Tell me why you couldn¡¯t let me know the person behind what you did since yesterday, leading to the papers publishing it when it was so easy to avoid it?  Who paid you to do this!¡± I raise my voice since I can¡¯t be lenient with such a person.


    ¡°Sir please spare me, if I do this my family¡¯s lives will be at risk. She told me if I dare say her name she would kill my family, please,¡± he begs.


    ¡°She?¡± I look at Darren questioningly and he shrugs. ¡°You mean a woman sent you to do this? Who is she?¡± I ask. ¡°Ah! Sir, I didn¡¯t mean to say it,¡± he says. ¡°You know what, that woman promised to kill your family but listen. If you don¡¯t tell me now, I will make sure your entire generation ends with you forever and make sure nobody ever remembers your existence and that it gets erased forever.¡±


    I nod my head at one of the guys who brought him in and he bends down next to the young man and presses a metal on his finger. He lets out a shrill cry and begs to be let free. I like it the moment they be obedient. ¡°Okay, okay I will talk,¡± he pleads. ¡°Go on, the floor is yours man,¡± I say. ¡°It¡­I.. t is, she told me that her name is¡­,¡± he stutters and I get impatient. ¡°Say it young man!¡± I shout. ¡°Taylor,¡± he says. ¡°Is that a woman¡¯s name?¡± I ask, clearly pissed off. ¡°That is what she told me, but I can recognize her if you ask me,¡± he says, ¡± she also said that she is your friend and that I shouldn¡¯t bother if I do it well,¡± he adds.


    Taylor? A woman? I fish out my phone from my pocket and scroll to my phone gallery. I select a picture and put the screen before his face.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her. She is the one,¡± he says recognizing the woman in the photo.


    This can¡¯t be true. How can she do this to me? ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± I am unsure if he just guessed it or something. ¡°Yes. I am sure, a hundred percent,¡± he says with certainty in his voice. ¡°Alright then, you are a smart guy but if I find out that you lied to me then my promise to you wille to pass,¡± I warn him since right now I am really boiling inside. What the hell?


    I stand up and leave the room leaving the young man and two of Darren¡¯s men with him behind. Outside Darren asks me if he could get rid of the man or wait until I find out if the woman is behind it or not. ¡°It¡¯s okay, the young man sounded frank. I think he might be telling the truth. I have no business with him,¡± I say. I have to go and find her. She has a lot of exining to do. I slide back into my car and drive away from the warehouse. I dial her number and she answers on the second ring.


    ¡°Hi, Edward can¡¯t you even wait for me to settle in? I only got here today and you can¡¯t give me some time for myself. Come on,¡± she says sluggishly but I am not in the mood for her shenanigans. ¡°Please spare me that one. Where are you right now?¡± I ask. ¡°In my hotel suite, why?¡± She asks. ¡°I aming there,¡± I say and sheughs from the other end, ¡°I knew it Edward, you couldn¡¯t wait for me to get here.¡±  ¡°See you,¡± I say. ¡°I am waiting,¡± I can sense her smile through the phone.


    Twenty minutester, I am at her hotel door ringing the doorbell. She doesn¡¯t hesitate to open the door as if she was standing next to the door waiting for me to knock. She is wearing a white shower gown with her hair secured in a white towel.


    ¡°That was quite fast,¡± she says, smiling from ear to ear and pulling me into a hug. I hug her back and we move to sit on the couch. She starts to kiss me but first things first. I move my face away and she frowns looking at me. ¡°What is it Edward?¡± She asks. ¡°No, what is it Taylor?¡± I ask sarcastically. ¡°What? Why do you call me that?¡± She asks, frowning her face further.


    ¡°That is the name you use when doing things behind my back, right? Isn¡¯t it your name?¡± I ask her with my eyes narrowed. ¡°Edward, what are you saying? What did I do?¡± She asks innocently although she is guilty of this one. ¡°Oh so we are ying this game?¡±  ¡°Edward just say it. I¡¯m getting impatient,¡± she says with the right emotion I wanted her to have.


    ¡°Tell me why you sent someone to take photos of my wife without my permission.¡± She shrugs, ¡°oh that, I just wanted to show you how your wife is unfaithful, Edward.¡±  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you just send me the photos? Besides I had already been informed about that by one of my men,¡± I tell her. ¡°Edward, I hope you are not spying on me either,¡±  she says with one eyebrow raised. ¡°This is not about you. I wasn¡¯t spying on her either. That Aniston is my problem. Why did you get it to the media anyway?¡±  ¡°Evil deeds should be seen by everyone, so I was only doing you a favor,¡± she answers unfazed by the repercussions she could cause me.


    ¡°Do you know the consequences that could befall me considering what you have done? I am a businessman. A renowned one for that matter. I could lose clients because of that,¡± I say. ¡°No Edward. The world would see it as the ungrateful wife to a good business man like you teaming up with her husband¡¯s rival,¡± she corrects. ¡°Let this be thest time you do this. I don¡¯t want to start having questions about my family¡¯s welfare,¡± I say. ¡°She is your family now? Edward, I thought it is just a matter of time before you get rid of her,¡± she says pouting her lips. ¡°We are married and she is my wife. I can¡¯t just get rid of her like that. For the time being please just lie low,¡± I say. ¡°Okay Edward but I can¡¯t stand you being with her. I wonder why you chose to marry her. Couldn¡¯t you have declined?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me that now? Come on. We are past that one now. I had told you that this was pre-nned even before I was born so I wasn¡¯t in a position to turn it down. Let¡¯s focus on the future,¡± I say and she moves until she is rubbing herself on me.


    ¡°No, we are not doing this today,¡± I say sternly. ¡°Why? Are you punishing me?¡± She asks. ¡°There. You said it. Moreover I have a dinner to attend to,¡± I say. ¡°Can I be your plus one?¡± She asks hopefully. ¡°It¡¯s a family dinner. My mom said it¡¯s like a wee dinner for Neera so I must attend,¡± I say. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± she says sadly. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Tomorrow I will take you to the big surprise that I had promised you okay,¡± I say.  ¡°When are you nning on moving out of your parents house?¡± She asks out of nowhere. ¡°Not so soon. It is better if Neera and I stayed in my parents house, I will move out when I want. I have to go now,¡± I say standing up from the couch.


    ¡°When will I be going to see this big surprise?¡± She asks. ¡°I will call you tomorrow. I hope you don¡¯t have ns then.¡±  ¡°No I don¡¯t. It¡¯s the weekend so I won¡¯t be working. I already know this ce so no need for any tours. I will be doing some touch ups on our Marina project that Alex informed me about then. As for my work back home, I don¡¯t work on weekends. From Monday will do,¡± she says and I hug her and leave the suite.


    ****


    I am freshened up and ready for dinner. It¡¯s a family dinner so no need to be too formal. Given it is my wee and my first dinner with my new family then I guess I have to dress well but not too formal. I have chosen a navy dress with ck sandals, one of the dresses I got from Marina. I gather my hair in a perfect bun and secure it with a pin.


    I move slowly down the stairs as if counting the steps I take to reach the dining table. Everyone else is seated.


    ¡°Wee, there is your seat,¡± Edward¡¯s mom says. ¡°Thank  you,¡± I say and sit on the seat, which is next to Edward¡¯s.


    There is his father, his brother and his sister-inw together with their two children, a son and a daughter who I don¡¯t know their names. They smile up at me and I smile back.


    ¡°So Neera, I know you have met each and everyone here except these two,¡± she refers to the two kids. I nod. ¡°These are Dexter and Myra¡¯s children, Maya,¡± the girl, ¡°and Rana,¡± the boy. ¡°We are pleased to have you as one of our family members. We treat our family matters with maximum secrecy and whatever happens here remains the business of the family,¡± she concludes. ¡°Yes Neera, I couldn¡¯t wait for my son to get married to you since you proved to be a responsible and humble girl. You just have to mind this family¡¯s reputation in whatever you do since everyone is bound on getting to know whatever goes on with this family. Whatever happened yesterday should not repeat itself,¡± his father says. ¡°I totally understand sir,¡± I say.


    ¡°You are wee to the family, Neera,¡± his brother says.


    ¡°We are pleased to have you here,¡± Myra says and I smile.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Rana, the eldest of the two kids, stands up from his seat and asks, ¡°can I stay here tonight and sleep with Neera?¡±  Everyone bursts outughing and his mother says,  ¡°no you can¡¯t. Are you forgetting your big bed back at home?¡±  ¡°It¡¯s okay, let my grandson stay here for tonight,¡± Piper says. Maya doesn¡¯t say anything but smiles.


    ¡°So all said and done, Neera, don¡¯t call me sir. Eric is okay with me. Now Edward, all I want from you is a grandchild,¡± Eric says and Edward clears his throat and I smile shyly.

 Chapter 25

    The dinner went well and from their interactions, I can say this is a close-knit family. They were cheerful, cracking jokes here and there, the light moments. Now Dexter together with his family have left. Despite Rana¡¯s plea to stay, his mom didn¡¯t want him to so they left.


    I am just rxing on the bed when Edward walks in. He goes into the shower to freshen up andes back  glossy with his hair still dripping with water. A towel is wrapped around his waist giving his well toned and packed torso a chance to be seen. I haven¡¯t seen him like that, his body on full disy. He takes another towel and wipes excess water from his hair, takes a hair tie and ties it securely. He goes into the walk-in closet and after some timees back wearing brown pajamas. He takes his phone, checks on it and ces it on the bedside drawer. He gets into the covers and turns to look at me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± He asks. ¡°Not yet. I was waiting for you,¡± I say. ¡°Waiting for me? Why? Is there any problem?¡± He asks. ¡°No, there is no problem. I just wanted to ask you if you could join me in visiting my father to the hospital tomorrow,¡± I say.


    ¡°You are going back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his condition is not so good so I need to.¡±


    ¡°I see, but I don¡¯t think I will be joining you. I have some important things to attend to tomorrow, so yeah,¡± he says and I nod.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, maybe some other time. By the way, did you sort out my case? How is it going?¡± I ask because I need to know if the coast is clear now. ¡°It¡¯s almost done,¡± he says. ¡°Did you find out who did it?¡±


    ¡°Yes I did,¡± he says and my hope ignites. ¡°Who is it?¡± I ask. ¡°No one of consequence. Now go to sleep. Goodnight,¡± he says. I snuggle up to him and encircle my hand around his back. ¡°Thank you Edward,¡± I whisper and he reciprocates by snaking his hand inside the top of my bra-less pajamas. Another passionate night.


    ****


    I am so thirsty. I have drank and drank a lot of water but my thirst is not receding at all. I take even the iciest of the waters but I can¡¯t quench my thirst at all.


    I wake up and look around my surroundings and sit upright. It was just a dream. Weirdly I still feel thirsty and right now I feel like I could die of thirst. Thank goodness I had put back on my pajamas and now I just have to run to get to the kitchen.


    It isn¡¯t too early, just the right time to get up, guessing from the lights getting in through the curtains. I get to the kitchen and surprisingly Piper and Martha are already making breakfast.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I say as I get to the fridge to get the coldest water bottle.


    ¡°Good morning Neera,¡± Piper says.


    ¡°You woke up a bitte, Edward usually wakes up early so you really need to check on your timings,¡± she says. ¡°Okay,¡± I really need to quench this thirst. I gulp down the entire contents in the bottle and throw it into the dustbin.


    ¡°Why are you drinking so much water early in the morning?¡± Martha asks. ¡°I just woke up feeling thirsty,¡± I say. ¡°Okay then, don¡¯t bother today. It¡¯s the weekend but from tomorrow onwards you should be in the know,¡± she says but that is fine with me. I will also be doing myself a favor by getting to prepare myself to get to work early.


    We are done with breakfast and I am all ready to leave for the hospital. I dial Az¡¯s number and she picks on the first ring.


    ¡°Neera, you owe me one,¡± she says, not even giving me space to greet her. ¡°Hi, nice to hear from you too,¡± I say and she chuckles. ¡°Sorry,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s okay I am the one who is sorry here,¡± I say.


    ¡°How is he?¡± She asks. ¡°I am actually calling you to ask if you have time because I want to visit him,¡± I say and she jumps in, ¡°I have all the time today for you Neera, when are you leaving? Can I call Jackie as well?¡±


    ¡°In a few minutes, yes you can confirm with her if she can join us as well.¡±


    ¡°See you then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be off,¡± I tell Piper. ¡°Greet Mr and Mrs Brown,¡± she says. Edward left a while ago, his father is in the study. I won¡¯t bother him with my goodbyes so I just leave after taking the two gift packs I got for my best friends.


    Marcus is waiting for me by the car. He opens the door the moment he sees me and I get in. ¡°Hello Marcus,¡± I greet when he gets in. ¡°Hello ma¡¯am,¡± he greets back. ¡°Can you take me to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°You are here already,¡± Jackie is here even before Az and I. I just got here and found her at the parking lot. ¡°Yes, I was around the area, actually I was in the hospital,¡± she says. She hugs me and we disengage after a few seconds. ¡°What? Did you bring a patient here?¡± I ask concerned. ¡°No, I am the patient, but not really,¡± she says. ¡°Jackie? Tell me something,¡± I can guess what brought her here.


    ¡°Am I missing something?¡± Az¡¯s voice breaks our little discussion. ¡°And howe you are here already, I thought you could take some time before getting here given your ce is a bit farpared to our ces?¡± She adds. ¡°Did I tell you I was at home?¡± ¡°No, but I thought so,¡± Az says. ¡°She was already here when you called her,¡± I say. ¡°What were you doing here? You don¡¯t seem sick to me,¡± Az notes.


    ¡°That was what we were discussing before you came,¡± I say. ¡°Jackie, say something,¡± Az¡¯s curiosity doesn¡¯t give her space to breathe.  ¡°Okay guys I came to see the doctor because ofte I have been nauseating and feeling dizzy,¡± she says. ¡°And?¡± Az asks. ¡°I tested positive,¡± she says and we instantly understand what she means. ¡°Congrattions Jackie,¡± we engage in a group hug.


    ¡°Neera, you added some weight,¡± Az says. ¡°Lies. I haven¡¯t, I actually have decreased a bit,¡± I say. ¡°Maybe it is the glow that makes her look like she has added some weight,¡± Jackie says. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°How have you been guys?¡± I ask them because it has always been about me. ¡°We have been doing well, as you can see from  Jackie¡¯s wellbeing,¡± Az says. ¡°What about you Az?¡± I ask. ¡°For me, you¡¯ll have to wait for a bit longer before hearing from me,¡± she says. ¡°Does your boyfriend know about it yet, Jackie?¡±  ¡°No, he even wanted toe with me here but I declined. I wanted to see if I test positive then I organize a small surprise for him,¡± she says. ¡°That is so thoughtful of you,¡± Az says, ¡°what about the wedding ns you had told us about?¡±  ¡°With the change now I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s going to be. I have to discuss it with Liam,¡± her boyfriend, ¡°reach an agreement then inform our parents too. I will tell you about it tomorrow orter in the day.¡±


    ¡°Before we go, I got something for you two,¡± I say and they get more excited. I take the two packages and hand them each one. ¡°Thank you Neera, you are the best,¡± Jackie says. ¡°I can say the same to you,¡± I say.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We should hear from you too, Neera, sooner rather thanter,¡± Az says. ¡°About what?¡±  ¡°About positive results,¡± she says and weugh it out loud. ¡°We should be going now,¡± I say.


    *****


    ¡°Your dad has been moved to the ICU just now,¡± my mom says, tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°Oh mom,¡± I say, hugging her. I came in excited but now this kind of news is not really wee to my ears. Yesterday he was doing fine. He even talked to me over the phone and now this?


    I walk my mom to the bench just outside the ICU and we sit there in silence. I hold her hands and my friends join me. ¡°It will be fine Mrs Brown,¡± Az says. ¡°Yes, he will be better soon mom, ¡± I say. I have a strong belief that my dad will be fine. This will pass after the doctors work on him.


    We have stayed here for the whole morning and now the afternoon is almost over. My dad is in aa and he isn¡¯t showing signs of waking up anytime soon. Jackie left after staying for a few hours when Liam called her. Az left a few minutes ago. She had to go find some information going on in the country given her position in thepany she is working at.


    My mom won¡¯t eat anything even as I tried to persuade her. My father¡¯s condition has left her devastated. She doesn¡¯t talk much. I now have to be strong for her. The doctores in and calls us in his office. I hold mom¡¯s hand and we follow the doctor.


    ¡°Mr Brown¡¯s condition is not so good,¡± he starts exining whatever my dad is suffering from and I don¡¯t even get the terms that he is referring to.  ¡°So this is what you have to do first before I start giving him treatment. You have to settle your bill first and it will be good if you do it soon. He will definitelye out of thea after some time. This is your bill, go do something about it and get back to me,¡± he says handing out a receipt to my mom.


    ¡°Neera, I have used almost all of my savings, what do we do now?¡± My mom asks when we get out of the doctor¡¯s office. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about that. I will talk to Edward about it and I know he will sort us out. Calm down okay?¡± I say and she nods. ¡°Let me call him and see if he is back home.¡±


    I call him and he picks at the second ring. ¡°Hello, Neera,¡± he says. ¡°Hey Edward, are you at home?¡±  ¡°Not yet, why?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to talk to you about something. When will you be back?¡±


    ¡°In like an hour¡¯s time. ¡±


    ¡°Okay I¡¯ll tell you when we meet,¡± I say and hung up.


    ¡°Mom, he is not home yet but he will be back in an hour¡¯s time. I¡¯ll talk to him then,¡± I say. ¡°It¡¯s okay Neera, I hope that he helps us. I quit my job this week. I didn¡¯t think I would be able to work given your father¡¯s condition and also my boss was getting impatient.¡± She says.¡±You did? Anyway I understand mom but I also have something in my savings. I will also talk to my boss tomorrow when I go back to work.¡± After two weeks away from work, I have to go back tomorrow.


    We walk back to the ICU. We are allowed to see him now after the doctor told us that it is the right time to. My mom walks to his bed and doesn¡¯t even touch him. Maybe she fears that if she touches him she could hurt him. She looks at his calm face that has an oxygen mask ced on his nose. She seems to not believe that he is in this position. ¡°Please wake up,¡± she says, ¡°I don¡¯t like seeing you in this position. I want us to go back home. You said we would go back home soon since you felt better,¡± she says and tears threaten to fall off my eyes. I move to where she is and hold on her shoulders. ¡°Yes dad, I thought I would talk to you today but here you are, we need you,¡± I say.

 Chapter 26

    I am in our bedroom waiting for Edward. I hope he makes here on time because it¡¯s already evening and I wanted to make it back to the hospital. The night is creeping in but still there is no sight of him. I want to call him but he could be driving so I decide against it. I have to be patient. I walk to the study area and sit on the chair holding the receipt and anxiously wait for his arrival.


    Minutes or is it hours? Pass and my impatience breaks all barriers and I decide to call him. Before I can press the call icon, the door is pushed open and Edward enters. I stand up and hees to where I am. He looks exhausted but it is a bit odd given the way he looks at me, or rather doesn¡¯t want to look at me. I don¡¯t dwell on that since my father¡¯s health is at stake here.


    ¡°Edward, you are back. I have waited for you for so long,¡± I say wanting to hug him but he puts his hand forward blocking my action. ¡°Neera, get to the point, what is it?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I wanted to talk to you about my father,¡±  I say. ¡°What about your father?¡±  ¡°I have his hospital bill here with me. I wanted to ask you if you could help us settle his bill since my mom and I can only manage only a small part of it,¡± I say. ¡°I thought he was getting better,¡± he says. ¡°I thought so too but he went intoa today and now he is in the intensive care. The doctor said that so as to start his treatment his bill has to be settled first,¡± I say.


    ¡°I see, so how much are we talking about here?¡± He asks. ¡°Here is the bill,¡± I say handing him the receipt. ¡°Okay, tomorrow morning then. It is toote now and you won¡¯t go back to the hospital at this time. You¡¯ll have to wait till tomorrow,¡± he says. I wish there was a way that could be possible right now.


    ¡°Okay then. Have you had dinner?¡±


    ¡°I did, not so long ago so I am good. I just have to take a shower and go to bed. I have an early day tomorrow,¡± he says. ¡°When are you going to work?¡± I ask because I need to know when I should be waking up. ¡°I have to be out of the house by seven,¡± he says. ¡°Is it your usual time?¡±  ¡°No. I usually get out of the house by eight. There are also times that I get up earlier than that, once in a while,¡± he says. ¡°Oh, that is good for me too,¡± I say because I also have to get to work before nine.


    ¡°How is it good for you? Aren¡¯t you used to getting up at such a time? Or is it because it isn¡¯t so early?¡± He asks.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because I also have to get to work by nine,¡± I say. ¡°Which work? Sorry I didn¡¯t inform you but you won¡¯t be going back to work,¡± he says and I can¡¯t contain the shock that engulfs me.


    ¡°What! Are you crazy? Edward, what do you mean?¡± I ask my voice raised because there is no way he can say that. How?


    ¡°You are the crazy one here, Neera. I just said something simple like not going to work and you seem not to understand. I said you won¡¯t be going to work,¡± he says firmly.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± His mother says entering through the door that Edward didn¡¯t close when he came in. She definitely heard our argument. She is the elder here maybe if I tell her about it  she could side with my perspective.


    ¡°It¡¯s Edward, mother. He says that I can¡¯t go back to work and I don¡¯t know why. I need this job, please. I still have to take care of my student loans and also take care of my parents. I can¡¯t quit right now,¡± I say hopefully.


    ¡°Is that the reason you are making this much noisete in the night?¡± She asks.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes mom¡±, Edward answers and I wonder how she doesn¡¯t get that this is about someone¡¯s source of livelihood we are talking about.


    ¡°Neera, look around you. Just take a good look around you,¡± I look at the study table before me and look back at her. I don¡¯t get what she means by that. What is she saying?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Mom make her understand. I tried to but she didn¡¯t get what I said,¡± Edward says.


    ¡°Neera. This is the Lawanson family. If you think you can live in such a family and still wake up and go to a sales job then you are gravely mistaken. I don¡¯t want people to say that I let a Lawanson daughter-inw, my daughter-inw for that matter, do a cheap job for a living. So Edward is right, you can¡¯t go back to that job at all,¡± she says.


    ¡°If you say so, then what will I be doing?¡± This is serious.


    ¡°You will be staying at home and helping Martha around the house,¡±  the second shocker of my life.


    ¡°I thought you had more servants in the house?¡± Martha said so.


    ¡°I¡¯ll beying them off since you are here. Their services are no longer needed,¡± she says.


    ¡°Then who will cater for my parents¡¯ needs?¡±


    ¡°We will discuss about itter but for now, let¡¯s focus on you taking care of this house,¡± Edward says. ¡°No, I have to know who will be taking care of my family when I¡¯ll be taking care of this house,¡± I say. ¡°Alright, we shall allocate some funds to be deposited in your mom¡¯s ount every end of the month,¡± is this some tender or what?


    ¡°We are almost halfway through the month. Until the month ends, who will be taking care of them? My mother¡¯s savings have been used to pay for my dad¡¯s medical expenses. Now you are telling me to quit. Isn¡¯t that impossible at my end?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your mom working?¡±


    ¡°She quit recently so as to fully take care of dad,¡± I say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will be responsible for them. Just be a good daughter-inw and everything will be fine. This is now your home so you have to be responsible for it too. As for your student loan, you will provide me with your details then I¡¯ll sort it out with the help of Edward, is that clear?¡± She asks. Not so bad.


    ¡°As long as my parents are doing well then it¡¯s okay with me,¡± I say. But this house is too huge, how am I supposed to make sure the whole mansion is presentable?


    ¡°You said you are going toy off servants of this house, meaning they were more than two, how will be able to manage the whole house?¡±


    ¡°Neera, they only came here six hours a day for five days a week. You live here twenty-four seven so I¡¯m sure you will manage,¡± she says, ¡°besides, Martha will still be here so no need to panic. Anyway, how is your father now?¡± She asks.


    ¡°Not so good. He is in the intensive care unit as we speak,¡± I say. ¡°Oh he got so serious, I hope he recovers quickly,¡± she says. ¡°I hope so too.¡±


    ¡°I need to go to sleep now, I don¡¯t want to hear any more noise from you two. Come on you are grown-ups so you need to settle whatever that¡¯s between the two of you amicably. Goodnight,¡± she says.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Neera, do you have any more questions?¡± Edward asks. ¡°For now no.¡±


    ¡°Can I take my shower now?¡± I nod.


    I have two phone calls to make. First I have to call my mother. Then I have call Jackie who I don¡¯t know if she is asleep or not. I also have to send my resignation through email to Samara, my boss.


    ¡°Hey mom, how is the going?¡±


    ¡°Just the way it was Neera. Your dad hasn¡¯t woken up and the doctor is still waiting for the payment.¡±


    ¡°I talked to Edward and he promised me that he will do it tomorrow. So I cane visit you in the morning after he¡¯s gone to work.¡±


    ¡°What about you? Won¡¯t you be going to work?¡± She asks.  ¡°No I quit,¡± I say. ¡°Why all of a sudden?  Just a few hours ago when you were here you told me about going to work tomorrow. What made you change?¡± She asks. She is my mom, so let me just tell her the truth.


    ¡°Edward and mother inw asked me to. ¡± I say. ¡°I knew it,¡± she says.  ¡°I knew they wouldn¡¯t let you work where you used to, given the ss of people they are. So what will you be doing? Will they give you another job perhaps?¡±


    ¡°No, I will be taking care of the house. Anyway you don¡¯t have to worry about your expenses. Edward will take care of them. His mother assured me that every end month you will be given some money for your upkeep,¡± I say in way to raise her spirits.  ¡°Oh Neera, I hope you are okay with all that is going on,¡± she says. ¡°I am fine mom. I am just hoping that dad will recover soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my daily wish too Neera. I was praying for his legs to get better but now, I wish I could even see him back on his wheelchair, talking and eating with me,¡± she says and I can feel how deeply she is affected by this. ¡°Me too mom. I will see you tomorrow.¡±  ¡°Take care Neera, goodnight,¡± I don¡¯t think so. With my abrupt quitting of my job and my father¡¯s condition, I only hope for a goodnight.


    ¡°Neera, what¡¯s up? What did I do to deserve a call at this time of the night?¡± She says and from her excited voice I don¡¯t think she was asleep. ¡°Nothing much. I only wanted to tell you that I won¡¯t being to work as from tomorrow,¡±  I say. ¡°Neera? Are you serious right now? Quitting? Wait, when did you quit and why did you quit because I don¡¯t understand, when you were clearly excited about going back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Jackie, I have a home to take care of that¡¯s why,¡± I say.


    ¡°Please Neera, you can fully take care of a family with as well as take care of your job. You don¡¯t even have kids yet to start with. Take for example me, I found out I am pregnant, do you know how many months? Two but I won¡¯t quit. I will work until I am almost due then take a maternity leave and I will be back to work soon after my leave. Come on Neera, we are in the 21st century,¡± she says making her point clear. ¡°Did someone make you do it?¡± She asks. I can¡¯t tell her that it¡¯s my husband and mother-inw who made me quit.


    ¡°It¡¯s my decision to quit okay, don¡¯t make a big deal out of it,¡± I say. ¡°Okay if you say so, have you told Samara about it?¡±  ¡°Not yet but I am going to send her an email after this call.¡±


    ¡°Neera, I hope you are okay with your decision. I hope we meet again soon,¡± she says. ¡°Hey, how did your ¡®little surprise¡¯ go?¡± I hope Liam is happy about it. ¡°Not yet, but he is on his way home so he hasn¡¯t got to know about it yet,¡± she says. ¡°Good luck, enjoy your night.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight Neera.¡±


    I type an email to Samara exining to her that I won¡¯t be working at the bookstore anymore. I can only tell her that I am only quitting because I have to take care of my new home and that I also decided to quit by my own terms, taking a break from work. I press send and wait for her response which I know wille through tomorrow. I hope she won¡¯t give me a hard time with my resignation.

 Chapter 27

    Edward is fast asleep when I go to bed. I have just sent the email to Samara and now I just have to wait for her response toe in tomorrow.  This came as a shock to me too. I really wanted this job but what to do, I can¡¯t defy my husband¡¯s request. This is my home, I am the wife to the youngest master of this house and he is sleeping right next to me. I have to see how this goes, all in all I hope it is for the better.


    As long as my parents are well taken care of, I have no reason toin. So far, they have treated me well. I will have to do my part as the daughter-inw of this house and not give anyone a reason toin either.


    *****


    My father¡¯s hospital bill has been taken care of. I came here not so long ago and we are seated with my mom next to dad¡¯s bed. He is still ina.


    ¡°Mom, you need to try and eat something, do you think dad is happy that you are starving yourself? Maybe he is pissed that you aren¡¯t eating and that¡¯s why he isn¡¯t waking up,¡± I say and she hits my head.


    ¡°Stop it. This isn¡¯t funny Neera. It is fine, I will eat,¡± she says and I p my hands. ¡°That is good then, let¡¯s go,¡± I help her stand up take the food that I prepared for her before I came here and we leave the ICU to the hospital garden. My mom needs some fresh air too. I hand her the packed lunch and look at her as she devours it. We are the only people here, I think it is because it¡¯s a weekday and the visiting hours are not yet.


    ¡°Neera, did Edward pressure you to resign? I know you loved your job and I know you still want to go back. Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± she says. ¡°Not really. He gave me a deal so I was okay with it.¡±  ¡°Which is?¡±  ¡°He promised to take responsibility for you so that is fine with me as long as you are okay,¡± I say.


    ¡°You know that this is not about us, it¡¯s about you. In the first ce I never wanted to be a burden to you. You are our only daughter and we never wanted to pressure you into anything. So Neera tell me the truth,¡± she says. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ll never be a burden to me. You have done your part as my parents and now it¡¯s my turn to take care of you. I mean you can¡¯t go to work given that dad depends on you.  You can¡¯t leave him here unattended to even if doctors are here, you also have a part to y. For me, I will do anything as long as it makes youfortable, you are one of my top priorities.¡±


    ¡°Join me,¡± she says referring to the food. I have prepared her favorite pasta and I know she is going to like it.


    *****


    ¡°I will be leaving mom,¡± I say. I have stayed here almost the whole day. I have called the driver, Piper¡¯s driver. Marcus is Eric¡¯s driver and given that this is a weekday he can¡¯t be avable for me.


    ¡°Take care Neera,¡± she says hugging me. ¡°I will be back tomorrow, see you dad,¡± I say and walk out of the ward. He was transferred  to the ward although he is still ina.


    Twenty minutester, I am back home. I find Piper seated in the leaving room.


    ¡°You are back,¡± she says.


    ¡°Yes, how has your day been?¡±


    ¡°Good. How is your father now?¡±


    ¡°Still ina.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that. Neera, why did you have to stay there the whole day anyway? Didn¡¯t I tell you that you have to be responsible for this house?¡±


    ¡°I just felt like if I did he would at least feel my presence and wake up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be dellusional. If he gets better, he will wake up with or without your presence. Now today was thest day of the servants. Starting tomorrow you will have to stay here. No more going out. If you need to know your father¡¯s progress, you can call your mother and know it from her. That is to make you focus and do your work work well.¡±


    ¡°Does Edward know about this?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes he does.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will have to go freshen up first thene back.¡±


    ¡°Did you talk to your boss?¡±  She asks. ¡°I did send her my resignation yesterday evening. I haven¡¯t got a response from her yet,¡± or rather I haven¡¯t checked my phone if there is any.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a bother to you. If she gives you a hard time,¡± my phone takes this time to ring before she can finish. ¡°It¡¯s my boss,¡± I say. ¡°Go on,¡± she says.


    This is past working hours but, ok. I pick up as I climb the stairs. ¡°Hello, hi Samara. How are you?¡±  ¡°I am doing well Neera. I got your resignation earlier today and it¡¯s fine, I talked to my boss and he approved it. This month you didn¡¯t report to work. You already know what happens when someone resigns. I will send to your ount the necessary. You were a disciplined employee and I understand your stand right now so I am going to make this easier for you,¡± she says.


    ¡°Thank you Samara, I appreciate it.¡± I say and she hungs up, straight to the point. This has now been sorted out. I have to rest assured that everything is gonna be alright.


    ****


    Aniston.


    I am sitting quietly in my home office.


    I have been working on this project day and night for months. The buildings are up and functioning, the materials are here and now the remaining part is the workers to start making our sr projecte true.


    I am waiting for Michael toe back with my report on the case I assigned him. I hope hees with good news. I have to make sure that whoever took the life of my parents pay for it no matter what. I can¡¯t wait for them to be put behind bars.


    Someone knocks on my door. ¡°Come in,¡± I say and Michaeles in. ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°Hi Michael, I hope you have good news for me,¡± I say and he nods.


    ¡°Sir, I recently found out that the driver who was driving the trailer that collided with your parents¡¯ is still alive,¡± he says. ¡°How? We were told that he died on the spot.¡± I am shocked by this revtion. ¡°The shocking part is that he isn¡¯t a driver and never was.  He used to work for Edward¡¯s grandfather when he was still alive. He still lives in Marina with his family,¡± he pauses.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Here are the original autopsy reports I got from the  government physician, who is Maish¡¯s brother,¡± he says handing me the file from his briefcase. I peruse through it and all the suspicions I have been havinges true.


    ¡°The report here says that they had died from gunshots in the head and chest. That means they were shot dead and not a car ident as we were made to believe,¡± I conclude.


    ¡°Yes sir, they were already dead even before the time of the ident. So it¡¯s like they were killed somewhere else then after that they were brought at the scene of the ident.¡±


    ¡°Did they get to keep the bullets by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He has to get them from the governmentboratories. He even told me that the bullets were designed for a particr gun. It means this was not just an ordinary person, he also had the resources to have a gun designed just for himself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Michael, I hope to get more from you soon. I have to know who particrly had this gun designed and test the DNA on the bullets. I have to gather enough evidence before I make my move,¡± I say.


    ¡°He is already in the process of obtaining the bullets.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they produce this earlier?¡± I ask.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He told me that the criminal was protected by a notorious politician of that time. Anything that went on concerning your parents death was closely inspected by him behind the scenes. Fortunately, Maish¡¯s brother was one of the physicians who had been appointed to overlook the autopsy and he was well informed about it so he decided to hide them with the help of a close physician friend who worked at the governmentboratory.¡±


    ¡°I thought they could have discovered that the bullets went missing.¡±


    ¡°No, the physician were told to dispose them off. Good thing was that they didn¡¯t know that the bullets were one of a kind so Maish yed his cards well by giving out to his brother fake ones so that they could dispose them,¡± he says.


    ¡°No wonder Maish has been on my side ever since, even when the directors threatened to sell of thepany and overthrow me. They thought that I wasn¡¯t capable.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I know that you are more than capable.¡±


    ¡°Alright then Michael, you can leave now, go and take a rest then you can continue tomorrow from where you stopped. Be careful, I don¡¯t want anyone sniffing on my business at this crucial time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you sir, I think the autopsy should be in your hands now,¡± he says leaving and I nod.


    All this while I have been thinking that my parents died of a car ident, when in the real sense is that they were killed by the gun. The ident was so well nned that no one could discover the loopholes and the darkness surrounding my parents¡¯ death. Although I always knew that their ident was not natural, I never knew they there was more than what meets the eye.


    Who was this politician? What was it that made them n this cruel end to my parents? Did they even think about the young teenagers that they could have been left behind?  Sara was only a teen then, and until now she doesn¡¯t have a clue on what transpired regarding my parents death. I have no ns on telling her anything until I have gathered enough evidence. I don¡¯t want to bother her right now.


    I sit silently, going through the file again when Sara abruptlyes in.


    ¡°Sara, don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡± I ask. ¡°Oh sorry, should I go back?¡±  She asks. ¡°I think you should.¡±


    ¡°I will but before that, what are you looking at with such a face? Let me take a look,¡± she says snatching the file from my hands before I can keep it away. I stand just in time to snatch it back from her.


    ¡°Autopsy? Are you a forensic doctor nowadays and I don¡¯t know about it?¡± Oh she didn¡¯t get the names, thank goodness.


    ¡°Not at all, Michael gave me this when he came here, of one of our employees,¡± I say and she narrows her eyes at me.


    ¡°Did you kill someone, brother?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like a killer to you? Or don¡¯t you believe your brother anymore? Don¡¯t worry, if I be one, I will let you be my right hand guy, happy now?¡± I ask. ¡°No thank you.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I came here to tell you that dinner is ready,¡± she says. ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡± I ask. ¡°You¡¯ll find out about it when youe to the dining table, it¡¯s one of your favourites.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will join you soon. Let me wrap up here first,¡± I say.


    ¡°Fine then, I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the table,¡± she says leaving the room.


    I open my secret drawers and keep the file in and close it, where no one will ever find it except me. This is the first evidence and the beginning of a race that I know I will emerge as the winner eventually.

 Chapter 28

    I havepleted cleaning the house just in time to make dinner for the family. I miss my parents so much, especially my dad, given his condition. He is still ina and thest time I saw them was a week ago. I only talk to mom through the phone and get to know about how my dad is doing, though the story is still the same.


    I assemble the ingredients ready for preparation. Martha left earlier today for a family gathering and she won¡¯t be back until the day after tomorrow. She is the one who usually does most of the cooking, with me just giving her a hand. Today is now my day, no one is at home except for the gardener and it¡¯s almost time for them toe back home. I want to be done with cooking dinner by the time they get here.


    Jackie¡¯s wedding was postponed, well, because of her pregnancy and she said the wedding will take ce soon after delivery. She is too excited to meet her bundle of joy, even though it¡¯s still months away, it is only two months. Az said that we are kind of pressuring her since one of her friends is married, which is me, while the other is already pregnant.


    I am cutting the onions when the kitchen door abruptly bangs. I jump in fear and that is when I identally cut my finger. I move slowly towards the door to try and see what made it shut so loudly. I open it and look outside but no sign of anything or anybody that could have made it close. It is too windy outside and I guess it could be the reason behind it. Blood is oozing from my finger dropping on my clothes furiously. I need to take care of it first. I take the first aid kit from the drawer and start working on my wound. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t a deep cut so I will have to continue with my cooking.


    My phone rings on the kitchen ind I had ced onto. I ce the kit back in the drawers and get to my phone. It¡¯s my mother calling.


    ¡°Hey mom.¡±


    ¡°Hello Neera, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I am in the house. Are you okay? How¡¯s dad?¡± Her voice is not sounding too good.


    ¡°It¡¯s your dad,¡± she says.


    ¡°What about him? Did he wake up froma?¡± I ask in high hopes


    ¡°Not really but you have toe here immediately. He woke up but didn¡¯t do anything apart from calling your name. Please you need toe here right now,¡± she says.  ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t he talk to you?¡± I ask. ¡°No Neera, he only has been calling your name and I don¡¯t know why. I tried talking to him but he doesn¡¯t seem to hear me. After awhile he slips back intoa and wakes up again but the only thing he does when he wakes up is call your name. Maybe if youe here we would understand what he wants or even get to wake up,¡± she says.


    ¡°I am home alone right now mom but I will try toe there as soon as possible,¡± I say. ¡°See you,¡± she says and hangs up.


    I have to call Piper and let her know that I will be leaving the house. ¡°Neera,¡± she says from the other end. ¡°Mother, I need to leave for the hospital right now,¡± I say. ¡°Why Neera, have you forgotten the instructions I gave out to you? You are not allowed to leave the house, especially now that you are the only one at home. Haven¡¯t you talked to them on the phone?¡±


    ¡°I have and my mom says that it¡¯s an emergency and that I have to go immediately. Besides the gardener is here so the house will have someone else to take care of,¡± I say.


    ¡°That is not the gardener¡¯s job, you understand? If you really want to go you have to wait for Edward or Eric toe back. As for me, I have ate meeting so I won¡¯t make it there the usual time. You can prepare dinner as you wait for them,¡± she says and disconnects the call.


    She can¡¯t be serious right now. I call her back but it goes straight to voicemail. I call Edward and the call goes straight to voicemail too, this happens when Edward is busy, he told me not to bother when the call doesn¡¯t connect since he is usually busy when that happens. I don¡¯t want to call Eric because with his wife and son busy, he definitely is busy too so I decide to wait.


    I want to stay calm but I can¡¯t. With seconds turning into minutes and soon it will be hours and I really want to go. I move around the kitchen aimlessly praying for someone toe back home. I even forgot that I was in the process of making dinner, everything is still the way it was. The ingredients unprepared with the knife in the sink I don¡¯t bother to touch anything. My mind is still on what my mother told me; my dad won¡¯t stop calling my name. I just want to leave this ce. Enough of the waiting.


    I go upstairs and pick up my purse. I order for an Uber since there isn¡¯t anyone here to take me. The driver informs me that he is not far from here. I close the main door of the house and tell the gardener that I am leaving. I will deal with Piperter when Ie back.


    I run all the way to my dad¡¯s ward after alighting from the cab. I open the door and find my mom clutching his hand and calling his name softly.


    ¡°Neera, you are here,¡± my mom says when she sees me. ¡°Mom,¡± I call. ¡°Neera, is that you?¡± My dad¡¯s voice croaks. He tries to raise his hand but he is too weak for that.


    ¡°Dad, I am here,¡± I say getting closer to the bed where he is. I hold his hand and he smiles a little, his dry and purple lips make it look like a weird one not the usual that I am used to. ¡°Neera, where have you been? You stoppeding here,¡± he says. ¡°How do you know that?¡±  ¡°I always heard you whenever you came and talked to me. After sometime you stoppeding. What happened?¡±  ¡°I needed to take care of the house,¡± I say. ¡°I thought you were going to work?¡±  He asks. ¡°No, I quit recently. I no longer go to work,¡± I say.


    ¡°Neera, I can guess what transpired at your inws house. I am not going to condemn you if you decided that. Today I want to fulfil my promise to you,¡± he says. ¡°What promise?¡± ¡°I had promised to tell you why you had to get married into the Lawanson family, ¡± he says and I get it. ¡°Alright dad I am listening,¡± I have waited for so long for this.


    ¡°As you know, this happened between your grandfather and old Lawanson. This was years ago even before I was born. Old Lawanson wanted his son to marry my dad¡¯s daughter when the timees but as you know I was the one who was born then the agreement had to be passed on to the next generation. Your grandpa told me that he had gone to work one day earlier because old Lawanson had requested him to since he would be out of town. He had to oversee and make sure everything is in order before any work could resume. They used to have a cement factory that they owned together. Since it was still early  just one or two workers were already at work. He decided to make rounds on the site so that he could make sure nothing is a miss when the workers start on the day¡¯s activities.


    At some point he noticed that there was a machine that hadn¡¯tpleted the time needed to finish whatever it was supposed to do, it was like a crashing machine or something. It had been switched off when it was halfway through and since he knew how the machine was supposed to operate. Maybe one of the workers had switched it off unknowingly, as he assumed it, so he decided to switch it back on. Unknown to him, there was someone inside the machine so the next thing he saw was blood sttering all over the ce. He had to switch it off and see what was going on inside the machine. That is when he saw a human body crashed beyond recognition.


    The body waster discovered to be of Lawanson¡¯s sister. The police wanted your grandpa charged but Lawanson withdrew  the im, saying that it wasn¡¯t intentional and that they would settle it outside the court. That is how the agreement came about, to get one of your grandpa¡¯s woman offspring to rece Lawanson¡¯s sister. So Neera, no matter what happens, I am so sorry that this had to befall you. You are paying for something that you knew nothing about. Please forgive your grandfather wherever he is, and forgive me too, there is nothing I can do to save you from this,¡± he says and for the first time, I see my father¡¯s tears rolling down from one of his eyes and my mother wipes it off.


    ¡°Me too Neera, I failed as a mother to you. I know how it is to get married to someone you don¡¯t love, please if you could find it in your heart to pardon your mother,¡± my mother says wiping tears off her eyes too. I am shedding tears too.


    ¡°Mom, dad, I have nothing against you. I fully understand, it was beyond your will. I also don¡¯t me grandfather, he didn¡¯t do it on purpose. What I don¡¯t understand is how did she get there, inside that machine?¡±  Did she willingly want to be crashed? If so, who the hell would want such a painful suicide, probably her alone.


    ¡°No one knows until now. That scenario was swept away as if it never happened. Whoever witnessed it was told to behave as if nothing happened. Lawanson didn¡¯t want any fuss concerning his sister¡¯s demise. He pardoned my father so easily as he imed that he was like a brother to him. Neither was the story covered in the news nor did he allow anyone to ask him about it. That was what my father told me,¡± he says.


    That is quite a story, I just have to make peace with my destiny, or is it fate?  It is what it is, I will have to live with it, I have already epted all this. I am in love with Edward, I don¡¯t see any problem with paying for my grandpa¡¯s sins. Now I know what transpired so this makes sense now.


    ¡°I know the Lawanson family bears some grudge with us. It is like there is no way out now,¡± he says.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry about anything. I have decided to make them my family and I vowed to Edward that he will be my husband till death do us part. Besides, I am in love with Edward,¡± I say shyly. ¡°When did you fall in love Neera?¡± My mother asks. ¡°I think the first time I met with him,¡± I say.


    My dad starts breathing heavily and mom presses the inte. The doctores in with two nurses. He demands that my dad be taken to the operating theater immediately. He is wheeled out of the ward to the operating room. My mom hugs me and we sit on the bench outside the theater.


    The red bulb is switched off and the doctores  out. I signal to my mom, ¡°the doctor is here,¡± and we get up to hear whatever he has to say. He checks his file and looks from my mother to me and back again.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mrs Brown, we have tried our best.¡± No filters.

 Chapter 29

    My eyes are swollen and my nose puffy. I have been crying since the doctor broke the devastating news to us. I don¡¯t even have the strength to call anyone and inform them about it. I am just looking at anything without really focusing. I am sitting  near my mother¡¯s bed.


    After the doctor told us about the news, we had to go see father before he could be taken to the morgue. My mother on seeing the immobile body of my father could not contain her emotions and she fainted on the spot. She had to be checked for one thing or another and it was confirmed that she is okay, she just fainted for the obvious reason.


    After all the necessary arrangements, my dad¡¯s body has just been taken to the morgue and now I am waiting for my mother to wake up so that we can take the next steps.


    My phone rings and it¡¯s Az calling me. I pick it up and hold it onto my ear. ¡°Hey Neera, I have been calling you nonstop,¡± she says. ¡°You did? I didn¡¯t notice, sorry,¡± I say because I was too unfocused to hear any ringing tones. ¡°Neera, are you okay? You sound awful, your voice sounds like a frog¡¯s. Have you been practicing singing?¡± Her sense of humor is evident but I can¡¯t evenugh.


    ¡°I have been crying.¡±


    ¡°Why? Tell me if it¡¯s Edward then I promise you he will regret whatever he has done to you.¡± Az and her jokes.


    ¡°No he hasn¡¯t done anything, stow your twitching revenge away, please,¡± I assure her.


    ¡°Thank goodness. Then what happened Neera, did someone bully you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my father, he just passed away like an hour ago,¡± I say tears starting to fall. ¡°Oh Neera, I am so sorry. Where are you right now?¡±  ¡°I am at the hospital,¡± my voice is barely audible. ¡°I aming right now,¡± She says and hangs up.


    Another calles through and it¡¯s Edward calling. Right now I don¡¯t know if I will be able to talk properly. Tears are falling and even blocking my vision. I pick up regardless, ¡°hi Edward,¡± I whisper. ¡°Neera, why are you sounding like that? Anyway I am at the hospital¡¯s parking lot,¡± he says and I am really grateful that he is here. ¡°Can youe up to the emergency department, that is where I am.¡± That is so thoughtful of him, he has never visited my dad since he was admitted. ¡°Okay, meet me in the hallway,¡± he says. I leave my mother¡¯s ward so as to wait for him at a point where he can easily see me.


    ¡°Edward,¡± I run to him and embrace him when he emerges. I cry loudly in his arms and he just holds me. ¡°What is it, Neera? Why are you crying like a baby?¡±  ¡°It¡¯s my dad Edward. He left me,¡± I say amid sobs. I am starting to wet his shirt. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay Neera,¡± is all he says. ¡°Where is he now?¡± He asks. ¡°He¡¯s been transferred to the mortuary,¡± I answer. ¡°Your mother?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the ward, she fainted after she couldn¡¯t handle the fact that dad is no more. I think we have to go and see her, she probably is awake now.¡±


    I lead the way after wiping my tears off my face. My mother is awake when we get to the ward.


    ¡°Hello Edward, you are here. Neera, I was wondering where you went to,¡± she says groggily, she has just woken up. ¡°I went to get him mom, how are you feeling?¡±  ¡°Worse than I thought,¡± she says, not hiding her feelings. ¡°Hello Mrs Brown, I hade to pick up Neera when I got the news,¡± Edward says. ¡°Thank you foring over Edward,¡± my mother says. ¡°I am Neera¡¯s husband, so it is my duty tofort her. You also need to be strong for your husband, have you made any arrangements?¡±  ¡°He is in the morgue now. I still have a lot to do so I will inform you. I just have to grieve a little,¡± she smiles a grim smile. I only pray to the heavens to give herfort and strength to be able to go through this.


    ¡°Okay Mrs Brown. Incase of anything, Neera, inform me. I will take care of everything and right now I am going to call my parents and tell them about it. In the meantime, arrange for a meeting with the right staff concerning this matter and we will have to know what should be done before we start with the funeral arrangements,¡± he says and leaves the room.


    I go over to my mom¡¯s bed and hug her, we need each other right now. She wipes a stray tear that falls from her left eye, disengages from the hug and looks away. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s gonna be okay. Dad may be lying there but he is watching over us. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be happy when he sees you like this,¡± I say in order to at least entice her. ¡°Yes, you are right. Your dad never wanted me to cry. He always praised me for being a strong woman. He could evenpare me to a lioness and here I am crying like a baby.¡±


    ¡°Now you have to be stronger for him than ever. We have to see the senior doctor and ask him the way forward.¡±


    ¡°Right Neera,¡± she says and before we get up to leave, Az enters. She is wearing official clothes and I think she just came here straight from work. She hugs me before hugging my mother too. ¡°I am so sorry that this happened to you,¡± she says. ¡°Thank you foring, Neera. How did you know that we are here?¡±


    ¡°Oh that, I met Edward in the hallway and he told me,¡± she says.


    ****


    ¡°Thank you so much again Az foring to see us,¡± I say. ¡°Oh Neera, enough with the thank you. I know if I were in your shoes you would have done the same thing for me. That¡¯s what friends do right?¡± ¡°You have no idea how grateful I am for all that you have done for me. Even at such a time your presence is highly appreciated,¡± I say, ¡°I haven¡¯t told Jackie about it, I was worried given her condition,¡± I add.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so, let me inform her, maybe my tactics won¡¯t let her be too affected,¡± she says.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Anytime Neera, keep me updated,¡± she says and drives off. I hade to see her off. My mother is with Eric, Piper and Edward at the senior doctor¡¯s office. Edward¡¯s parents came after he told them about my dad¡¯s passing. I have to go back and know  whatever they have been nning.


    I meet them at the reception, with my mom carrying their belongings, since they have been staying at the hospital for some time. She is way stronger now as opposed to the way she was earlier.


    ¡°I will have to apany my mother now that it seems like she¡¯ll be staying alone,¡± I inform them.¡±There is no problem with that Neera. You need each other now,¡± Piper says. ¡°I will be driving you,¡± Edward says.


    ¡°Thank you foring. I appreciate the huge support that you are giving me. I am happy that my daughter is in safe hands,¡± my mother says. ¡°Take care,¡± Eric says and they leave with his wife.  ¡°This way,¡± Edward directs my mother and I.


    The drive home is silent, everyone is in their own thoughts. I wish I had the ability to read people¡¯s minds, I could probably answer the questions that could be lingering in the minds of my fellow upants of this vehicle that they don¡¯t want to ask aloud. It is a quick ride though, because in no time we are already home. No traffic jam, it¡¯s off-peak hours that¡¯s why.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you some other time,¡± Edward says and I hug him. ¡°Thank you for the ride,¡± my mother says. He gets back into the car and drives off. I thought Alex should be back to work. Edward has been driving by himselftely.


    The house is just as I left it. The only difference is that we are less by one person than we used to be. It is even gloomy with no happy chatter andughter like before. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the bedroom. I am so tired I need to rest and start the funeral arrangements tomorrow,¡± my mom says and leaves. She has been staying with dad since he was admitted and I know she even has had sleepless nights. She really needs to rest. I also need to rest.


    My room is still the same. My clothes and everything else hasn¡¯t been tampered with, it is clean from the looks of it and only a little dust that could have gathered in a week and I think my mom used to clean it before she had to stay at the hospital.


    I change into one of my old nightdresses and change the bedsheets. These ones are damp and have gathered some dust. I switch off the lights and get onto the bed.


    I can¡¯t keep my mind off serious thoughts that have clouded my mind. I have been tossing and turning for some time now and this clearly shows that I am experiencing insomnia. I sit upright thinking of what I can do to make myself go to sleep but I can¡¯t find the right one now. I wonder if mom might be asleep by now. Just right! Good idea.


    I get off the bed and head to her bedroom. I open her bedroom door slowly and to my surprise she is still awake.


    ¡°Neera, shouldn¡¯t you be asleep by now?¡± She asks, not to moving from whatever she is doing. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep mom so I thought I could sleep with you here. What are you looking at?¡± I ask moving towards her bed and I find that she is looking at a photo album. ¡°It¡¯s your father¡¯s photos. I wanted to remind myself that he is no more and that I will only be getting to see him through his photos,¡± she says, flipping the photos of him when he was still younger, one after another. ¡°He used to be so handsome when he was younger. Howe I have never seen this photo album before?¡±I ask and my mom smiles dreamily, ¡°you could have seen him when he was courting me, all the women who came across us used to get jealous of me and swoon over him.¡± ¡°I can only imagine,¡± I say. ¡°Anyway, your father treasured this album so much that he kept it secured in his secret drawers. I used to see it once in a while,¡± she says.  ¡°At least he could have shown me once in a while too,¡± I say, pouting my lips. ¡°He didn¡¯t want you to see it for one reason or another, he told me that no one should have ess to it no matter what.¡± ¡°Why though?¡±


    ¡°He never gave me another reason. That is all he told me. Enough of this Neera, we have busy days starting tomorrow so let¡¯s get to rest,¡± she says closing the album and goes to put it in a drawer in the closet and uses a key to secure the lock properly and keeps the keys at yet another secure drawer inside the closet. He really didn¡¯t want anyone to see it. I haven¡¯t even got to see all the photos inside. I will enquire about that from my mom after we are done with everything.


    She gets into the covers beside me and says, ¡°goodnight Neera, you should sleep early.¡± ¡°Goodnight mom,¡± and in no time I can hear her breath stabilizing as she gives in to slumber. I get closer to her to feel my mother¡¯s warmth. It has been so long since I slept closer to her like this and right now it feels like I am a little girl again.

 Chapter 30

    One weekter.


    The past week has been hectic, running up and down in preparation for dad¡¯s funeral. Today is his final send-off. I have been stronger all through, the strength that I didn¡¯t know I could gather at a time like this. My mother too has been okay, seeing to it that her husband gets thest respect he deserves.


    We are seated at the chapel stationed right at the cemetery, the priest giving out the sermon. My friends Jackie and Az are here as always, offering me the support that I need. My former boss also is in attendance. My husband¡¯s family are seated together with us at the front row seats. There are bigwigs in the chapel as well, mainly Lawanson family¡¯s aides and I think I saw Aniston as well.


    The priest finishes his sermon and now it¡¯s time for the body to be taken to the final resting ce. With my mother holding my dad¡¯s picture and I holding her hand we march out of the chapel towards the grave site. She asionally wipes her tears while I struggle to keep mine at bay. The casket is wheeled off infront of us and ced gently on the casket lowering machine ready to be lowered into the grave.


    The priest prays for my dad¡¯s soul to rest in peace and the body is lowered slowly into the silent earth that is now going to be my dad¡¯s home from now onwards. I pray that he rests in peace until we meet again. I throw in the flower that I had in my hand but my mother offers to sprinkle some soil on the casket.  The priest gives her a spade full of it and she takes a handful and sprinkles it. I don¡¯t like the little sounds that are made when the soil makes contact with the casket.


    I feel something hit my toes and I hiss out in pain. I look down and it¡¯s my dad¡¯s picture frame that my mom was holding that fell on me. Did she drop it? ¡°Someone please hold her!¡± Someone shouts from the crowd. It is my mother who almost hit the ground with all the emotions engulfing her. I know she can¡¯t stand the fact that she will never meet her husband here on earth ever again.


    ¡°Mom! Wake up, what is happening to you?¡± I ask when she opens her eyes almost immediately. She¡¯s been taken away from the crowd to breathe in some fresh air. ¡°Neera, your father is calling me, I need to get to him,¡± she breathes. ¡°Mom, what are you saying? Dad is not here!¡± What the hell?  ¡°Yes Neera, he¡¯s here and he wants to go with me,¡± she is breathing hard and right now I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s going insane or she¡¯s dreaming. ¡°Neera, what¡¯s wrong? What happened to your mother?¡± Az is beside me. ¡°Can you call the ambnce, please?¡± I request her and she fishes out her phone. ¡°Do you need some water?¡±  ¡°I can¡¯t breathe Neera, I just want to rest,¡± she says. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t understand what you are saying. You have to get to the hospital first. You will be fine.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will get to the hospital, Neera. I just want to rest with my husband, he wants us to be together.¡±  ¡°Mom! Are you crazy? Daddy is dead, how can you rest together with him?¡± I ask, she is not making any sense right now at all. The ambnce is taking too long to get here.


    ¡°Neera, we need to take her to the hospital,¡±  Edward says, crouching down next to me. ¡°The ambnce is on its way here,¡± Az says. We can hear sirens from a distance.


    My mother isid on the stretcher and wheeled to the ambnce. First aid is conducted and from the looks of it I hope she is going to get well. She had stopped breathing hard and I think she was regaining her full consciousness. I will have to go with them to the hospital. I try to get in but I am blocked by the nurses. ¡°There is no need, youngdy,¡± he says. ¡°I want to apany you to the hospital, she is my mother,¡± I say in hopes that I will be given ess since I am her daughter. ¡°Oh, I am so sorry you can¡¯te right now, there is no need. I don¡¯t want to beat around the bush but we lost her,¡± he says.


    ¡°What? What does that mean?¡±  I ask. ¡°What I mean is that she is no more. She showed signs of hypertension and given the situation she was in today, she experienced cardiac arrest. I am so sorry,¡± he says tapping my shoulder.


    He must be kidding, how can my mother die just like that. She was okay not so long ago and now this man here is spitting nonsense. Az holds me gently and looks at me with pity in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s true Neera, she truly is no more,¡± she says but I feel no emotion whatsoever because I don¡¯t think they are telling me anything that is making sense. The ambnce doors close and it leaves the cemetery, I know they are off to the hospital.


    ¡°Neera, we need to leave now,¡± Edward says. ¡°Can I be with her for the time being?¡± Az asks. ¡°Yes,¡± he says, leading the way and we get into the car back to the Lawanson mansion.


    ¡°I am not hungry,¡± I say for the umpteenth time. Az has been coercing me into eating since we came here to the house. Martha has cooked different dishes one after another thinking that I didn¡¯t like the previous ones that she had cooked. Everytime she asks the question over and over again,  ¡°you didn¡¯t like this one. Is it not to your liking?¡±


    ¡°Then say something,¡± Az says. ¡°What do you want me to say? I have nothing to say.¡± ¡°You can cry at least. You don¡¯t want to eat, you aren¡¯t saying much and this is worrying me. Your mother is gone and gone forever, she is noting back Neera, for crying out loud,¡± she says.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why did she do this to me? Why did she leave me alone? Doesn¡¯t she love me anymore?¡± I look at Az and ask. ¡°She loves you much more, her time was up in this world and she needed to leave. It is the way for all of us here on earth at some point,¡± she says and her words feel like a thousand needles prickling my heart. I let out heart wrenching sobs as Az hugs me and lets me cry until I have no more tears left.


    *****


    My mother is buried beside my father two dayster. I can¡¯t believe I buried my parents in less than two weeks. Their names and bright pictures of them are engraved on their tombstones, with fresh bouquets of flowers. This is fate and I just have to live with it, a total orphan.


    ¡°Thank you for being there for me,¡± I tell my two friends. Jackie, despite her condition, has been with me all this whileforting me. She must have understood me better given she lost her mother at a young age. Both of them have given me limitless support during this trying time.


    ¡°Call me in case of anything,¡± Az says. ¡°I will, thank you,¡± I say. ¡°Enough with this thank you¡¯s, off you go,¡± Jackie says leading me towards the already opened car door. I get in and they wave at me. I wave back and Alex drives Edward and I off from the cemetery back home.


    It¡¯s time for dinner. Edward, Eric and Piper are at the table waiting to be served. I sit down next to Edward, while Martha serves us one by one.


    ¡°Neera, what are your ns for tomorrow?¡± Edward asks me. ¡°Nothing, I guess,¡± I say. ¡°Good. My parents and I were discussing your old house given that it doesn¡¯t have an upant,¡± he continues. ¡°What about it?¡± I ask. ¡°Tomorrow, you will have to go and take whatever it is that you feel is important to you that belongs to your parents. The house is on sale as we speak,¡± he says. ¡°What? Why?¡± I ask. ¡°Are you nning on going back to stay there?¡± Piper asks. ¡°No,¡± I say. ¡°Then do as we say. We already have a few buyers who are interested in the house so you have to go and pick whatever you want from there to create space for them,¡± Eric says. When did they n this?  ¡°It¡¯s settled then, bon appetit,¡± Piper says.


    I take a spoonful of the food but it tastes and smells awful but I swallow regardless. My stomach churns and I feel nauseous all of a sudden. I run just in time to empty everything into the toilet until there is no more. I have no strength to stand up and leave the toilet. I just lean on the wall to try and restore my breath.


    Edwardes in and kneels beside me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asks. ¡°Yes but I am feeling so tired right now,¡± I admit.  ¡°You need to get off the floor right now,¡± he says and I stretch my hand to hold him for support. He helps me stand up and I feel dizzy, my legs giving out and my vision is blurry. Edward picks me up bridal style and takes me to our bedroom. ¡°What is wrong with her, Edward?¡± Piper asks. ¡°I don¡¯t know, she was dizzy and had thrown up when I found her,¡±  Edward says. ¡°How long have you been throwing up and feeling like this?¡± Piper asks. ¡°Since yesterday,¡± I say. ¡°Let me call the doctor,¡± Eric says.


    I have been feeling dizzy and I vomited twice yesterday. I thought it  was because of the restlessness I have been having since the death of my father. ¡°She will be here in no time,¡± Eric says.


    A few momentster, a female doctores inside the room led by Martha. ¡°Greetings Mr and Mrs Lawanson,¡± she says. ¡°You are wee. Neera here needs a checkup,¡± Piper says. Everyone leaves the room leaving me and the doctor alone.


    ¡°My name is doctor Alma. So Neera, tell me, how are you feeling?¡± She asks me in a gentle voice. ¡°I have been feeling dizzy and nauseous since yesterday,¡± I say. ¡°Okay then,¡± she says and goes on to do whatever she knows that has to be done.


    ¡°I will have to go and do some tests from the samples that I have collected. In the meantime, you need to take enough rest. I will be leaving now,¡± she says and exits the room.


    Marthaes back carrying some food on the tray. He ces it on a small stool near the bed and helps me sit upright. ¡°I made some soup for you,¡± she says. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say.  ¡°Neera, I know that you have been up and down recently. This has really taken a toll on you. You have to rest properly and if you need anything, just ask me, I wille back to collect the utensilster after you are done, don¡¯t bother to bring them downstairs,¡± she says. ¡°I will and thank you for looking out for me,¡± I say.


    I wonder what is wrong with me. I don¡¯t think I can be pregnant now, my period has been dyed by a few days but no. I only got married a few weeks ago. I am not ready for pregnancy right now. I want to know Edward better before bringing a kid in the picture. I want to be at least twenty seven or something before Imit fully into parenthood.


    I finish my soup and ce the utensils on the stool and decide to lie down. Everyone wants me to take a rest. Today was such a long day. Who am I kidding? I need the rest so badly.

 Chapter 31

    The house is so quiet and I feel a little scared. It is so cold in here and I can feel my hairs standing. I don¡¯t know what is making me feel this way. It isn¡¯t the vibrant, jovial and warm house that used to be but just  a remainder of a memorable beautiful life that had once been lived inside. Everything is in the past now, even if I could try to recreate it, it won¡¯t be as before. Not so long ago, I was happy with my parents around but in little time I have lost both of them. All in all life has to go on.


    I walk around the house looking for something valuable that I can keep as my parents memento. I enter their former bedroom, the room that few days ago I had spent the night with my mother, even the night before my dad¡¯s funeral. I never knew that it was thest time I ever get to sleep next to her and thest time she ever got to spend her time here.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    The album! I get to the closet and retrieve the keys that I had watched my mother carefully keep and open the drawers. The album is sitting quietly, undisturbed on top of a small box that I take a long with it. I don¡¯t know what it is, I¡¯ll check it outter.


    I grab the pictures hanging on the wall, this will be a constant reminder of  memorable moments that once had been. I pack them neatly in a carton, cing the album below all the items. My mother said something about confidentiality thates with the album, so I don¡¯t want to show anyone. I seal it properly and walk out of the house. I turn around and take onest look at the living room, a silent goodbye to a ce where I have almost spent all my life until now.


    ¡°I am done now Marcus, we can leave,¡± I say when I get to the car.  ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± he says, opening the door for me to get in. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Momentster, we are at the Lawanson mansion.


    ¡°You are here already. The doctor will be here any time from now, she has your results,¡± Piper says.


    ¡°Okay, I will take this upstairs thene back,¡± I say.


    Inside the bedroom, I take out the photo album and look for the most secretive ce in the room. Who am I kidding? This is Edward¡¯s room. He probably knows every corner of this ce so it will be easier for him to find out. I will have to see all the photos before anyone sees it.


    There are empty drawers at the dressing table so I open one of them. There are keys inside and I think they are for the drawers. I try them out in the keyhole and I think I have found just the ce for keeping it. I decide to ce the box in as well. I close the drawers and keep the keys at the top of the book shelf. I know no one will get here except me.


    ¡°Neera, the doctor is here,¡± Martha calls from the outside of the room. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there,¡± I say.


    I take the remaining items still inside the box and ce them at a corner inside the walk-in closet. I hurry down the stairs to meet the gentle doctor.


    ¡°Hello doctor,¡± I greet and she smiles when she sees me. ¡°Hello Neera, how are you feeling today?¡±  ¡°Better than yesterday,¡± I say.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good. I have your results here and before I give them to you, I need to let you know that you need to stay away from some foods intake for some time. You have acids in your stomach so you have to take your medication and stay for sometime without the kinds of foods that you wille to knowter. Now, it is a good thing that it has been detected earlier. The symptoms be severe with time if not treated early. Here, I havepiled a list of foods that you should be wary of,¡± she says, handing me a file so as I can take a look and a little brown carrier bag with medicine inside.


    ¡°Thank you doctor, incase if anything I will let you know,¡± I say


    ¡°Just follow the prescription and you will be good to go. You are wee,¡± she says and gives a little bow to Piper before she leaves.


    ¡°I will be leaving now, I need to get to work,¡± Piper says and leaves the house as well.


    I have gastroenteritis. I wasn¡¯t prepared for such kind of a disease.


    What to do? I just have to follow the doctors instructions and all will be well.


    *****


    ¡°Did you manage to sell the house?¡± I ask Edward a monthter after dinner. He is on the study area, going through some files in our bedroom. It¡¯s been on sale for sometime now and it¡¯s just today that I heard Eric talk about it, so I have decided to ask Edward about it.


    ¡°Yes. In this bad economy we managed to find a buyer who offered a good price. Although he happens to have ns to renovate it,¡± he answers. It stings deeply in my heart knowing that the house I once cherished is gonna take another shape.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. So what was the price?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my parents house so I have the right to know, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No you don¡¯t Neera, this doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± he answers. ¡°It does concern me Edward, more than it concerns you. Surely, we are talking about the property my own father bought with his own money,¡± I say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare raise your voice at me. So you want to be ungrateful for everything that this family has done to you right? I see you are getting bolder and bolder by day,¡± he gets closer to me, holds my shoulder, squeezing it and looks at me squarely and dangerously in my eyes, ¡°listen to me very carefully. This should be thest time you talk to me in that manner. This is thest conversation we are having about the house. You are to remain grateful for what we give you in this house and keep off simple matters like that one, things that doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± he says and I can feel my skin crawl. I feel a cold chill run down my spine when he releases me.


    Who is this man? I feel afraid of my own husband, it¡¯s like I don¡¯t even know who I am married to.


    ¡°Stop looking at me like that, it¡¯s time for your sleep. I need to work here,¡± he says dismissing me.


    I move away like a chicken that has been rained on and get into bed. Tears starts to freely run down my cheeks and I cannot contain the overwhelming emotion that catches up with me. I couldn¡¯t even get a dime from the sale of my parents¡¯ house. I don¡¯t even know the price that it was sold. I miss my parents so much and right now I wish I could just hug my mom and let her know of my misfortunes.


    I wake up as usual, ready to make Edward¡¯s breakfast. I can¡¯t even see properly, I have been crying and rubbing my eyes for the better part of the night.


    ¡°Neera, your eyes look so distorted, have you been crying? You look like you have been stung by bees,¡± Martha askster after everyone has left for work. Each one of us has been busy since morning so she didn¡¯t notice my puffy and red eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I just missed my parents and I couldn¡¯t help shedding a few tears  for them,¡± I say and she taps my shoulder and I feel a ting of pain from the hard grip that Edward had on mest night. Martha notices this and asks me, ¡°Is your shoulder painful as well? Did you hit yourself?¡± ¡°Yes, I did when I wasing into the kitchen,¡± I say.


    ¡°You should be careful next time, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, but Martha, I need to get out of the house for sometime. Please don¡¯t tell anybody about this. I will be back before you know it,¡± I plead with her.


    ¡°Alright but where are you off to?¡±


    ¡°I am going to the cemetery, I need to put some flowers on my parents¡¯ tombs,¡± I say.  ¡°¡±I understand you Neera, I have no problem with that,¡± she says.


    I collect some money from my secret drawers to pay for my cab. Edward took his card back and I don¡¯t get any money for upkeep from him or anyone in the family. He said that I get everything I need, food, clothing  so there is no need for extra money.


    I hail a taxi to to the cemetery but first, I had to drop by the flower shop. I bought two bouquets of flowers and here I am at my father and mother¡¯s graves. Surprisingly, I find two fresh bouquets ced there and I wonder who it might be. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s someone from Edward¡¯s family. Who could it be? Anyway, I crouch down and ce each bouquet on each tombstone.


    ¡°Mom, dad, it¡¯s your daughter Neera. I came here because I miss you both. To tell you the truth, ofte I haven¡¯t been happy ever since you departed. I don¡¯t go out, I don¡¯t even get to read my favourite books any longer. I really miss you,¡± I say with tears rolling down my cheeks and I let them do so freely. I look at the other bouquets and say, ¡°I hope whoever put these flowers here has good intentions,¡± I pull out my handkerchief from my small bag and wipe the tears away. I stand up and leave the gravesite to try and get a taxi home from the nearby road.


    The single pathway that leads to the road has quite a number of people but I can¡¯t mistake the man that is sitting quietly at a bench. I am familiar with him and we have shared moments together. I move towards him and sit on the bench next to him.


    ¡°Hi there,¡± I say and he looks up from the newspaper that he was reading. ¡°Oh hi, what a pleasant surprise. I think I know why you are here,¡± he says and I know for real that he was here at my dad¡¯s funeral. ¡°Yeah, what about you?¡±  I ask.


    He scratches his head and answers, ¡°I actually came to visit someone here and I am waiting for Michael. ¡°Visit? Is it your rtive?¡± ¡°Not really, just like a friend so yeah, that¡¯s it,¡± he says. ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry about your loss. I am also sorry about what happened back in Marina,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s okay I got over it,¡± I say and look over at the paper in his hands. I see an advertisement on it  and I be interested.


    ¡°Let me see that,¡±  I say grabbing the paper from him. It¡¯s an advertisement on a short storypetition that is going to take ce in a few month¡¯s time. The story has to be submitted in two weeks¡¯ time before the deadline and the winner gets a thousand dors and a free publishing opportunity.


    ¡°This is great. I have been waiting for a chance like this. Here, I¡¯ll get to showcase my writing skills, look,¡± I say putting the page before his eyes for him to take a look. ¡°Are you interested in writing?¡± He asks me. ¡°Aniston, that is my passion and I am not gonna waste such an opportunity. This is a dreame true,¡± I say excitedly.


    ¡°I am happy for you. Follow your dreams,¡± he says, genuinely smiling. He is truly happy for me.


    ¡°I should get going, I need to start working on this as early as possible. Thank you because if not for you, I wouldn¡¯t havee across this,¡± I say getting up from the bench and order an Uber. I also need to get home as fast as possible.


    ¡°See you around and I look forward to seeing you win and also reading your story,¡± he says and I smile and wave at him as I  get into the cab.

 Chapter 32

    For the past few days, I have been working on crafting my story. I chose the nonfiction category because I just have the right story. I have decided to write about what has happened to me in thest few weeks, the story about my parents¡¯ death could do.


    After, doing the housework, I immerse myself in my draft and carefully do what I think should be done to make my story standout. I normally use theputer in our room at the study area.


    ¡°You should at least eat something first before you get to your work. You are overworking yourself, here eat while you work,¡± Martha tells me one afternoon after I have finished cleaning the house and heading to the bedroom to do the needful.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I take the te of food and run upstairs. The deadline is  less than two hours to go. I finished doing the draft with the outline so I just have to make the perfect manuscript and then submit it to their website.


    I know my work is a masterpiece and when I look at it I am oddly satisfied with it. I want to give five myself, even if I won¡¯t be the winner but for the first piece that hase out of my passion for writing, with many more toe.


    I apload it and register into their website first before I could submit. Registration sessful, now the submission but before I could press the ¡®submit¡¯ button, the door opens abruptly and Edwardes in sessfully distracting me. He is home earlier than usual. What¡¯s the asion?


    ¡°What are you doing? I have never seen you useputer before,¡± he says, drawing closer to the study table. Hees to my side and looks on the screen of theputer. The file is disyed clearly on the screen and anyone can read whatever I have written.


    ¡°I was doing some writing, see,¡± I indicate the screen and he reads the manuscript for some seconds before looking into my eyes.


    ¡°Is it good? I want to be one of thepetitors of the annual writingpetition.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And what is the prize?¡±


    ¡°One thousand dors for the winner and the runners up have their prizes too,¡± I say happily.


    ¡°So you want to tell me that you used myputer for such bullshit right? You want the whole country to know that my wife ispeting for some cheap money, is that it? Neera, have you lost it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, it¡¯s just a writingpetition, why are you blowing things out of proportion, Edward?¡±


    ¡°You are also using your parents¡¯ death to seek sympathy from them right? Neera tell me right now, are you dissatisfied with this family and you are looking for a way out, right. Don¡¯t I give you anything you want? Infact, delete this thing right now,¡±  he says and moves his fingers inorder to erase it but I ce all my fingers from both hands firmly on the keyboard to prevent him from doing so. The site disappears and the screen moves back to the previous draft that I had created. He pulls my fingers off the keyboard and makes sure that the draft is deleted. He seaches across any tform that I could have stored the file and he deletes everything.


    ¡°What have you done Edward, why are you doing this to me?¡± I ask with tears rolling down my cheeks. ¡°Exactly what I should have done a long time ago. I never knew that you have been writing something so stupid. Don¡¯t even ask anything because you have already seen everything for yourself. Thank goodness I came here just in time before you could spread such nonsense.¡±


    ¡°You are my husband and I love you Edward, why are you hellbent on making everything that I do seem invaluable?¡±


    ¡°Oh just keep your ¡®i love you¡¯ to yourself. You should be thest person to tell me and ask me that. I bet your father told you about what made youe here and get married to me. I don¡¯t love you and I never will, get that into your small head. You should keep making sure this house is taken care of, don¡¯t lose your focus and do things that don¡¯t go well with me,¡± he says and opens a drawer on the table and retrieves a file.


    ¡°I am going back to Marina tonight to wrap up everything on my project. I will be back tomorrow evening. Be a good girl and don¡¯t do anything stupid again, okay?¡± He leaves with the file and closes the door behind him.


    Am I dreaming or something? I open theputer to try and see if there is hope for my story. I search everything but there is nothing. I have lost. There is no way I¡¯m going to write such an amount of words in less than an hour. I only stare at the screen. My hard work for days has been lost in seconds.


    Edward said that I am here not entirely for marriage but for the recement of his dead aunt. He clearly doesn¡¯t have any feelings for me and everything is like a joke to him. He doesn¡¯t consider me as his wife, everything that I have done inorder to be seen as the submissive wife and a wife who respects her husband¡¯s decisions doesn¡¯t move him.


    I lock the door and immerse in self pity that I never knew one day I coulde to experience. I don¡¯t have enough tears to cry right now and at the moment I just stare at the sheer curtains being softly blown by wind. I stare and the endless horizon through the window and the sun is slowly setting, the orange sky shining the sses of the window.


    Am I going to live like this? Like a ve who doesn¡¯t even have a home? It is true that I lost my parents and I don¡¯t have any thing to write home about. My home was sold and I didn¡¯t even get a dime from it. I can¡¯t even start thinking about leaving because where will I go to? I will have to stay here, maybe if I do things that don¡¯t piss off Edward he could even grow to love me as well. I just have to be on his good side.


    I don¡¯t want to get out of this room. I don¡¯t want to meet anyone right now because I don¡¯t feel like talking to anyone right now. Here, in my own bubble of thoughts I find sce and peace of mind.


    ****


    It is the next day and Martha has been calling me nonstop. I just told her that I was fine and I needed some time for myself, given I have never been allowed to leave this house. I just want to know how everything is going on and even visit my friends. I get to talk to them only on phone and nothing else. Everytime they ask about my wellbeing I only say anything between the lines of heeding to the doctor¡¯s advice on my condition.


    Minutes change into hours and now the day is almost over. I can feel cold creeping in and I lock the windows draw the curtains to block insects and wind from getting in.


    I see the doorknob turn and then, ¡°Neera, open this door,¡± Edward¡¯s voice sounds from the outside. I hesitate and he waits for a moment before banging on it andmands, ¡°open the damn door!¡± I had vowed to not get into his bad books so I decide to open it.


    ¡°What the hell were you doing that you couldn¡¯t have opened the door?¡± He asks getting in with a bag in his hand. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Nothing? Anyway I brought something for you,¡± he says and moves closer to me and hands me the bag. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the shower. You can take a look, go on,¡± he says and saunters towards the bathroom.


    Inside the bag I find a bar of chocte and a handbag. This is like a mockery to me, I don¡¯t even like chocte and I don¡¯t even go out, what am I supposed to do with the handbag? I ce the chocte back into bag and ce it on the coffee table at the far end of the room and decide to give it to Marthater.  I take the fancy handbag and ce it on one of the shelves in the closet.


    Hees into the closet and I almost bump into him on my way out. He holds my hand and looks into my eyes. ¡°You look grumpy. Look, I brought these things to cheer you up. I am sorry for the way I talked to you yesterday.¡± Edward is saying sorry? This word that he seemed to have forgotten about its existence, he has recalled it today and now he is saying it to me? Wow, just wow. I look into his eyes and his eyes are nk, it¡¯s so hard to read his expressions, and I have never known how he switches his moods so quickly.


    He brings his face closer to mine and connects his lips to mine. I try to reciprocate but the memory of him telling me that I only came here to rece his dead aunt reys in my mind. I move my lips away and he gasps at my sudden reaction. ¡°I can¡¯t do this Edward,¡± I say not daring to look into his eyes. ¡°May I know why?¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t,¡± I don¡¯t want to tell him that the memory of yesterday can¡¯t allow me to. His words are still clear in my ears, as clear as day.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Just that? I know what this is all about. You want him right? You seem to enjoy it more when you are with him. Now I understand.¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about, Edward?¡± I don¡¯t understand what he is saying right now.


    ¡°So you want to say you don¡¯t remember him right? Don¡¯t you remember the day you sneaked out of this house, like one or two weeks ago to go and meet him? Even after I gave you clear instructions not to leave the house you still went ahead and left. Do you love him?¡± How can he ask if I love Aniston. The time that we have spent together is not even enough for me to be able to fall in love with him. Even during these times, we only talked about things that are not even close to intimacy or even romance. I don¡¯t even know if he has a girlfriend or even married.


    ¡°Edward, how can you say that? I told you he is just a friend and that day it was only a coincidence that I met him at the cemetery. I had only gone to visit my parents.¡±


    ¡°So you want to use your dead parents as an excuse, right? You are so despicable Neera. I thought you learnt from that incident in Marina but no, you are so adamant in keeping your friendship with him. What do you want, tell me. Or do you want him?¡± He raises his voice, probably making his assumptions loud and clear.


    ¡°I swear I am telling you the truth.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t swear on me woman. Do you love him?¡± He repeats his question.


    ¡°What? I¡­¡±


    He raises his hand to stop me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. I know the answer already. You have proven to be hardheaded than you should be. Now tonight, I want to show you who the real man is between me and him.¡± He says letting the towel that he had wrapped around his waist fall freely on the floor.


    He carries me to the bed and I don¡¯t even fight him. I only let him do whatever he wants with me. He is my husband after all so it is only fair for him to exercise his conjugal rights.

 Chapter 33

    Aniston


    I am in my study going through some files. ¡°Sir, we may not need to go to Marina to locate that driver, he is here in this city. I already have the location of where he is,¡± Michael saysing into the study. ¡°He is? Why though,¡± I don¡¯t get why he might want toe back here after he clearly did what he did.


    ¡°Sir, ording to my sources, he still shares some connection with the Lawanson family so he might havee for this reason. He still works for them but not actively like before,¡± Michael says. I should get hold of him before he goes back, he might havee back to carry out some more heinous jobs for them. ¡°You should keep a close eye on Sara, make sure she doesn¡¯t go anywhere alone for the time being,¡± I say.


    ¡°She just went out with one of the bodyguards so she could be safe,¡± Michael says. So she left without letting me know. ¡°Where to?¡±  ¡°I really don¡¯t know but the bodyguards must have an idea of her whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°Call him.¡±


    He takes out his phone and makes a call but my phone rings, distracting him. I signal for him to wait for me to take the call first before proceeding on his. It¡¯s one of my informers, ¡°Charlie, watsup?¡±  ¡°Sir, I just spotted the driver heading to the cemetery just now and the problem is that that is where Sara is right now.¡±


    ¡°Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn¡¯t get close to my sister. I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± I say getting up from my seat. I can¡¯t let him finish what he started. ¡°Michael, we need to get to the cemetery now.¡± I hope there is no traffic on the road, I might even break a rule or two today.


    ***


    I have made it a habit to visit my parents¡¯ resting ces every month. Today, given this is the second month since their death, I told Martha and snuck out of the house without telling anybody else. It¡¯s not like they are in the house at this time but they have made a habit of monitoring my movements.


    After dumping the old bouquet that I had kept here a month ago, I sweep away the dust and the dirt that had gathered on the stones and ce another bouquet. It looks better now. I am surprised that I don¡¯t shed any tears even after telling them how I miss them. I am getting stronger than before.


    Not far from where I am, I can see a familiar figure even though she has covered her head with a scarf, I can still recognize her. Direct from the woods on her left side, I see a man covered with a mask on his face holding a gun and pointing it towards her. Oh no, this isn¡¯t good. I don¡¯t want to shout because it would alert him, given that he looks like he isn¡¯t ready to shoot yet. He moves the gun from side to side when Sara moves and I am sure he wants a particr position from Sara to be able to shoot. I walk faster towards her, praying that she doesn¡¯t look in my direction because that would guarantee a better target. He would have shot her if he wanted to earlier.


    She looks surprised when she sees me and tries to say something but I push her and we both fall on the ground as a gunshot sounds in the air. The man, I guess her bodyguard falls on the ground near us with blood oozing from his chest. Sara exims trying to stand up but I encourage her to stay down. The shooter might be aiming at her again.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    I feel something on my nose and before I know it everything blurs.


    ***


    I open my eyes slowly and I feel tired and dizzy. I look around me and I can¡¯t recognize where I am. I am in a room and it is dirty as hell like thest time it was cleaned can¡¯t even be remembered. I try to stand up but I discover that my hands aren¡¯t cooperating with me.


    ¡°What the hell! Get me out of here!¡± Someone startles me from behind. I can¡¯t see behind me but that is Sara probably because I know her voice. She wiggles trying to break free from the restraints that are around us and we almost fall down. ¡°Sara, what are you doing here?¡± I ask her because I remember being hypnotized. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, I just woke up now and found myself tied up on this chair.¡±


    ¡°Someone kidnapped us,¡± realization hits me and I be scared. ¡°Oh no, I need to get out of here. Do you have any idea how we can get away?¡± She asks me and I am amazed that she is talking to me like a friend, not an enemy of hers. ¡°First thing we need to untie ourselves then find a way to get out of here.¡± ¡°Good idea, now how do we get out of these ropes?¡±


    The door opens and two rugged mene in together with the shooter still holding a gun in his hand. Hees to where we are and checks the restraints and after making sure that they are still in ce he stands on the wall and holds his hands on his chest.


    ¡°Why did you bring us here? Do you know that kidnapping is against thew? I will sue you for this!¡± I say, hoping that my words may scare them but it all falls on deaf ears. ¡°You brought that on yourself. I had my n in ce but what did you do? You ruined it and gave me double work and I asked myself, why not bring you along? So you see, you should be congratting yourself on that.¡± He is proud of what he did.


    ¡°You wanted to kill me? What for?¡± Sara asks and I am shocked as well. Why would someone want to kill her? ¡°You can guess, I am only working you know,¡± he shrugs. ¡°I am gonna make you pay for this! My brother won¡¯t spare you!¡± Sara shouts. ¡°You can shout as much as you want but don¡¯t make me angry, I may be forced to take it away soon although I wanted to take it out tomorrow so don¡¯t make me impatient,¡± he warns making Sara sigh in frustration.


    He leaves the room together with his cohorts and closes the door behind them. ¡°Keep an eye on those two and make sure they don¡¯t do anything stupid. Boss will be here in no time.¡±


    ¡°What do we do now? I don¡¯t want to be here any longer,¡± Sarains. ¡°Look, there is an opening up there. We can escape through that,¡± I say.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°On your top right.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then, what are we waiting for?¡± She can¡¯t be serious.


    ¡°We are clearly waiting for the restraints toe off. Do you think we are gonna climb there sitting on these chairs?¡±


    ¡°You are right. We have to think of something.¡± After some time, ¡°my hand!¡± She says. ¡°What about it?¡± I hope she is notining that her hand is paining her because we don¡¯t have a choice but to stay like this for I don¡¯t know how long. ¡°My bangle! You can help me get it off and then we can use it to cut the rope. Come on, give me a hand.¡± Our hands are tied close to each other so it makes it a lot easier to pull it off. I bend my fingers and try to push it down off her wrist and after an exhausting episode I manage to remove it but before I could grasp it, it falls on the ground. Oh no.


    ¡°Let¡¯s push ourselves down and pick it up. We then cut it from there,¡± I suggest. We push from side to side in an attempt to fall down and finally seed but the impact must have attracted attention because the door is pushed inside just after I pick up the bangle. The two rugged men enter and make us sit back the way we were earlier and check on the ropes to make sure they are still in ce. ¡°Don¡¯t try it because I will get you even before you think about it,¡± one of them threatens before they go back, closing the door as usual.


    I don¡¯t waste any time so I position the edge of the bangle on the rope and start cutting it. I really don¡¯t know when it is gonna be done because I am literally using a blunt object to cut a rope. I stop some times whenever the guyse in and resume when they go back. This is taking longer than I thought.


    After what seems like a lifetime, I finally manage to cut it. We wiggle out of the remaining ones and finally we are now free. I ce one of the seats just below the opening. I climb it but it is still high so I decide to add another chair on top of it but I can¡¯t climb it. Someone should hold them in ce.


    ¡°Sara go on, let me hold the chairs for you to climb then you will help me when you get up there.¡±  ¡°Yes.¡±


    It¡¯s my turn now. I arrange the chairs and get on slowly making sure that I don¡¯t fall. I get onto the first one and now the real hurdle is how to get on the top one. I ce one of my legs on top of it and steady myself. I lift my other leg to ce it on too and hold my hands up so that Sara can pull me up. She manages to help me up and the chairs without my support fall down and that only implies that we need to leave here right now.


    We get into yet another room but this one is vast with old machines at every corner of it. ¡°This seems like an abandoned factory or something,¡± Sara notes. We walk faster towards the exit and find ourselves in an open passageway. I can hear footsteps from behind us getting closer and closer and I know that we are being followed. We run and disappear into the woods and lose track of them. I am tired and thirsty and I can¡¯t run anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, we need to get help as soon as possible. We can¡¯t stay here, it¡¯s getting dark,¡± Sara encourages me even though I feel tired I decide to press on. It¡¯s true we need to get out of here. I trip on something that makes me fall on the ground. ¡°Are you okay?¡±  ¡°Yes, I just tripped over something and fell.¡±  ¡°What was it?¡± She asks and I think I would want to know what caused me to fall.


    I stoop and feel my fingers on the ground and I touch on a hard object. I pick it up and see that it looks like a camera or a tape recorder. ¡°That is so old, throw it away let¡¯s go,¡± Sara says. ¡°No, I am going to keep it, maybe it¡¯s an old gem that could bring me good luck. It could be a historical camera that can gives a glimpse into the ancient world.¡± ¡°If you insist, can we go then?¡±


    After walking for some time, we find ourselves on a lonely road that leads to God knows where. We continue walking towards the direction that we think could be leading away from that old factory. Right on time a cares from the direction we are going to and stops abruptly after a moment of passing us by. It could be those men looking for us. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we can¡¯t trust whoeveres from there,¡± I say.


    Sara turns to look back and exims, ¡°that¡¯s my brother¡¯s car!¡±

 Chapter 34

    ¡°Neera, are you okay?¡± Aniston asks me the moment we get into the car. Michael is driving with Aniston beside him while Sara and I sit behind. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me as well?¡± Sara asks.


    ¡°I thought I already did that?¡± Aniston asks her. ¡°Well then but Aniston, you need to catch those fools and teach them a lesson. Why would they want to kill me? I thought I am a simple girl and not a troublemaker.¡± ¡°Sara, I will make sure of it. Rafael died on the spot after he was shot.¡± Oh no, that is Sara¡¯s bodyguard I think. ¡°How did you know where I was? That ce is like a jungle.¡± ¡°I tracked your phone. Those good-for-nothing fellows took your phones with them and your phone has a tracker that¡¯s why. I could havee earlier but the police kept us with Rafael¡¯s case and I couldn¡¯t let them know of your kidnapping because I know that could put you in danger.¡±


    ¡°I am so tired, I really envy a hot shower and a long rest. I feel so gross.¡± Saraments. I am just listening to their conversation while thinking about having a rest too as Michael speeds into the night. I want to get home as soon as possible and possibly end everyone¡¯s mystery. I know they are worried sick about me and wondering where I could have gone to.


    ¡°We shall be dropping you at your ce, I hope you don¡¯t have a problem with that?¡± Aniston asks. ¡°No, thank you.¡± We are almost there and I thank the heavens for saving me.


    When we reach the gate, I get out of the car and Sara too follows me out. ¡°Sara?¡± ¡°Yes Neera, I want to apologize to you. First, the first time we met, it wasn¡¯t on good terms. Second, I have no words to tell you how thankful I am for saving me. I could have died today if not for you. So, Neera, if anytimees that you may need help, I hope I will be the first person you could think of. I will give you Aniston¡¯s card because I don¡¯t have mine here so whenever you need me, just call him and let him know that you want my help. Even though I know that you are married to the most influential man in this city, I still hope I can repay you one day,¡± she says and hugs me tight, probably her emotions pouring out right now. She disengages and wipes the tears that have fallen off her eyes.


    ¡°You are wee Sara.¡± She goes to the car and talks to Aniston through the window. Shees back with a card in her hands and hands it to me. She hugs me again before getting into the car. I watch as the car drives away before I turn and enter into the gate towards the house.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Piper asks the moment I get into the house. ¡°I just went out for a minute but I got kidnapped.¡± I say. ¡°A minute you say? It¡¯s been hours since you went out and now you say kidnapped? By who?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea who.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, how did you manage to escape?¡±


    ¡°We had to cut the restraints and escape through an opening in the roof and disappeared into the woods.¡± I need to rest, really. ¡°We? So you were not the only one who was kidnapped?¡± Piper doesn¡¯t seem to get it. ¡°Yes, I was kidnapped together with Sara, Aniston¡¯s sister. She was at the cemetery as well. He is the one who found us and also brought me here.¡± I watch as Edward¡¯s expression changes and I see a dangerous sparkle sh in his eyes before he narrows them at me.


    ¡°Aniston again? Tell me Neera, does it always have to happen not without that man being involved? First it was in Marina, then one month ago you were spotted with him and now today? You just have one thing to do in this house, one thing and that is to stay in this house. Why? Is it that hard for you to do? Are you that irresistible to that man?¡± I can¡¯t even hear him well, my ears are buzzing and if I continue standing here I may even faint. I need to cool down my body.


    ¡°Give me a minute, I¡¯ll be back,¡± I say, running to the stairs and entering our bedroom without bothering to close the door behind me. I still have the dirty camera but the card that Sara gave to me isn¡¯t with me. I might have dropped it somewhere in the house. I open one of the drawers and throw it in then proceed to the bathroom and open the shower to ssh cold water all over my body. I don¡¯t even have the energy to stand so I lie down and let the cold water fall on me.


    ¡°Christ! Neera, what the hell? Help!¡± Martha shouts, waking me up. ¡°What happened? Why are you shouting?¡± I don¡¯t understand why she is looking terrified right now. ¡°Are you seriously asking me that? Please take a look at you, you were lying down in cold water, actually you had fainted. What happened?¡± She is still scared. Was it that bad?


    ¡°Oh? I remember now. I was feeling so hot and decided to take a cold shower. I wanted the cold water to fall on me so that I could cool down,¡± it now dawns on me that I had lost consciousness. ¡°, I am so sorry for scaring you.¡± ¡°Neera, are you sick? You don¡¯t look fine at all,¡± she asks me, concern etched in her eyes. ¡°If I say I am okay I¡¯ll be lying. I am far from being okay, I feel dizzy, exhausted, I don¡¯t even understand my body at all.¡±


    ¡°Martha, what happened here? Why are you screaming the house down?¡± Edward asks getting into the bathroom. ¡°I found her on the floor so I thought she had fallen down.¡± ¡°Neera, what is going on?¡± His mother asks, joining us in the bathroom together with her husband. ¡°I was so dizzy so I might have passed out.¡± ¡°Are you sick?¡± Today it seems like it¡¯s International Ask Neera Questions Day. ¡°Yes, I feel exhausted, dizzy and even bloated. A long rest could do.¡±


    ¡°Come on, get a change of clothes and you¡¯ll have to visit the doctor tomorrow.¡± Piper says. Edward¡¯s phone rings in his pocket and he picks it up. He listens for a moment and shouts, startling everyone present, ¡°do you take me for a fool? I already know where they are and you are going to give me a good exnation why you let her¡­¡± he doesn¡¯t finish his sentence but instead looks at me as if remembering something but he finds us all eyes on him. He leaves the room with the phone still on his ears and so as to finish the phone call elsewhere.


    Martha pulls a towel from the rack and hands it to me. Piper and Eric exit leaving Martha and I alone in the bathroom. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Martha asks me and I suddenly feel like every food is tasteless. I don¡¯t have any appetite. ¡°I am good.¡± ¡°Not at all, I know since the time you left here you haven¡¯t taken anything, let me bring you something at least,¡± she says and leaves without giving me a chance to protest.


    I remove the cold clothes from my body and wipe my hair thoroughly before drying the entire body. I wrap the towel around my body and go to the closet to put on something warm. Edwardes in and pulls a coat and puts it on. He is going somewhere. ¡°Where are you going at this time?¡± I ask. ¡°It¡¯s really none of your business. You ruined my n and you are the reason I am leaving at this time.¡± He is clearly pissed off. ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°Enough of the questions, you won¡¯t understand because you clearly don¡¯t know how to follow simple instructions. From now on, don¡¯t meddle in my business, better still don¡¯t even dare to ask me about where I go or what I do, understand? Just in the kitchen, you are better there.¡± He looks at me for a long fleeting moment dangerously and leaves.


    I sigh and move to the window and watch as his car leaves the mansion. I draw the curtains back and I don¡¯t wait for Martha toe so I get onto the bed and cover myself fully. I know it will be a matter of seconds before I fall asleep.


    ***


    I wake up and feel the space beside me. It is empty and cold like it wasn¡¯t upied the entire night. Edward really slept outst night. I won¡¯t even have to ask him where because he made it clear to me that I shouldn¡¯t. I stand up and almost fall down but I sit back on the bed for support. I still feel the same way I did yesterday and even worse. I feel nauseated but don¡¯t even have the urge to vomit. What kind of a feeling is this?


    I get into the shower becausest night I didn¡¯t even get to wash my body after all that I went throughst night. I feel bad about yesterday, no one made even a single effort to report the matter, like it wasn¡¯t a big deal. I am okay with it though, I escaped the jaws of death. I am only grateful to God for protecting us and also Aniston foring to rescue us. Although he didn¡¯t entirely rescue us, his part is a major one. I am truly grateful for that and I wish I had a brother like that who would protect me at all costs.


    I put on a ck re dress, that could be suitable for a hospital visit.  I don¡¯t know if anyone is there to take me but any way is fine with me. I find a neatly covered te of food and I know that Martha really brought the food but it seems she found me asleep. I carry it to the kitchen and warm it up in the microwave. No one is in the kitchen, not even Martha. Is it still too early, I didn¡¯t even check the time.


    As much as I feel the way I am now, I have to try and eat something. Maybe I will even throw up and do away with this nauseous feeling. I don¡¯t like it. I might even get sicker since thest time I ate was yesterday morning.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I sit on the stool at the kitchen ind and dig in. It is delicious and the way Martha prepared it makes it suitable for me because I feel hungrier the more I swallow it.


    ¡°You are already up this early?¡± Martha asks me entering into the kitchen. ¡°Yes, good morning Martha. I came here the moment I woke up, I don¡¯t even know the time.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, I see you are hungry. I came into your roomst night and you were already fast asleep.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t stay awake any longer, I really needed that rest. This is yesterday¡¯s food by the way,¡± I say, almost finishing up the entire te.


    ¡°You could have asked me to prepare another dish for you Neera,¡± she says. Leftovers are food too, could she have thrown it away?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Martha, as you can see, I am totally enjoying the food. I never even thought that I could have eaten even a quarter of the food.¡±


    Piperes into the kitchen as well. She doesn¡¯t seem like someone that is going anywhere and it¡¯s on a weekday. ¡°Good morning mom,¡± I greet her. ¡°Good morning Neera, you seem fine now. Do you still think you need to go to the hospital?¡± More than ever. ¡°I need to mom, I still feel like I did yesterday. I am even ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Alex is waiting outside then. You don¡¯t have to pay anything, here is Edward¡¯s health card, use it.¡± She says handing me a white and red, printed andminated card. I need to get my phone and purse. I may need some identification. I hope by the time I get back here, I will no longer be experiencing these kinds of symptoms. I don¡¯t think I am still suffering from gastroenteritis.

 Chapter 35

    ¡°Hello ma¡¯am,¡± Alex greets me as he opens the car door for me. ¡°Hi Alex, you have an idea where we are going to?¡± ¡°Yes, I was informed earlier about it.¡± That must be Piper.


    E&P L Hospital? ¡°Alex, could this be the family¡¯s hospital?¡± I am guessing. ¡°Yes, it is your parents-inws¡¯.¡± Good guess, the initials say it all. I am tempted to ask him if he knows where Edward went to yesterday but I leave it at that, him being here proves that he may not know or even if he told him, it won¡¯t even make a difference.


    The hospital is a private one, with luxury and sleekness that makes one feelfortable even when they are unwell. I get to the reception and meet a nurse who directs me to the doctor¡¯s office, she kind of said that the doctor was expecting me. Piper could have informed them prior to mying.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she says after I knock on the door. ¡°Hello, Doctor Alma, we met again.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mrs. Lawanson called me earlier and told me about your visit. Did you finish the prescription as I instructed you?¡±


    ¡°Yes I did. I have been okay until yesterday when all of a sudden the symptoms showed up.¡± ¡°I see, how are you feeling? The symptoms, are they so persistent and too severe?¡± She asks, noting down in a file. ¡°I feel dizzy, exhausted and this morning I was nauseous. I also have been feeling bloated for some days now.¡± ¡°Oh? We have to do some tests now, but first, I need you to go somewhere,e.¡± She leads me out of her office to the gynaecology department?


    She knocks on a doorbeled Dr. Sompton. ¡°Come in,¡± a female voice wees us from inside. She pushes the door and ushers me in. ¡°Hello there Dr Sompton? I have someone here for you. Neera, you have to cooperate with her then I will be back afterwards,¡± she says then hands the doctor the file she had and leaves.


    ¡°Wee Neera and take a seat, I am Dr Sompton. I am an OB/GYN and from your reports here indicated in the file, I can expect something but let me not make assumptions,¡± she says then goes behind a blue curtain before shees back. ¡°Come,¡± she leads me back behind the curtain where there areputers on one side  and a bed on the other.


    She makes me lie down then pulls up my dress leaving me in nothing but my underwear. She applies some gel on my belly and ces a stethoscope on and listens. She looks at theputer and I follow her eyes and I can see a ck and white image on the screen. The central part of it looks like it is moving but on a very keen observation.


    ¡°Can you see that Neera?¡± She asks me pointing at the image. ¡°That is a life growing inside you, you are over a month pregnant. Congrattions.¡± I don¡¯t know if I should rejoice or not because I am sure I wasn¡¯t ready for this kind of news.


    Another thing is Edward, how will he take the news? Will he be mad at me? No, he must be happy after I tell him. It is his child after all, he is bound to be proud because he is going to be a father in a few months time. I don¡¯t want to call him and tell him, I will break the news to him when hees home. Dr. Sompton leaves me to arrange my dress and goes back to her office and I follow her afterwards and sit back on the chair I was seated in earlier.


    ¡°Neera, as you know, you should start your clinic appointments from now on. I have indicated here in your file the date for your next visit because we need to check on your progress and that of the fetus. The first trimester is usually the most critical one, so be careful in everything you do and what you eat.¡± She goes on and on about what I should and should not do and I am just looking at her but my mind is elsewhere. I am thinking about the reactions I will get, especially from Edward. There is a knock on the door and Dr. Almaes in.


    Dr, Sompton hands her the file and after checking, she hands it back to her. ¡°I guess Neera is yours now,¡± she tells her. ¡°Congrattions Neera, you are now Dr. Sompton¡¯s responsibility.¡±  ¡°Thank you.¡± She leaves and closes the door behind her.


    ¡°I guess we are done here for today. Go home and study this booklet carefully. I hope I will be seeing you soon.¡± She hands me a pregnancy guide together with my pregnancy results and I know for sure the guide is very handy given that I have no experience at all.


    Alex is waiting in the car when I get back. He opens the door for me as usual and I get in. My phone rings the moment he starts the car and Az is on the line.


    ¡°Hello stranger,¡± she greets. ¡°Hey Az, how have you been?¡± ¡°It would be great if you weren¡¯t a stranger,¡± she is upset at me. ¡°I am sorry. A lot has happened and I am not even in the right mood yet, can you understand that?¡± ¡°I do, but even a phone call. Are you sure you are okay Neera? I saw you like over two months ago.¡± It¡¯s been long since we even talked, thest time we saw each other was during my mom¡¯s funeral. Weter talked on the phone after a few days then that was all.


    ¡°I know, I am sorry. I will see you guys soon, I even have good news to share with you two.¡± ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± She asks cheerfully. Is she a prophet or something? ¡°How can you ask me something like that out of the blue?¡± She always asks or says absurd things that sometimes prove to be right. ¡°I knew it! When did you discover that you are pregnant? Did Edward throw a big party for you? Why didn¡¯t you invite us?¡± She asks a series of questions and I don¡¯t even know which one to start with.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say yes Az.¡±  ¡°I know very well your style of saying yes even without telling me directly,¡± see, that¡¯s why she is my best friend, even though I haven¡¯t talked to her in a while. ¡°Okay, but it¡¯s just today that I found out, I am now on my way home to break the news to him.¡±  ¡°Oh really? Then hurry up and tell him then you make sure you tell me how it went okay?¡± She says.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll talk to youter. I will call both you and Jackie, bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye, and don¡¯t forget to call us.¡± She hangs up and I sigh. I really am proving to be a bad friend. Lately, with everything that has been going on with me, I decided to lie low for a while, I mourn over my parents¡¯ death, and also mourn over my lost piece of work that I had dedicated my time to. Edward¡¯s overbearing attitude towards me and not forgetting the kidnapping with no one caring to know who did that to me and deal with them, I mean my family is overly resourceful.


    ¡°Thank you Alex,¡± I say when we arrive at home. I see the car Edward went out with yesterday parked in the garage and I guess he is here. That is good because I won¡¯t have to stay with the information for long before telling him.


    I open the door and when I get in, I find him together with his parents discussing something. ¡°Oh, you are back so soon,¡± Piper is the first one to see me, ¡°how was the appointment?¡± ¡°It was good. Hi Edward, hi dad.¡± I was out of here before I could meet them. ¡°I have some news to share with you,¡± I say, handing the pregnancy results to Edward. He scrutinizes the paper them frowns his face and throws the paper furiously on the table. ¡°What is it Edward?¡± Piper asks him.


    ¡°What the hell is that Neera?¡±


    ¡°You are going to be a father, Edward.¡±


    ¡°You want me to believe that?¡± He asks angrily pointing to the paper on the table. Piper picks it up and goes through it before she hands it over to her husband. ¡°How old is it?¡± He asks, that is now sounding like a normal question. ¡°Six weeks,¡± I answer and heughs sarcastically. ¡°Of course, six weeks. That is not my child.¡± What in the world is he saying? ¡°What do you mean by ¡®that is not my child?¡¯ Those are my results and you can see my name on it.¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, that is your result but not my child.¡± He is not making sense right now, should I p his head to wake him up? He probably didn¡¯t sleep wellst night. ¡°How do you expect me to conceive a child by myself? You are my husband and you should know this. If not you then whose is it?¡± This is getting out of hand. ¡°I know that you ungrateful woman, don¡¯t make me look like a fool here. I know exactly what you are doing, you want me to raise a child that isn¡¯t mine.¡± Can somebody wake him up?


    ¡°Edward, why do you say that? Neera is your wife and who else could she be carrying a child for?¡± Eric asks. ¡°I know what I am saying father,¡± he says looking at me like I am his long lost enemy. ¡°Then make us understand. Justify your usations,¡± his father says. ¡°Father, this woman here,¡± he even doesn¡¯t want to address me by my name, ¡°over a month ago, she went to meet up with that man. If she is over a month pregnant then that means this can only be his child.¡± He says and I chuckle.


    ¡°Is that true Neera, aren¡¯t you pregnant for my son?¡± Piper asks and I know as usual she will choose her son¡¯s side. ¡°No mother, it¡¯s his child I swear. Even if I had slept with someone else I am the mother I would definitely know the father of my child.¡± I say. ¡°So, you are insinuating that you had an affair with him but you know the child is mine? Neera, you are so disgusting?¡± Oh Lord, I shouldn¡¯t have said that, now he thinks that I had an affair. ¡°Edward, I only met Aniston at the cemetery, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°So you are admitting that you met him, and that isn¡¯t the only time. Yesterday he even rescued you from a kidnapping,¡± Piperments.


    ¡°Neera, I am taking you back to the doctor and you are going to remove that thing because I can¡¯t afford to raise someone else¡¯s child.


    ¡°No Edward, I am not doing that. This is you child and you are going to take care of it whether you like it or not. I can¡¯t do something like that, the child is innocent.¡± I say.


    ¡°You are so adamant when ites to him, but after today you will tell him that you failed. I am going to make sure he never sees this child in his life ever. Now,e here,¡± he says pulling my hand so as to lead me back but I resist. ¡°Edward, I won¡¯t do it even if you force me to. You can¡¯t do it without my consent.¡±


    ¡°Are you forgetting who I am? I have been overlooking so many things about you but today you will do as I say.¡± He pulls me strongly, moving us towards the door. ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t let him do this. I swear I have never cheated on your son,¡± I beg because I know Edward won¡¯t back down. He has the upper hand; he is stronger than me and most importantly the hospital belongs to his parents so the doctor will have to listen to him more than me.


    ¡°Edward, wait, she might be telling the truth. You can find out if it¡¯s your childter after it¡¯s grown a bit for some months then you can decide from there,¡± Eric says, making him stop dragging me.

 Chapter 36

    I run up the stairs and into the bedroom. I can¡¯t believe Edward could say a thing like that. Does he think I am a cheater, I don¡¯t even have that capacity. I mean I have him, why would I do that? I want to cry or better still wail but I can¡¯t. My tears don¡¯t seem toe out of my eyes.


    Let me call someone, I might feel better then, I think.


    ¡°Neera, you sound off and awful. I thought you should be celebrating right now. Jackie, please ask her,¡± Az says after the two of them connect on the video call with me. ¡°Yes Neera, I think you are too different. You have lost some sparkle and you seem thinner than whenst I saw you, wait, don¡¯t tell me you are starving to stay in shape for your Mrs Moneybags title? I don¡¯t like it at all,¡± Jackie says but I am far from  staying in shape.


    ¡°I can never do that, I love my food, you know that.¡± ¡°I know but still, you need to do something. Is anyone around you right now?¡± Jackie asks. ¡°No, I am the only one in the room .¡±


    ¡°Okay then Neera, we are your friends, please tell us if there is anything going on with you. We can offer some help, to me you don¡¯t look fine at all.¡± ¡°Even from your voice, anyone can notice the change in you. You have changed a lot, is it about your parents.¡± Az agrees. I can feel tears starting to fall. I try to blink them but theye off without any barriers. I want to tell them about what I have been going through but Edward chooses this as the right time toe in. He looks at me and that is enough to tell me that I shouldn¡¯t dare to say something that would portray him as a bad person. I also don¡¯t want to share my personal matters with anyone.


    ¡°Yes, after my parents passed away I have never been myself. I miss them a lot.¡± ¡°I can only imagine Neera. I hope you will heal soon and go back to your old self,¡± Az says. ¡°Another thing and the most important one, whatever you do, you have to know that it is not you alone. There is someone else, a life that you need to take care of. You don¡¯t have to stress yourself because it will affect your baby and you too.¡± ¡°Thank you guys. Jackie, how are you coping up?¡± I may need one or two tips on pregnancy from her, she has some experience on this even though she is still in the process.


    ¡°Great. I can¡¯t wait to meet my bundle of joy. I am preparing for the baby shower next month. My boyfriend kind of told me that his parents are nning it for me. I will let you guys know the date, I don¡¯t want you two to miss, I won¡¯t ept any excuses from you,¡± Jackie says, seemingly excited about all this unlike me, whose husband thinks that I am carrying someone else¡¯s baby, not his. ¡°Okay then, count me in. I need to read my pregnancy journal that the doctor gave to me. Thank you guys.¡± ¡°Good-bye Neera, don¡¯t be a stranger.¡± I hang up and smile but it is short lived when Edwardes in. Whenever I see him, I am reminded of the things that he always says and does to me, mean things to me.


    ¡°Neera, you were smart today but any day Ie to know that you are disclosing whatever happens here in this house to outsiders, you will get it from me,¡± Edwardes to me and says. ¡°They are my best friends Edward, not outsiders.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare interrupt me when I am talking to you. Don¡¯t you think I can cut off that little friendship of yours? Don¡¯t test me.¡±


    ¡°Edward, you stopped me from leaving this house and now the only friends that I have you want to break us too? What more do you want?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything not to talk of more that I want. I told you to stay in this house and not go anywhere but what did you do? You have to sneak out and meet that good for nothing Aniston and even get pregnant for him. What? Did you think whatever you did in hiding won¡¯te to light? I give you ast chance to get rid of that bastard or else.¡± There we go again, surely I thought he was more intelligent than this. In this era of technology with every way to prove if this is his child or not, can¡¯t he at least try that?


    ¡°Or else what Edward?  Listen, I can let you do anything to me but this child, there is no way I am gonna let you harm him in any way. I am not giving in to this one, not now, not ever. This is my child and yours too Edward. Get that into your thick skull,¡± I say and he chuckles. What is so funny about this?


    ¡°Thick skull you say huh? I will show you a thick skull if you continue showing me this kind of attitude. I see you are quite defensive over that child but I will make sure that you never bring him into this house. You are so adamant about protecting that man¡¯s image huh? Your love is quite something,¡± he says.


    ¡°His name is Aniston. You know what, you should be thanking him for saving your wife. I was kidnapped but what did you do? You use me of cheating on you,¡± isn¡¯t he seeing the big picture?


    ¡°Thank him?¡± He chuckles. ¡°He escaped this time but I am not done with him and you just had to get in the way. If it weren¡¯t for you, I could have been done away with it. You are to me.¡± What is he saying? ¡°What am I to be med for?¡± Sometimes I wonder if it is me he is talking to or not.


    ¡°For yester¡­ Neera, you should be ashamed of yourself. You wanted me toe and rescue you when clearly you had run away from home and gone to meet him. How would I know where you were? It seems only Aniston knew where you were.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even bother to know where I was. Aniston showed effort in looking for his sister. When I told you about it as my husband, what did you do?¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Enough. I am not going to discuss this with you. You will not get out of this house again, not even to see a doctor until you decide to do what is right for this family,¡± he says. ¡°If you think I am lying, why don¡¯t you do a DNA test to see if I am guilty or not? That one cannot lie for anyone.


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know your ns? I know very well how maniptive you women can be and given that you cheat on me ande back to this house, you can do the same to prove your point.¡±  ¡°How?¡±I really don¡¯t know. ¡°You know very well what I mean.¡± He can¡¯t be insinuating that I may bribe the doctor to make the results rule in my favor. I don¡¯t even have money to sustain me for a week, not to talk of enough to bribe a doctor. I am so exhausted of this.


    ¡°I am tired, Edward, I don¡¯t want to talk about this.¡± It is better to clean this entire house than have this conversation with him. ¡°No you are not, youngdy. You should be grateful that I am not divorcing you because of this. I will be back in the evening and by then, I expect you to have made up your mind.¡± He says putting on a suit jacket which was on the chair  and not even bothering to button it.


    ¡°Edward, my decision remains the same today, tomorrow and ever. I am going to keep it no matter what,¡± he doesn¡¯t expect me to kill my baby. This is the only family I have and after everything I have been through, I feel stronger than ever.


    ¡°Okay then. You have proved to be unfaithful and not even sorry about it. You said you are not changing your mind right? Then listen, you will have to deal with whates your way. I can¡¯t have my wife cheating on me and still behave as if nothing happened.¡± He says, making to leave the room but I stop him.


    ¡°Have you ever loved me, Edward? Because you have never shown me any affection. I want your answer right now,¡± I demand.


    ¡°You want to know. Neera, I have always told you from the very beginning I have never loved you, why are you forcing issues? You are only paying for your folk¡¯s sins. I only tolerate you because of my dead grandpa but I would have kicked you out of here a long time ago. You make me go crazy just thinking about staying under the same roof with you.¡±


    ¡°So you mean if you had your way you could have thrown me out? Why did you marry me in the first ce?¡± Couldn¡¯t he have just said no?


    ¡°As I said earlier, I only did what was required by my family but not what I wanted. I am a disciplined son of my mother so I had to follow the custom of the family. So, you have to know that you are only here to give me an heir and nothing else but that chance seems to have been thrown out of the window the moment you corrupted your womb with Aniston¡¯s seed. You should now know that if you don¡¯t cleanse yourself of that sin, you are never going to be a part of Lawanson¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°Edward, how many times should I remind you that I have never been intimate with any other man apart from you?¡± I say in hopes that he will remember the first night we were intimate and know that my intentions were pure from the beginning.


    ¡°I remember but anything is possible, how do I know if you had undergone surgery to fool me? You are so cunning and I know quite the right medicine for you. The best one for people like you. How dare you Neera, take advantage of Edward Lawanson?¡± Hees to my side and holds my chin so that we could see eye to eye. Hisst statement just left me dazed, like this man seems to find fault in everything I do. I am just staring in his eyes with no emotion even though his grip on my chin feels like it could break my jaw. He looks into my eyes for a moment then says, ¡°no one ys with Edward Lawanson, not even a good-for-nothing wife like you.¡± He spits the word ¡®wife¡¯ like venom. He pushes my face away and exits the room and bangs the door startling me.


    I have seen a confusing man like him, he talks as if everyone is his enemy. I can never do this to him, he has everything a woman could ask for in a man except his uncivilized words that he always hauls at me. Why does he hate Aniston this much? I get it he is his business rival but my meetings with Aniston are always coincidences. He could even utter something like divorce. Divorce? That has never been on my mind and it doesn¡¯t even belong in my dictionary, I have never thought of divorcing my husband at all. I have to admit that I love Edward but he doesn¡¯t love me back. I am going to have to be patient with him, he could have freaked out about being a father, this being the first time. Time could tell as time is the healer of all wounds, I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt. I am going to press on, even if it isn¡¯t for me, I am going to do it for my unborn child.

 Chapter 37

    Aniston


    ¡°Brother, do you think it will be cool if I invite Neera here? I think I should throw a party for her, buy a big cake for her or maybe take her shopping, what do you think?¡± Sara asks me again. She has been bugging me about Neera ever since the day they were kidnapped.


    ¡°Do you think she would ept your invitation? Even if she does, do you think her husband would let her?¡± I know for a fact that Edward would never let her get close to my family, we are like sworn enemies.


    ¡°Boring, I wouldn¡¯t let my husband dictate to me what to and not to do. I know she is humble from the way she looks and anyone can take advantage of her.¡± I know that too, she is the kindest person I have ever met. ¡°That exins why you did what you did, right?¡± I saw how Neera was somehow scared of her.


    ¡°Kind of but I was really upset that time but with what happenedtely, after she saved me that day I felt so guilty and remorseful that she was the one who did that. That is like getting another chance to do the right thing. I never knew that a day woulde when I would be yearning to see her,¡± she says and I have to admit that I also feel the same towards her. I look forward to seeing her everyday but I never get to. We have only met countable times and that only makes the urge to meet her grow every passing time.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So how are you going to invite her? Do you have her contact?¡± All this while we have been together asionally I have never even asked for her contact all in the name of respecting her status.


    ¡°Good question. See, I know where she stays so I can pay her a visit,¡± she says and I be alert. No, I cannot let her go anywhere near that family. I know we have been inviting each other to our respective functions but no, with all the information I have, with them being associated with the killer of my parents I can¡¯t allow her.


    ¡°No Sara, you won¡¯t do that. You were kidnapped and that should be enough to tell you to lie low for a while,¡± I say. ¡°Have you found out who they were and what they wanted?¡± She asks. ¡°Not yet and that¡¯s why I need you to stay at home and not attract unwanted attention to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Aniston, don¡¯t be paranoid like a grandma,¡± she says, relishing a forgotten memory of a woman that yed a part in our existence years ago. ¡°Have you ever stayed with a grandma before?¡± I don¡¯t know where she got that kind of assumption that grandma¡¯s are paranoid. ¡°No, but I wish I had met mine even for a while. Dad said that she died years ago even before we were born. That¡¯s sad. Brother, do you think we can pay a visit to her grave?¡± She asks something that I have been yearning to do for a long time. ¡°I also wish I could but I don¡¯t have the capacity to,¡± I say. ¡°How? Do you need something to be able to go?¡± She doesn¡¯t understand. ¡°No, the thing is I don¡¯t even know where she was buried.¡±


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t dad show you or tell you?¡± She looks at me as if I am not serious. ¡°He didn¡¯t. You remember him saying that grandma was killed under mysterious circumstances so her funeral was low-key so no one knows where her final resting ce is. It is a secret that no one knows and because dad is already dead the secret went with him.


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s sad, how did she die? Did someone kill her?¡± She asks. ¡°Something like that but I am not sure.¡± Michael enters from the front door andes to where we are seated.


    ¡°Hey Michael? You look good,¡± Saraments and Michael blushes and scratches his head. ¡°Hello ma¡¯am,¡± he says. ¡°Ma¡¯am? Oh no Michael I am not that old. Am I?¡± She narrows her eyes at him. She can be intimidating sometimes. He looks ufortable, he doesn¡¯t look like the usual Michael I know, I can¡¯t help smiling.


    ¡°No you aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then you can call me Sara.¡±


    ¡°Michael, let¡¯s meet in my study.¡± I dismiss him, seeing how Sara is taking advantage of him being vulnerable before her. ¡°Okay sir,¡± he says and leaves immediately clearly relieved. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he still calls me ma¡¯am after all this while,¡± she says. ¡°He is just being respectful. Why do you hate being called that way?¡± He calls me sir, which I am okay with. ¡°It makes me feel too old. I am not even an aunt and I am not even forty, can you imagine?¡± She asks and I chuckle.


    ¡°Do you need to be an aunt so as to be called ma¡¯am? I thought you should be a mum then ma¡¯am would suit you,¡± I say, knowing fully well that she doesn¡¯t like talking about getting married. ¡°No, you are older than me so it¡¯s only fair that I be an aunt first. That reminds me, when am I going to meet my sister-inw? You have been promising me for ages but you haven¡¯t. I have never seen you with anyone, actually any girl for that matter. Wait, is it about that girl that you always dream about?¡±


    ¡°My promise still remains so be patient,¡± I say standing up from the couch. I don¡¯t want to dwell too much on this topic. I have never met anyone who makes my heart skip a beat like her. When I found out that she was the one getting married to Edward, I had to step back. I decided to stay like this until I find THE ONE, but I am sure I will never be privileged to have one like her. ¡°Okay then, I am looking forward to that.¡±


    ¡°So Michael, how far?¡± I ask him the moment I step into my study. ¡°Sir, I managed to confirm from Maish¡¯s brother about the original bullets. I have the documents that give me ess to the governmentboratory all thanks to him.¡± ¡°It now means I need to look for the gun owner,¡± I say. ¡°Yes, we have a few leads but we can¡¯t conclude anything right now. The designer of that particr weapon is still alive,¡± he says and that gives me more hope. ¡°Good, have you talked to him?¡±


    ¡°Yes and he promised to reveal to me the names of the people who had ordered from him during that period because they tend to be confidential. From that list we can get a lead that could tell us whose weapon it was,¡± he says. ¡°That is quitemendable Michael. What is his price?¡± Surely no one can do such kind of work for free, especially having to dig deep into something that happened a long time ago.


    ¡°No, nothing, nada. He told me that he knew your parents so he told me to go back after sometime because it will take long before he gets the right list,¡± that makes sense. ¡°Alright then, be sure to update me on everything. You can leave now. I won¡¯t being to the office today. All my meetings will be on Skype and you will bring me the documents that need my signatureter.¡± I say. I don¡¯t feel like getting out of the house today. ¡°No problem sir, good day.¡±

 Chapter 38

    I am in our bedroom resting on the couch watching some news. It has been a long time since I watched the news because I am always busy and when I am free that is the time I take a rest.


    Edward enters the room with a file in his hand. ¡°Hi Edward.¡± ¡°Neera, I gave you enough grace period, now, I want you to tell me your decision. Either you proceed with what I had told you to do because I have already talked to the doctor or you see the other side of me that you haven¡¯t.¡± He says even without any greetings.


    ¡°Edward, I had already told you my decision earlier. It still remains. I am keeping this child no matter what and no one, including you, can change my mind.¡± I say standing up from the couch. He raises his left eyebrow at me, ¡°did you understand what I just said?¡±


    ¡°Yes, perfectly well I am not backing off.¡± I say and this time my decision is stronger than ever, I don¡¯t know where I found this kind of courage from, it should be from this little being that is growing inside me.


    ¡°Alright then, I will bring mywyerter and you will have to talk to him. I am not going to spend any penny on that,¡± he points to my stomach, ¡± and you won¡¯t get anything from me after the divorce.¡± What?


    ¡°Divorce, Edward? I won¡¯t divorce you, especially this time that I am carrying your child. What hase over you Edward? You think you can marry me and dispose of me just like that? No Edward, you are my husband and this,¡± I hold my belly, ¡°belongs to both of us.¡±


    ¡°Neera, this is not mine and you know what? Since you clearly want me to take care of another man¡¯s child, I will show you what it means by unfaithfulness. I am going to make sure you won¡¯t even leave this house to go for prenatal clinic appointments until you learn your lesson. Ben?¡± He calls and a well built manes in. ¡°This is Ben and he will keep a close eye on you so that you won¡¯t be able to y games with me. Ben, if she misbehaves you are fired.¡±


    ¡°Noted, sir.¡± He has a deep voice and he looks at me with raven eyes. ¡°Dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Am I some kind of a prisoner here? For crying out loud Edward I need some air but I have been restricted to go out of this house, why? Is it because you are jealous of Edward? Surely I thought you were better than this Edward. You can¡¯t keep me here forever.¡±


    ¡°That is why I want to divorce you.¡± He must be joking. ¡°No you won¡¯t and I am going nowhere,¡± I say but I can¡¯t even bring myself to look directly in his eyes. I am a little scared of him. ¡°I know you have nowhere to go.¡± He says and that feels like a low blow.


    ¡°Edward, I had a home before I came here and you know that,¡± was I living on a tree before. ¡°That scrape is what you call a home? Can youpare it to this one? You are so ungrateful, that¡¯s why you had to do what you did behind my back. Can you see what you brought upon yourself?¡±


    It seems this topic will never end, he makes sure to go back to it in everything that he says, especially any conversation that we share nowadays. ¡°Don¡¯t call my home like that and why don¡¯t you man up? I am not going to do what you want me to do and there is nothing you can do about it,¡± I say and he turns his full attention to me. ¡°You say?¡±  ¡°Edward, I said you can¡¯t do anything about it. I am your wife and that gives me the right to decide what is good for us.¡± He chuckles and smirks, ¡°you are testing my patience Neera. You think I can¡¯t do anything because I am letting you trash talk me? You are mistaken and you are going to regret ever crossing my limits.¡± Hees and stands inches away from me and narrows his eyes, ¡± tonight when Ie back, I want you to take your filthy self out of this room. Your clothes and anything that belongs to you should not be seen anywhere in this room by the time I return.¡± He is not joking, I know when he uses that kind of tone he means business.


    ¡°Why? Where do you want me to go?¡±  ¡°Sure you have nowhere to go but you should be thanking me that I am not throwing you out of this house. Find somewhere else to be using as your room. This house has more than enough rooms.¡±


    ¡°I thought that this is our room¡­¡±


    ¡°You thought?¡±


    ¡°This is our room, our matrimonial bed and we vowed to stay together,¡± I say tears starting to well up in my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t even start with the vows, you were the one who broke them and you have the audacity to remind me of something you can¡¯t keep, you are so vile.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t break any vow and I am using it against you because you are clearly forgetting what you promised before God and man.¡±  ¡°Says Neera the saint. What happened to the vows when you clearly spent quality time with another man and forgot about your husband? Were you thinking about that or they had disappeared into thin air the moment you were with him? Don¡¯t be a hypocrite.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, I want to know why you are chasing me out of our room.¡± ¡°Simple, I can¡¯t stay with you in one room or better still on one bed and be looking at you and be reminded every single time of your loose character. I can¡¯t even think of touching you.¡± Please, can someone tell me that I am not dreaming? ¡°For how long are you nning for us to stay like that?¡±  ¡°Neera, I am never going to touch you again if you are going to keep that thing in your stomach. Be wise.¡±


    ¡°If keeping my child means that I am being stupid then so be it.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself and remember what I told you, by the time Ie back, I don¡¯t want to find you here, in this room.¡± He says and leaves. I am not going to leave this room. He wille back and find me here the way he left me here. I want to see what he can do, surely he can¡¯t just throw his wife out of their room, we are supposed to stay together. I lie back on the couch and close my eyes, I am too tired after this argument.


    ***


    ¡°Neera, wake up, you are going to fall off the couch,¡± Martha¡¯s voice makes my eyes flutter open. I can see the morning sun entering the room through the curtains. Wait, did I sleep here? How did I sleep that long without noticing? ¡°I don¡¯t know how I managed to sleep on this couch for this long,¡± I say because I don¡¯t really understand. ¡°Neera, you should know by now that you are experiencing another side of life that you haven¡¯t, so you are bound to experience what you can¡¯t even imagine,¡± she says. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So you have to be cautious about everything you do.¡±


    ¡°I feel so hungry, I need to make some breakfast. At least Edward isn¡¯t here to make me wake up early to make him some, I swear I wouldn¡¯t have managed,¡± I say. I still feel tired. Edward rarely stays in this house nowadays. He usuallyes during the day but he goes back after dinner or sometimes doesn¡¯te at all so once or twice a week he sleeps here although I am used to it. I can¡¯t even ask him why he does so because I know he will use my pregnancy as an excuse. Where he spends his nights only God knows.


    ¡°Martha, can I ask you something?¡± I don¡¯t know if she has an answer to that or maybe she does given the time she has been working for this family. ¡°You can ask me anything, if I know the answer I won¡¯t hesitate to answer you.¡± She assures me. I hope she does because that will put an end to my worries.


    ¡°Does this family have any other mansions apart from this one, maybe that is where Edward stays because his once in a while visit to this house is worrying me.¡± I hope they have other houses because I sometimes feel guilty that I am the reason he stays away.


    ¡°Not in this city, but don¡¯t worry about where he stays because he has a newly constructed mansion where he usually stays.¡±


    ¡°For real? How do you know that?¡± He has never mentioned anything about building a house. ¡°I went there the day you were kidnapped although it isn¡¯t fully done because the furniture is still not fully stocked while the fence and garage need some renovation. I was assigned to do some cleaning there since he had one of his friends stay there with him, an architect or engineer friend of his who helped him design the house,¡± she says.


    ¡°Why would he stay in an unfinished house when there is enough space for him in this house?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s iplete because it is only the outside that has a bit of work remaining so it is done in my opinion.¡± If his friend can stay there then the house can¡¯t be iplete, that makes sense. But why wouldn¡¯t he tell me about it, am I not his wife? No, easy there, he might be nning a surprise for you, I think so. ¡®You wish,¡¯  my subconscious scowls at me.


    ¡°Did you say his friend stayed there? Do you know his name?¡± Maybe Martin or Garvy, I don¡¯t know which one of them could be an architect since I couldn¡¯t get what kind of project they were doing in Marina.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a man. Her name was Va or something,¡± she says, making me gasp in horror. ¡°Valen? That witch?¡± I can¡¯t believe my ears. Edward, what did you do?


    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Martha asks when she notices that I have gone silent. I just nod my head because if I talk my tears will be like a dam that has broken its barriers. I feel my insides constrict and bile rising up my gut. I get up and run to the toilet to empty my stomach. I feel disgusted and everything I see around me turns to look like her face and I can¡¯t bring myself to stop throwing up until there is nothing left apart from the gasses that continue to make me wretch my gut and feel pains in my lungs and stomach.


    Marthaes into the toilet and holds me steady as I sit on the floor with no energy left to make me leave the toilet. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it will be fine. The nauseousness will eventually go away, it happens in the first few months,¡± she says and I nod. I know as much as my pregnancy is concerned, Valen¡¯s name always triggers something in me that I don¡¯t take well. I know she has this massive crush on my husband and given that Edward stayed with her, only the two of them in that mansion, I know for a fact that they have at least shared something there, a meal, a chair or a bed! I feel the urge to throw up again but given that I have nothing left in my stomach, I only feel pain when trying to do that again.


    ¡°Neera, you should freshen up, I am going to prepare something for you. Or should I help you?¡±  ¡°I will be fine Martha, thank you for your concern.¡± I say struggling to stand up. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, something that won¡¯t make me go back to this state again,¡± there was this soup she made for me, I hope she remembers it. I don¡¯t even know if I will be able to take it in because right now, everything looks and feels disgusting.

 Chapter 39

    Thank you Martha, the soup was delicious,¡± I say as Martha takes the te off my hands. This is the third te of food I am eating in a row after going to the toilet after taking each one. ¡°It¡¯s okay Neera, I understand perfectly well what you are going through. It is going to be fine. Have you started your prenatal checkups?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to meddle but is Edward giving you a hard time? He should let you go to the hospital regardless, the baby is innocent. What if you developplications? You wouldn¡¯t know and that could put you in danger, doesn¡¯t he understand that?¡±


    ¡°I have tried reasoning with him to no avail. He thinks that I cheated on him,¡± and he is not changing his mind about that. ¡°Give him some time, maybe he¡¯lle around.¡± She says, maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt.


    ¡°Auntie Neera!¡± Rana calls as he enters the house. He runs to where I am and engulfs my legs in a hug. I touch his head andb his hair back. He looks up at me with his big eyes and gives me the biggest and warmest childish smile I have ever seen, but then all children give the warmest smile, don¡¯t they? ¡°Hey Rana, you still remember me,¡± I thought the day I meet him again he would have forgotten my name. ¡°I can¡¯t forget you, the prettiest auntie,¡± he says, his dimples perfectly showing on his pretty face.


    ¡°Where is your sister and who are you with?¡± He is all alone and I don¡¯t think he coulde here all by himself. ¡°No, my mom and dad brought me here.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± I don¡¯t see anyone. Right on time, Dexter enters followed by his wife, Myra. They look formal and sophisticated in their designer clothes.


    ¡°Hello Dexter, hello Myra, it¡¯s been long since you came here. You are wee,¡± I say gesturing towards the couch so that they can take a seat but they don¡¯t seem like they are interested. ¡°Hello Neera,¡± Dexter says. ¡°What can I offer you?¡± Martha asks. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we are not here to stay, we are only here because Rana insisted oning over here so we are leaving now. As you can see, we are on our way to work,¡± Myra says and I can feel some pride in her statement. ¡°Where is his sister?¡± I don¡¯t think she preferred to stay at home, alone when everyone has left. ¡°She¡¯s gone on a school trip but Rana stayed home because he didn¡¯t go.¡± Dexter says. ¡°Dexter, let¡¯s go, we are gettingte. Rana, be a good boy and we¡¯lle for you in the evening, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay but mom, I don¡¯t want to go back with you today,¡± he pouts. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow is the weekend so I won¡¯t be going to school and it¡¯s only fair if I stay with Neera. I have missed my grandma and grandpa too. I promise I won¡¯t be a disturbance to them. Mom please.¡±


    ¡°No Rana, I can¡¯t let you..¡±


    ¡°Myra, it¡¯s okay, besides this is my parents house so he will be fine. Rana, you can stay but promise to be a good boy. I wille back for you tomorrow. Don¡¯t give Neera a hard time okay?¡± Dexter says.


    ¡°I promise dad!¡± He says raising up his little right hand.


    ¡°I am only leaving you here once. Martha, take care of my son. Dexter let¡¯s go,¡± Myra says without even sparing me a nce. His son clearly wanted to see me but she doesn¡¯t want him to be under my care. Am I blowing things out of proportion? No, she seems to have an unspoken problem with me.


    ¡°I missed you Rana,¡± I say. ¡°I missed you too, I thought you woulde to my birthday.¡± He says pitifully. ¡°When was your birthday?¡± I didn¡¯t know. ¡°It wasst week, I thought uncle Edward told you because I told him to.¡± Oh no. ¡°Was uncle Edward there too?¡± ¡°Yes, but he didn¡¯t want to tell me why you didn¡¯te.¡± He says.


    ¡°Did he bring you a big gift?¡±


    ¡°Uh huh, he brought me my favorite hero.¡±


    ¡°Who is your favorite hero? Superman on spiderman?¡± This two tend to be almost every child his age¡¯s dream. ¡°No, my favorite hero is Ronaldo because I want to y football just like him.¡± For real? That was quite out of the box.


    ¡°Wow, awesome and I promise to be watching every match that you will be ying and cheering for you.¡± I can imagine Rana being all grown up and ying a football game. ¡°No, you will not watch me bute to the field where I will be ying.¡± He corrects.


    ¡°Yeah right. So do you want something to eat or drink because I make the most delicious breakfast in the whole wide world.¡±


    ¡°I want some ice cream.¡± He says, awkwardly scratching his head. It only means his parents don¡¯t always give him the privilege of having ice cream, I don¡¯t know why. ¡°Okay, chocte for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like chocte.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, strawberry or vani?¡±


    ¡°Both.¡± He is mischievous but cheerful at the same time.


    I leave him taking his ice cream and go back to mine and Edward¡¯s bedroom, the room that he doesn¡¯t want me to stay in with him. Should I just leave and give him time? Or should I be stubborn and see if he was serious or not. If he is serious then I will have to ask him why he goes to stay with Valen leaving me all alone.


    I go to the closet and see if I can find some clothes for the future because with my body changing everyday, I won¡¯t be able to fit in these clothes anymore very soon. I ransack through the lines and  drawers of my clothes and that is when I stumble over the album and the little box that I had taken with me when I went to collect my parents memorabilia. I had even forgotten about them. I leave whatever I was doing and set them down and sitfortably so that I can memorize every image that Ie across in the photo album.


    I decide to start with the box but it is secured with a padlock that looks like an ancient one because I have never seen one like this in my life. I don¡¯t have the key to open it and there is nothing that I can use to force open it. So I put it back in the drawer and put clothes on it so that no one could find it easily. I will check on itter.


    I open the album and the first picture is of my mom when she was still a girl, I think in her twenties. She had such long ck hair that was so healthy and stylish and I wish I could know the products that she used for her hair routine. More and more pictures of her when she was with my father when they were dating, their wedding and even with me when I was still a baby.


    As I continue checking out the pictures, the familiar faces I know are done so it¡¯s only now of two young men in ck and white who look familiar to me but I don¡¯t know where I have seen them. I bite my nail to try and recall and that is when I remember that I saw the same picture in a photo album back in Marina. Some are of three young men and I wonder why a simr photo that was in Edward¡¯s photo album could be in my father¡¯s. How are these two connected? That one aside. Another photo is of one of the young men with a youngdy in what looks like a wedding attire and I only wish that there was someone who could help me in recognizing these faces.


    One of the men looks oddly familiar in another photo. I can see a picture of my dad when he was still small, resting in his arms. He really resembles my dad. Could it be my grandpa? Who are the other two men and the youngdy? I could have asked Edward but we have issues. Some other time. I am done looking at the pictures but something is really bugging me. I really want to know who the men are in these photos and what makes me more curious is how a picture that is the same as this one doing in that album that was in Marina. I remember that I couldn¡¯t find it when I looked for it the next time I wanted to see it.


    One of them seems to be my grandpa but the other ones? Could one of them be Edward¡¯s grandfather and the other one their friend? I really think so because I don¡¯t see any other person that could fit in.  My dad said that grandpa was also an only child so that can¡¯t be his brother because they don¡¯t even resemble each other, all four of them including the youngdy.


    Wait, how long has Martha been working here? I think she told me some time ago that she used to work for the Lawansons even before Edward was born so she  could know something. I take the photo album and run out of the bedroom, down the stairs and back to the kitchen where Rana seems to enjoy the time of his life with a big jar of ice cream. How long has he been eating ice cream, I think since I left to go to my bedroom? Now I know why he wasn¡¯t sure if we could give it to him, his parents must have limited him from having ice cream.


    ¡°Rana, where is Martha?¡±


    ¡°She is outside.¡± Oh, so he took advantage of her absence.


    ¡°Rana, you have had enough ice cream for today okay. The rest you can take tomorrow.¡± He should stop now. ¡°Okay, but can I just finish this one, I promise it¡¯s the only one and thest one,¡± he says blinking his puppy eyes at me. He won. ¡°Okay, when you are done with that one, no more until tomorrow.¡±  ¡°Okay auntie.¡± I need to find Martha.


    I find her talking to the gardener. ¡°Hi Philip.¡± ¡°Hello ma¡¯am,¡± he greets me back. ¡°It¡¯s Neera. Martha, I need to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Okay Neera, what is it?¡± She asks, following me back into the house. Curiosity is killing me now. I don¡¯t even wait until we get back into the house before I ask. ¡°Martha, look,¡± I say opening the photo album, ¡°can you tell me who are the people in these photos? Can you recognize them?¡±


    ¡°Let me see,¡± shees close to me and looks at the photos. She opens her eyes wide and looks at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you know them?¡± She asks as if I am unable to add two plus two together. I shake my head, she seems to know them and I want rity so I decide to y dumb.


    ¡°This one is your grandfather and this is old Mr Lawanson,¡± she confirms my suspicions. I open the other page where there are now the three men and the youngdy and show her. ¡°What about them?¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    She gasps, her hand reaching for her heart and looks at me with horror in her eyes. I don¡¯t understand why she is scared of a mere picture. ¡°Martha, what happened?¡±


    ¡°Neera, where did you get these pictures from?¡± She asks.


    ¡°Why? Is there any problem?¡±


    ¡°You need to take them back where you found them right now.¡± She is starting to worry me. ¡°Can you at least tell me who they are?¡±


    ¡°No Neera, I am sorry but I am in no position to tell you that. I also need to tell you this, no one in this family should know about this. They should not know that you have these pictures with you and I advise that you put them in a ce that no one will find them or better still burn them.¡± She whispers and I can sense from her tone that there is more to what meets the eye.

 Chapter 40

    ¡°What is that?¡±


    I gasp in shock butpose myself when I see Rana standing in the hallway. ¡°It is my picture collection.¡±


    ¡°Can I see it?¡±


    ¡°Not now because I have not finished collecting them. I will show them to you when I am done okay?¡±


    ¡°When is that?¡± So inquisitive.


    ¡°A month or so.¡± I leave him and enter into the bedroom. I need to keep them away from anyone. I open the drawer under the study table and retrieve the old camera. Now I have three items that I need to keep away although I don¡¯t know what the camera has in it or maybe I am just keeping a useless thing. Where do I keep them? Yeah, the drawers. I keep them back inside the drawer that is in the closet and secure it with a key. That is settled but how can I rest knowing that Grace warned me never to show them to anyone? I don¡¯t know who to ask and I would want to know why there seems to be a big secret behind it.


    ***


    ¡°When is uncle Edwarding back?¡± Rana asks me as he ys a game on his iPad in our bedroom. ¡°Very soon. You miss him?¡±


    ¡°Yes auntie, he always gives me whatever I want.¡± That is what all children like about someone, as long as you meet their needs, they be sworn friends to you.


    The door opens and ines Edward. ¡°Come in,¡± he tells whoever is with him. I look behind him and the devil herself, follows him. How dare shee here? No, why would Edward bring her here?


    ¡°Edward, why is she here? What is she doing here?¡± I stand abruptly and confront him. ¡°Hi Neera,¡± she waves her filthy fingers at me. ¡°I don¡¯t need it, you can keep your greetings. Edward, answer me now!¡±


    ¡°Since you insist, she is here to keep mepany.¡±


    ¡°Company? What do you mean?¡± He seems to surprise me everytime. ¡°She is my girlfriend. Rana, please leave us for a minute. I will see you downstairs, okay?¡± He sends him away and that is okay because he needs to deeply exin himself.


    ¡°Edward, a girlfriend? I am your wife why would you have a girlfriend? Edward I knew you used to stay with her in your new house and you have never told me anything about it.¡±


    ¡°I never told you because you are not in a position to know about it. So don¡¯t worry about me not telling you.¡± He shrugs unapologetically. ¡°What do you take me for? Who am I to you Edward, don¡¯t you even have the slightest respect for me?¡±


    ¡°The question should be, who are you to me? Do you think getting married to me gave you the right over me? Not at all, now I had told you to pack and leave this room, what are you still doing here?¡± He asks. ¡°Why? Because you wanted to bring this whore here? Edward you have been cheating on me? Why Edward, what have I ever done to you?¡± Tears start forming in my eyes but I blink them away.


    ¡°Watch your tongue youngdy, don¡¯t you ever call me that,¡± Valen sneers as she sits on the couch. She seems to be enjoying this drama. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me, aren¡¯t you even ashamed of yourself? Can¡¯t you find your own husband?¡± I wonder why an intelligent woman like her can¡¯t find a man for herself other than going after other women¡¯s husband¡¯s.


    ¡°Neera, I won¡¯t sit and let you talk to my woman in that manner so, if you know what is good for you, shut up and and leave this room peacefully unless you want me to throw you out.¡±


    ¡°No, Edward I won¡¯t. I am your wife and I won¡¯t let this woman take my ce while I am watching. She is leaving right now,¡± I say walking towards her and try to pull her off the couch. ¡°Don¡¯t you darey your filthy fingers on me,¡± she says moving away from my reach. ¡°Filthy? If I am filthy then who are you? A whore or a slut?¡± ¡°Neera, you need to stop and leave this, do you really like drama?¡± Edward asks pulling me away from her.


    ¡°Edward, she must leave. Have you forgotten that I am pregnant?¡± Maybe this will make him go easy on me. ¡°Pregnant? That is the reason I preferred her over you. How dare you cheat on me Neera and even get pregnant for another man?¡± There we go again.


    ¡°Edward, I did not cheat on you and you know that. This is your child and I won¡¯t let you stay away from your responsibility. ¡°How would I know when you used to sneak out of the house and go to see him? Neera, we are done here. You are leaving this room this minute. I don¡¯t want to stay with you any longer. Come with me,¡± he drags me by my hand to the closet. ¡°Pick up whatever that is yours and leave. I give you five minutes, don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Edward no, if you want we can do the DNA then you assign a private doctor. Please, this child is yours, I swear,¡± I put my palms together in supplication.


    ¡°Edward, what is going on here? Oh Valen, you are here,¡± I can hear Piper¡¯s voice. ¡°Hello Mr and Mrs Lawanson.¡± Valen greets, I think both of Edward¡¯s parents are here. ¡°You look great, it¡¯s been long since Ist saw you. How have you been?¡± Piper asks her. ¡°Very fine, I missed you.¡±


    I walk out of the closet to go and meet them, maybe if I talk to them they will talk some sense into that thick head of their son. I find Piper disengaging from their hug with Valen.


    ¡°Mom, dad, how was your day?¡± I greet them with a heavy heart. ¡°Neera, what is going on here? You two seem not to stop fighting and causing drama in this house. Why are you always fighting?¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s Edward. He wants me out of our bedroom.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Why Edward, why would you throw your wife out of your room? What has she done this time?¡± Eric asks. ¡°Dad, you want me to stay in the same room with a cheater? I can¡¯t stand her mom, I don¡¯t want to stay with her and be reminded everytime that she cheated on me when I look at her. I told her to get rid of it but she wants to keep it, you remember the other day I confronted her. So I want her out of this room because I don¡¯t want to stay anywhere close to her.¡±


    ¡°Ask him why he brought Valen here in the first ce. Hasn¡¯t he been cheating on me?¡± I want them to address the main issue here then we can deal with my pregnancyter. She is the outsider.


    ¡°That is not the main issue here Neera, I also want to know if you are carrying my grandson or someone else¡¯s child because I don¡¯t want any bastards in my house.¡± Piper says and I wonder if everyone in this house has the same brain. ¡°This is his child. If you are doubting me then we can do a DNA test to prove it. As you can see I don¡¯t have the capital to bribe anyone. I only want what is good for my child and and I want him to grow with both his parents around him.


    ¡°Edward, you can do the test first then you can justify your usations against her. You can go to the hospital, it¡¯s still early.¡± Eric is the only sane person here.


    ¡°Okay but before then, I still need her out of my room because she is still guilty.¡± ¡°Edward, can I talk to you for a minute?¡± Valen asks him and they go to the far end of the room where they talk for a moment beforeing back.


    ¡°Dad, we are not going to use the facilities in our hospital. We will use a different medical practitioner. So I am going to call him and book a session with the doctor.¡± So he thinks I am that capable?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Edward as long as you get over with this. I am tired of talking to you over and over again about this matter.¡± I say.


    ¡°Alright then, I am going to make the call and in the meantime, you should be packing and be ready to get out by the time Ie back.¡± He says addressing me. ¡°It¡¯s settled then, I don¡¯t want to hear about that again and I don¡¯t want any fights from you two, you hear me?¡± Eric asks. ¡°Yes dad.¡± I say as Edward leaves to make the call and everyone else follows him.


    ¡°You should tell me what you do to stay this young,¡± Valen tells Piper as they leave the room while I remain standing like a forgotten child in a big crowd of people in the middle of the city.


    I go back to the closet and take a duffle bag and the first things I take are the three items that are still a mystery to me. I keep them as the first items in the bag and add in clothes to keep off any eye from peeking on them. I choose the clothes that I think could be suitable for me, those that could amodate me even after a few months. I don¡¯t even know when I¡¯d be able to go baby shopping. I hope after the resultse out Edward will be responsible for me and the child. I don¡¯t want to take care of a fatherless child. I wouldn¡¯t imagine a child without his father because I can remember the beautiful memories that I share with my dad and I really want that or more for my child.


    More dresses, baggy sweatpants, sandals and t-shirts will do. I feel too sweaty nowadays and I don¡¯t feelfortable in tight clothes anymore. I think I have enough for now, if I forget anything I wille back since it¡¯s only another room away. I walk out of the room but before I close the door, I look around it and sincerely speaking, this room most of the time has never been enjoyable. I have been sleeping alone most of the time and once in a while have I enjoyed it and I can even count the times, maybe three or four times with Edward. Tears now roll freely down my cheeks and I let them because even if I try to wipe them, I would be only wasting my time.


    I close the door and proceed to the other side of the house, away from Edward¡¯s room to a ce I can only surrender to my grief without disturbing anyone.


    The room is tranquil, with grey curtains that cover therge windows that overlook the city. The bed has grey covers as well, giving the room a calm that sends all wandering thoughts away and rece them with a collected mind that lets anyone rx and surrender to the serenity that it gives. It is notrge like my former one but it has the needed space that I need, with a spacious en-suite and a small walk-in closet.


    I ce my duffel bag down and begin offloading my clothes one by one. I ce each one on the hangers on  the clothes line and the sandals on the shoe rack. There is a chest of drawers on one side and that is perfect for my mystery items. I will revisit themter after I have settled everything with Edward. I don¡¯t want to mess anything and I want to know the connection between all these people because what Martha told me only made me want to know about them more.


    I take out a single photo of my parents and hug it to my chest. I wish my mom was still here, I could have run to her, hugged her and cry my heart out to her. I could have told my father about my grievances and he would have listened to me. We could have hugged and I could have sworn never toe back to this house. I could still have a house, where I could have gone and stay without anyone asking me anything. I wouldn¡¯t have to stay in this prison of a house, but now I have to because I don¡¯t have anywhere to go.

 Chapter 41

    ¡°Neera, you are needed downstairs,¡± Sheal, the new helper, calls me from outside the door. ¡°I will be there,¡± I say.


    I change into afortable dress because I know we are leaving for the hospital and change into it. I put on gray sandals and wash my face with cold water and let it rx before applying some powder to it. I don¡¯t want to look like a ghost, even though I know everyone in the house knows I had been crying but I wouldn¡¯t want anyone else other than them to know that. I take my purse and leave the room, closing the door behind me.


    ¡°The booking is made, now we have to go right now.¡± Edward says leading the way. I know it was Valen who rmended another doctor to Edward and now I don¡¯t know where we are going, though probably to another hospital.


    Alex is already waiting in the car and starts the engine the moment we get in. The ride to the hospital is very quiet, no one dares to talk as if it is a silencepetition. Whenever I try to look at Edward, he looks away like he feels disgusted looking at my face. I don¡¯t know why he has this dislike towards me when we have shared intimate moments together.


    ¡°We have arrived sir.¡± Alex announces as he parks the car in front of a building which I think is the hospital. It is big, but not like E&P L. I open my door, not waiting for anyone to do so and follow Edward inside. He talks to the male receptionist and he directs him to the lift and we climb up to the uppermost floor of the building. We follow a series of doors along a hallway and enter thest one.


    He knocks and ady nurse opens the door. ¡°You are wee sir, the doctor is expecting you.¡± I enter after him and she gestures for us to sit on a single green couch in the room. She enters another room adjacent to the one we are in andes back followed by a short middle-aged man in a white coat and big round sses over his eyes. He smiles when he sees us and greets us warmly.


    ¡°Okay, as I already know why you are here but can I ask you a few questions before I proceed?¡± He asks. I don¡¯t know his name yet. ¡°Alright Doctor Miles.¡±


    ¡°So, this question is for you Edward. Why would you bring your wife for a paternity test, did she cheat on you or don¡¯t you trust her?¡±


    ¡°She did cheat on me, that¡¯s why.¡± He answers with certainty.


    ¡°No, I think he doesn¡¯t trust me because I didn¡¯t cheat on him.¡± He probably doesn¡¯t have solid evidence to support that. ¡°You want to y innocent right? Doctor please go on with the test because it will end up into a game with no one proving a point here. Let¡¯s just do what brought us here.¡± He says impatiently. He really wants me to look like I am the bad guy here but I know the test results will prove him otherwise.


    ¡°Come,¡± the doctor takes us to the room he came out earlier and with the help of the nurse, the necessary samples are taken and ready for testing.


    ¡°Thank you Mr and Mrs Lawanson, the tests will be out in two days time. Do you want toe and collect the results individually or?¡± He asks.


    ¡°No, you can have them delivered to my home and let me know the time, or you can call me prior.¡± Edward says.


    ¡°Good luck, I will contact you.¡± The doctor says as we leave.


    ***Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Since I came from the hospital I haven¡¯t talked to anyone except Martha though asionally. I have only been staying in my room, only going out when I want to eat. I don¡¯t do anything in the house, I don¡¯t even make Edward¡¯s breakfast and Piper decided to employ another helper that helps Martha around the house. It¡¯s been two days, the time that I am going to prove everyone wrong and regain my title as Edward¡¯s wife.


    Although I don¡¯t want to get back to that room with him, I only want my name not to be tarnished like that with the people that should be by my side no matter what. I can¡¯t even imagine staying that close to Edward after all the abomination that he has done, not only cheating on me but the thing making me feel disgusted is bringing the same woman to my house and even staying together on our matrimonial bed.


    I feel disgusted just thinking about that, and the smug smile that Valen had on her face that indicated the victory that Edward chose her over me. I have already given up on Edward, I don¡¯t know what he can do for me to get back to him. I am only staying here because of my baby, I don¡¯t want to divorce him. I will tolerate him because I don¡¯t want my baby to suffer when his father has all the resources any child would need to grow up.


    The doctor will be here soon, but Edward is not here yet. He made sure to tell the doctor that the results shouldn¡¯t be delivered when he is not here. So, the time I see him then that will be it. I have not experienced any serious symptoms since the first time I had gone to the hospital and discovered that I was pregnant. I only feel nauseated the times I think about Edward and his slut.


    I haven¡¯t talked to my friends, and I know Jackie had nned for a baby shower, actually her boyfriend¡¯s parents had nned for her. I don¡¯t know when it will be. I switched off my phone for days now because I don¡¯t even feel like talking to anyone, and with my friends I know they will notice that something is wrong with me, I don¡¯t have the courage to break it to them all that I have been going through. I am still in this house so I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin that and be kicked out of the house for good. It¡¯s like I am holding onto a single strand of a rope that would cut anytime if a little pressure is applied to it. Edward has his mother¡¯s support and for anything, he would choose his son¡¯s side even if he is on the wrong. She even has a soft spot for Valen and they seem to know each other well for quite some time. She would vote for her son to be with her, given Edward has been threatening to divorce me. Eric is neither on his son¡¯s side or my side and that is okay with me because he would not pardon his son¡¯s misdeeds but he is his blood so I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised.


    I want to visit my parents but after that incident, it makes me take a step back. That still haunts me to date. It was a near death experience.


    ¡°Neera, Edward is here and needs you downstairs,¡± Sheal, the new helper, calls. ¡°Is the doctor here?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I aming.¡±


    I find him seated together with the doctor and his parents. Valen is seated next to him and shes me a fake smile. I hate her with passion.


    ¡°Hello.¡± I greet them as I take a seat across them like sitting before a council of elders ready to be corrected and disciplined. ¡°So the doctor here has the results ready and from here I will know if the baby is mine or not.¡± Edward says while the doctor hands him the medical report in his hands.


    He goes through it then raises his face and chuckles looking at me with the same dangerous eyes he does whenever he is pissed at me. He throws the report at me so that I can take a look at it myself.


    The paternity states that they don¡¯t match at all not even one percent. Everything is at zero percent. What the hell? I don¡¯t believe that. ¡°Doctor, are you sure these are my results?¡±


    ¡°You can check the names, they are specifically for you.¡± I know how to read you idiot, what I mean is you could have misced the specimen. I think silently but can¡¯t say it out loud. ¡°Let me take a look,¡± Piper says, stretching her hand to me.


    ¡°Doctor, I know for a fact that the child growing inside me is his and no one else¡¯s.¡± I don¡¯t know why the results are negative.


    ¡°The results state otherwise.¡± The doctor says arrogantly, I don¡¯t even know why he is talking right now.


    ¡°Our samples could have been tampered with or misced.¡± I point it out to him.


    ¡°Are you questioning mypetency?¡± He asks, pissed off. ¡°Yes with these results I am even doubting if you are qualified,¡± I sneer. ¡°Neera, he is one of the most famous doctors in this country so you should keep quiet and atone for your sins.¡± Valen says.


    ¡°Which sins when you are clearlymiting adultery with my husband, in fact you should be stoned to death. We are doing another test with another doctor.¡± I am not giving in to this kind of humiliation. ¡°Not another test Neera, you are leaving this house. I am divorcing you.¡± Edward says.


    ¡°I am going nowhere, Edward, this is your baby, I am your wife and we are here to stay whether you like it or not. I won¡¯t be divorcing you. I am not raising a fatherless child.¡±


    ¡°Neera, I thought you were a simple girl but you are only here to squander my son¡¯s money. You are even forcing another man¡¯s child on him. How ungrateful of you, my son has only loved you and what did you do, you stabbed him in the back. We take you as our own even after your parents¡¯ death. What more do you want?¡± Piper says.


    ¡°Mother, this is your son¡¯s child and I swear I have never cheated on him and I don¡¯t even have that courage.¡± I am not that kind of a person.


    ¡°Woman, I don¡¯t know what is hard to understand here. Do you think his more than thirty years experience as a doctor doesn¡¯t prove anything? How can you even lie straight to my face when all evidence of your unfaithfulness lies here in broad daylight and points to you? I don¡¯t even know what kind of a person you are.¡± Edward says.


    ¡°Here is the thing, I am not divorcing you and I am not here for your money. I am only here because of my child and I am not interested in whatever you have because you made it clear to me that I am only here to rece your dead grand aunt. I don¡¯t even think I will befortable staying close to you after you defiled our bedroom, not to talk of our marriage. Whatever the results say, I am not leaving this ce or giving up on this marriage. Take it as an open marriage but you will be the one who goes out to other women because now, I am only going to make sure I prepare afortable life for my child that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Edward, did you say that to her? When was that?¡± His father asks finally, after being silent all this while.


    ¡°Eric, this shouldn¡¯t bother you now. Can¡¯t you see this girl cheated on your son and now wants an illegitimate child to inherit what my son has worked hard for. I am not going to sit quietly and watch that happen.¡± Piper says.


    ¡°I did not cheat on your son and that is what I know for sure.¡± I say not daring to change my statement for anything. I have overlooked everything that Edward has done to me, and this one can¡¯t be hard for me. I will endure it as usual with this new determination that has taken root within me.

 Chapter 42

    ¡°All I want to ask from you is you let me start my antenatals. It is almost four months now. I don¡¯t want to develop anyplications and not know about this. You have Valen now so whatever I do shouldn¡¯t bother you,¡± I am tired of this, I feel so tired I am missing my beauty sleep.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, suit yourself. But you are not allowed to leave the house for any other thing apart from going to the hospital. If you want peace between me and you in this house, you will do and follow my instructions carefully. Ben will be with you everytime  you go,¡± Edward says.


    ¡°You heard my son.¡± Piper says.


    ¡°Alright then, I guess I should be leaving now.¡± I need my beauty sleep now that everything is settled.


    ***


    One monthter


    My phone rings in my pockets while I am in the kitchen making some juice. Martha is outside doing whatever she is doing while Sheal is cleaning the rooms. Everyone else has left to work. I pull it out and see that it¡¯s Az calling me. I am happy that even if I am always ghosting her,  she makes an effort to talk to me and know how I am fairing on. She isn¡¯t my best friend for nothing.


    ¡°Hey Neera,¡± she greets.


    ¡°Hey Az, how are you?¡±


    ¡°Great but Neera, how are you?¡± She asks. ¡°Not bad thank you,¡± I answer checking my clock. I should be leaving in a few minutes time. ¡°How is my goddaughter doing? I know she is all grown now,¡± she says excitedly and I don¡¯t know why she thinks my baby might be a girl. ¡°Oh, but I haven¡¯t had any gender reveal, though I am not going through that process of knowing if it¡¯s a he or she.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t tell me that you don¡¯t go for your antenatals?¡± She gasps.


    ¡°I do, I even should be leaving now except that I am on phone with you.¡± Actually I could just go on with my phone call in the car but I wouldn¡¯t want that poker faced Ben eavesdropping on our conversation, he was hired by Edward to spy on whatever I do, so I don¡¯t want to say anything infront of him that could get me into trouble.


    ¡°You should have said that one first, which hospital? I aming there right away,¡± she says. ¡°I also have some good news for you.¡±


    ¡°E&P L Hospital, see you there.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Hey, you look pretty,¡± Az says as she hugs me in the hospital lobby. ¡°Oh please, I look bigger and heavier,¡± I correct her. ¡°That is why I said you look pretty.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have an appointment to go to.¡± I pull her towards Doctor Sompton¡¯s office.


    ¡°Neera why wouldn¡¯t you want to know the gender of your baby?¡± Neera asks when my checks are done. ¡°I have been talking to her about the same thing,¡± the doctor says. ¡°It¡¯s because regardless of the gender of my baby, I want to love it just the way it could turn out to be.¡± I don¡¯t know what¡¯s good if I could know the gender.


    ¡°See, maybe your husband could be more than happy to know the gender of his child. You never know, he could even throw you a gender reveal party to celebrate that. You can talk to him, if he would love that then it could prove that you are being selfish right now,¡± Az says. If only they knew, Edward doesn¡¯t even care for the child not to talk of him being interested in knowing the child¡¯s gender.


    ¡°There is a form here, if you think your husband could approve it then he can sign it then you can tell me and I would know if I would n for surprise results, you know, where you n for a party. Or just the normal one, where you can collect the results and know from there.¡± The doctor says.


    ¡°That is what I am trying to say, Neera if it isn¡¯t for you then think about the father, or anyone else that is going to be in that child¡¯s life, for example, me.¡± Az adds.


    ¡°Okay then, you can give me the form and if he agrees then I will call you and let you know.¡± I hope this could make Edward think twice about epting this baby. ¡°Alright then, see you on your next visit.


    ¡°You know, I nearly forgot to tell you one of the reasons I called you. You remember Jackie telling us about a baby shower?¡± Az asks the moment we are out of the doctor¡¯s office.


    ¡°Yes I do, thest time we talked she had told me that she will let me know the date.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s actually tomorrow in the afternoon. I hope you are gonna make it because ofte you have been having too many excuses. No way out this time.¡± She shakes her finger at me.


    ¡°Okay then, I will.¡± I know with poker faced Ben with me, no one in the family especially Edward will snap at me when I leave the house.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, poker face must be waiting for you,¡± she says and weugh.


    Ben opens the door for me when he sees me. I wave at Az and she waves back and leaves.


    ***This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    It is in the evening and I am waiting for Edward toe back home so that I can tell him about the n of knowing our child¡¯s gender. He could be with another woman but I want him to not miss anything concerning his child.


    I hear Martha greeting them downstairs. They are here. I wait until they are settled in their room and that is when I decide to go and meet him. I pick the form that he is supposed to go through and leave my room.


    I can hear their voices as I draw nearer to the room. Their door is ajar and I walk carefully on the side so as not to attract attention from them while I am still a distance away.


    I get to the door and raise my hand to knock. I can¡¯t even imagine that this used to be my bedroom where I used toe in and go as I pleased.


    ¡°Edward, I didn¡¯t know you were this conservative.¡± Valen¡¯s voice cooes from the room.


    ¡°Why would you ask that?¡± Edward asks her.


    ¡°I can see you still have the receipt from the spa day we had at the resort back in Marina,¡± she answers him. What? Could it be the same one I carried from the vi we stayed at at that time? I peek through the door and I can see it from where I am that it is the one since Valen is standing next to the drawers I had kept it in.


    ¡°What? I thought I had left it back there. Maybe I forgot it in one of my files.¡± Edward says and I can sense uncertainty in his voice, he should be smart enough to know that he wasn¡¯t the one who brought it. I sensed something on that day, I saw someone who looked just like her and to top it off, Alex looked nervous as hell when I hade off from the spa.


    I contemte pushing the door and confronting him about it and even tell them that I was the one who brought it here but I decide to stay back. I know whatever I say or do in there won¡¯t make any difference to them. They have already done the worst so the receipt is only a drop in the ocean. I walk away, my shoulders sagging towards my room as it is the only ce that offers me sce.


    I tear the paper into small pieces and throw them into the small dustbin. I get on my bed to get a rest, tomorrow I have somewhere to go to, at least that will keep me busy for the better part of the day.


    ***


    One weekter.


    We are seated on the dining table having breakfast on a Saturday morning. We always sit like this on weekends as if we are a one happy family. Edward¡¯s parents have now epted Valen as Edward¡¯s new partner. I am just like a third wheel in this family because Piper always treats her like her own. They even attend formal functions together while me, as the real daughter-inw have never gone with any member of the family to any function. Given that I know they have been havingunches here and there but have never even been invited to one.


    Valen abruptly pushes her seat backwards and runs to the sink. Her choking sounds tell everyone that she is emptying whatever she had taken into the sink. Disgusting.


    Edward runs to her and holds her tenderly. Piper follows him and I just feel like throwing up like her when I look at them. ¡°Valen, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She asks. ¡°Let me call the doctor.¡± Piper offers but Valen raises her hand up. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have my own doctor.¡±


    ¡°Then call her,¡± Piper encourages her. Valen cleans her mouth and they bothe back to the table. She takes her phone and calls who I think is her doctor and directs whoever it is to the house.


    In less than an hour, a male doctores in. ¡°Hello miss Taylor,¡± he greets Valen and waves at everyone else. ¡°Wee doctor, please check up on her, she is not okay,¡± Piper says concerned. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Edward takes Valen¡¯s hand and together with the doctor they go to their room. After a moment Edwardes back. I am only listening to their conversations as if watching a film. I don¡¯t say anything but just sit and scroll through my phone. I am just wishing that they could leave so that I could have some peace.


    Momentster, Valen and the doctores back to the leaving room.  Valen¡¯s face seems satisfied with whatever it is that is in that filthy mind of hers. She goes to where Edward is and holds his hand. ¡°Edward, I have some news for you,¡± she says smiling at him.


    ¡°You do? I hope they are good news,¡± Edward says smiling back at her.


    ¡°Yes they are. Doctor, the floor is yours,¡± Valen says.


    ¡°Well, I conducted some tests and I am pleased to inform you that you are going to be a father.¡±


    I thought as much. Edward engulfs her in a hug, swings her around  and kisses her on her lips. So much for happiness when the other woman is pregnant for a married man.


    ¡°I am going to be a father, I can¡¯t believe it. Thank you Valen,¡± he says and hugs her again.


    ¡°I am gonna be a grandma, I can¡¯t wait to see my grandson,¡± Piper says excitedly and hugs Valen as well and kisses  her on the cheeks. ¡°How long is it?¡±


    ¡°Almost a month now,¡± Valen says. ¡°Oh great, I will be taking you to your first antenatal check-up,¡± Piper says. ¡°Oh no mom, I should be the one taking her as the father of the baby. You still have time to take her.¡± Edward says.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I care for my grandson that much right? It¡¯s okay Edward,¡± Piper feigns hurt and I feel likeughing at their dramatic celebration.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay I get it. I need to go for my meeting now,¡± Piper says, raising her hands and making her way towards the stairs. ¡°This calls for celebration. Valen, you can choose the best ce that you think we can go to and celebrate.¡± Edward takes her hand following behind his mother.


    ¡°Edward, you know that she shouldn¡¯t be drinking anymore,¡± Piper warns him. ¡°Surprise me then,¡± Valen says looking at Edward as they climb the stairs. ¡°Prepare to be surprised then.¡±


    I continue scrolling through my phone as their voices sound in the background. I don¡¯t know what Eric could have said concerning his son having a child with another woman other than the one that he had approved. He left after breakfast even before the doctor came. I am surprised that I am not even shocked or feeling bad that my husband is expecting a child with another woman.

 Chapter 43

    The family has been treating Valen like a fragile princess ever since the day she was pronounced pregnant, especially Piper and Edward. Another helper has been assigned just for her, she doesn¡¯t go to work often and Edward has been by her side all the time. This is surprising because Edward has never spent most of his time in the house, especially during the day.


    I have been staying in the house like a forgotten sheep, a good-for-nothing one for that matter. No one has been paying attention to me and that is very okay with me because I do my things without anyone having to ask me about it. The only problem I have is that smug smile that Valen always has whenever we meet, be it on the stairs, kitchen or at the dining I always wish I could wipe or scratch it out of her face that is always full of makeup.


    I wash my face and put on the mostfortable dress ready for breakfast. I have to go for my antenatalster today and ofte Az has been taking me most of the time. She always takes an off from work because she knows the dates that I am supposed to go to as she checks my antenatal reports everytime after the checkup. Jackie is almost due and she is happily waiting for her baby girl.


    I make my own breakfast nowadays because I have different cravings nowadays, so I don¡¯t want to bother anything with my problems. I chose to live as if I am alone in the house. The bad thing is I only have few coins with me, I am broke as hell. The baby items that I have are from my friends; Az who couldn¡¯t restrain herself when she saw them on offer and thought that they were cute. She brought them as a surprise thest time we went to the hospital. Jackie cited that the gifts she received were too much so she decided to share some with me. I am so grateful for those two, I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve their friendship.


    I sit on the stool at the kitchen ind and dig into my breakfast. I hear footsteps approaching and I assume is Martha or Sheal or Valen¡¯s hand maid but when I look up it¡¯s Valen herself, pursing her lips. Shees to my side and pushes my te of food away and leans so that we are face to face. She chuckles and smiles, a different one from the one she usually gives me, which doesn¡¯t reach her eyes. I try to pull back my te but she shakes her head and pushes it further from from my reach.


    ¡°What is the matter with you? Have you lost your mind? I was peacefully having my breakfast here.¡± I say in an attempt to send her away. ¡°We need to talk,¡± she says and I am surprised she can say something like that to me. ¡°Me and you talk? There is nothing to talk about, I have nothing to talk to you about.¡± I am not interested. ¡°You will have to. Anyway, I wanted to give you a good deal so that you can leave my husband alone,¡± she says. ¡°Leave your husband alone? Which husband are you talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be coy with me Neera, you definitely know who I am talking about.¡±


    ¡°I definitely don¡¯t know who you are talking about.¡± I am not going to give in to her.


    ¡°Look around you youngdy. No one loves or wants you around here. Edward has never loved you from the beginning. Your mother-inw prefers me for her son, you have to open your eyes. Name your price and I promise that you and your child will neverck.¡±


    ¡°You should open your eyes wider, Valen. I am the wife of the richest man in the city, why would I need some woman giving me money?¡± She chuckles at my words. ¡°Neera, you and I know that you are broke as hell and you are only using this family¡¯s health facilities when ites to your pregnancy. You know, I pitied you the day Edward threatened to throw you out of the house. Your parents are dead, you have no other house and I know that you haven¡¯t been working since you got married. Here I am, giving you the best deal of your life which I know you will never be able to get even if you work twenty-four seven for your entire life. I am only looking out for my fellow woman,¡± she says shrugging her shoulders.


    ¡°Looking out for me? You should have done that the moment you knew that Edward was married. You should have stayed away from him and looked for another man. I knew you wanted my husband the first day I met you so spare me the pretense of looking out for me. I don¡¯t need your pity Valen, you are thest person or rather if you were the only person that could offer me help, I would rather die than ept it. I have enough resources and like I said, I am married into the most influential family why would I need your help?¡±


    ¡°Stop lying to yourself. Just ept my offer and everything will be fine, okay?¡± She is not backing out. I hate to admit that she is somehow stating the facts. No one cares for me and my unborn baby in this family but I won¡¯t give her a glimpse to my vulnerabilities. ¡°No Valen, I am fine and I don¡¯t need your sympathy or any pity from you. I have everything I need.¡± I am probably lying to myself.


    ¡°Neera, you such a naive and stupid woman. The one you call your husband is mine now and only the blind and deaf won¡¯t be able to understand that you are nothing but a loser in your so called marriage. If I were you, I would do anything for my child but given your silliness you only think about yourself and making a name for yourself where there is nothing for yourself. Why are you forcing yourself on Edward? He is not yours girl.¡±


    ¡°I can do anything for my child and that is what I am doing right now.¡± All I know is making sure that my child won¡¯t stay away from his family. ¡°That is what you are doing by forcing another man to be his father? Oh no that is not being motherly enough,¡± she corrects. ¡°I know the father of my child Valen and I won¡¯t let you talk to me about motherly values.¡± I wave my finger at her.


    ¡°I really pity you Neera. An orphan that is not loved by her husband, actually by the entire world. I think you are used to poverty that you are not capable of grabbing any grand opportunities thate your way.¡± She is getting on my nerves now. ¡°No, I am not capable of stooping to your level and epting an absurd offer to leave my husband for you.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Not your husband Neera, my husband. You should stick that into that poverty stricken head of yours.¡± She is making fun of my situation, but no, I am married to Edward so I can¡¯t be counted as poor. ¡°I am not poor Valen, you keep forgetting that this is my family now and what that is Edward¡¯s is mine too. We have our solemn vows that we made at the altar,¡± I say.


    ¡°Vows? I think you are dreaming now because the one you were vowing to is in someone else¡¯s hands now. That is always the reason why I pity you Neera. I am even wondering which kind of school you went to because it seems so difficult for you to understand anything. Why am I even wondering about that when clearly people of your ss go to ordinary schools or better still don¡¯t go to school at all. Something as simple as her husband hating her and bringing another woman into their house. Is it that difficult to understand that he is over you now and doesn¡¯t want you anymore?¡± Wow, that is quite a mouthful.


    I chuckle and pull my seat backwards and stand up and look into her eyes squarely, ¡± I pity you Valen because if Edward can do that to his own legally married wife, what can he do to you, a mere side dish?¡± I see her face changing and I know that I have touched a never, I feel good that I have that effect on her with my words.


    ¡°A side dish? You dare call me that? Edward is mine and will be forever. Why don¡¯t you take that bastard in your belly to his father and leave my Edward alone? You are like a bug in this family.¡± I bet she wasn¡¯t prepared for the impact that left her cheek stinging in pain when Ind a dirty p on it, ¡°don¡¯t you ever call my child like that not even in your dreams.¡± I won¡¯t take any more insults being hurled at my child. What has my unborn baby done to them. I only forgave Edward and his mother because I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. I decide to walk away because it is as if she was born to make my life hell.


    ¡°Neera, you pped me?¡± She can¡¯t believe it. ¡°Yes and I will do that again if you don¡¯t keep your mouth shut when ites to my baby. How dare you?¡±


    ¡°How dare you?¡± She turns andes to the other side of the kitchen ind but before she can reach where I am, she knocks over the seat I was sitting on earlier and falls down. She screams and I know she must be in pain given that her stomach hit on the chair when she fell down. I pull the chair away and make to help her when Piperes immediately into the kitchen. She couldn¡¯t have been far from the kitchen.


    ¡°Valen what is wrong? Why are you on the floor? What happened?¡± She asks. ¡°She fell down,¡± I answer. Valen doesn¡¯t want me to help her because she keeps pushing my hand away.


    ¡°How did you fall?¡± Piper asks her. ¡°She pushed me,¡± Valen says pointing at me. What? ¡°No, I¡­¡± ¡°Who pushed who? Valen, what happened, why are you screaming?¡± ¡°This ungrateful girl pushed her down. Help her up, she needs to go to the hospital now.¡± Piper says. ¡°What? Neera, why did you push her? Can¡¯t you see that she is pregnant?¡± Edward asks me. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it Edward. I didn¡¯t push her.¡± I don¡¯t know why Valen would use me when she clearly tripped and fell. ¡°Then exin to me why she is screaming and lying on the floor.¡± I look at Valen and she is holding her stomach and writhing in pain.


    ¡°Edward, stop shouting and take her to the hospital, she is bleeding,¡± Piper says with horror on her face. ¡°Martha,¡± Edward calls. ¡°Shees before him, ¡°yes sir?¡± ¡°Tell Alex to prepare the car, we are leaving for the hospital now.¡±


    ¡°Alright sir.¡±


    ¡°Neera, if something happens to my child you will spend the rest of your life behind bars,¡± Edward says lifting Valen off the floor and I can see blood on her skirt. He goes out of the house while Piper follows behind. I don¡¯t know where her helper is gone to.


    I look at my food that is probably cold now. I have lost my appetite so I empty the food into the trash. I go back to my room thinking about Valen¡¯s usations. Why did she say that I pushed her? Does she hate me that much, even though she took my husband but I can¡¯t do that to her. I can¡¯t kill another woman¡¯s else¡¯s child just because I don¡¯t like the mother. The enemy is the mother not the child.


    I hope she doesn¡¯t lose her baby. Even if she is evil, her baby doesn¡¯t have to pay for her crimes.

 Chapter 44

    It¡¯s been hours with no news from Valen, Edward or Piper. I don¡¯t know what is going on there or if something bad has happened. Oh no, I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about that right now. Edward made it clear that I would spend the rest of my life in jail if something bad was to happen to Valen. I wouldn¡¯t want my child to be brought up in jail or grow up in a foster home. I know Edward wouldn¡¯t take responsibility for a child that he doesn¡¯t consider as his. I won¡¯t be arrested because I am innocent, aren¡¯t I?


    I am sitting on the couch watching TV when the door opens. Edwardes in holding Valen¡¯s hand with Piper behind them. J, Valen¡¯s hand maid, is with them carrying a small bag. Where was she? If she was here attending to her boss then we wouldn¡¯t have to face this. Wait, why was Valen doing in the kitchen? I didn¡¯t see what she hade to do because she came straight to me and started talking as if I was her mission. It makes sense that she only came to me so that she could tell me to leave Edward.


    I stand up from my seat and meet them. ¡°Is she okay?¡± I ask. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to care now when you clearly wanted to kill my child,¡± Valen sneers and from her statement it means the baby is okay. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it and you know that,¡± she still keeps her statement. ¡°Neera, are you that jealous that you wanted to kill my unborn grandchild?¡±


    ¡°Mother, I swear I can¡¯t do that and I didn¡¯t do it. I can exin.¡±


    ¡°Exin what? Everything is clear on what you did.¡± Piper says. ¡°Valen, can you tell us what happened?¡± Edward asks her. ¡°Edward, I only came to the kitchen to have some water but when I took a cup to draw some hot water, Neera insisted that I shouldn¡¯t use that particr one since it is her favorite. I wanted to return it but she said that I had stained it and her baby can¡¯t afford to use a contaminated cup and so I should throw it away. I got upset then told her to go and tell the father of her child which is not Edward to buy good ones for her because I didn¡¯t want her to misuse Edward¡¯s kindness. That¡¯s when she pushed me down saying that my baby is the reason why Edward left her.¡± She says, wiping the tears off her face.


    She is clearly lying. ¡°She is not telling the truth. It wasn¡¯t about the cup but she was in the kitchen for something else.¡± Can¡¯t they see that she isn¡¯t making any sense?


    ¡°If it was up to me Neera, you would be in jail now. I can¡¯t tolerate you any longer.¡± Piper really hates me. The door is pushed open again and two men in expensive suitse in. Who are these people?


    ¡°Neera, I have contacted mywyer and we are divorcing today. You need to sign the papers and today I don¡¯t want any of your drama¡¯s because if you do, I will have you arrested and charged for attempted murder. You need to cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Attempted murder? I am termed as a murderer now? Edward, why do you hate me this much? I am not a murderer. Valen tell them the truth.¡± I walk to Valen and try to touch her but Piper stops me. ¡°Stop, don¡¯t touch her. You should be thankful that we are letting you off the hook. Don¡¯t make us regret weing you into this house.¡±


    ¡°Mr Dan, bring the papers,¡± Edward tells one of the men who hands him a brown envelope. ¡°Here,¡± he throws the papers that he fishes out of the envelope on the table.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    They called me a murderer, don¡¯t want my child. My husband brought another woman to rece me. What else do I still have in this house? I know I have nowhere to go or no one to run to but I won¡¯t be staying here any longer. Today, I am epting this divorce without any drama because I won¡¯t let my child stay with the people that call me a murderer.


    ¡°Okay then, show me where I am supposed to sign.¡± I say and get to the table where the papers are sitting. ¡°Oh, why is it that you are epting this divorce now? Is it because you want to run away from being charged with attempted murder?¡± I thought Piper would be happy that I am now leaving his son. ¡°My son has done nothing but love you but what did you do? You cheated on him and even force the child on him. How ungrateful of you Neera?¡±


    ¡°For your information, your son has never loved me. I knew from the beginning that he never loved me. He made me stay at the hotel while he stayed at the vi with her on the first day of our honeymoon,¡± I say pointing at Valen. ¡°Edward, you have been cheating on me all this while but I never questioned you because I thought you would change but no. You even went ahead and brought her into the house which shows that you never had a single ounce of respect for this marriage. If there is anything about unfaithfulness it starts with you Edward. Mother, you have been supporting your son even when you know that he is on the wrong. Anyway, I don¡¯t me you because I believe any mother can go to any length for her child¡¯s happiness and that¡¯s what I am going to do. I am not going to let my child stay with such kind of people  given that you have proved that you don¡¯t want this child. So Edward, I am going to divorce you. I am not a murderer and didn¡¯t n on being one. I endured everything so that I could make this marriage work. Where do I sign?¡±

 Chapter 45

    ¡°Here,¡± Dan directs me on where I should be signing. I can see that Edward already has done his part in signing so I just sign without reading anything stated on the papers. I have to scribble down my signature on several pages and I wonder if they should be that many. I thought it should only be a single page but it¡¯s okay I want to be done with all this.


    ¡°Before I leave this house Edward, I want something from you.¡± I say and he looks at me dissatisfaction written all over his face.


    ¡°What else do you want from my son Neera, aren¡¯t you supposed to be leaving now?¡± Piper must be counting seconds now. If she could she could have literally carried me and thrown me out of the house.


    ¡°Yes Neera, are you rethinking your decision? Don¡¯t tell me you want to change your mind about divorcing my husband.¡± Valen sneers. ¡°Just shut up, I wasn¡¯t talking to you home wrecker.¡±


    ¡°Mind your words and tell me what you want, I want you out of this house with less drama.¡± Edward says and I can feel that he really is tired of my presence. Everyone is tired of my presence in this house. I know I only want what rightfully belongs to me.


    I clear my throat and looks at him directly in his eyes, I have nothing to lose. ¡°I want the money you made from selling the house.¡± He narrows his eyes dangerously at me. ¡°Which house?¡± Has he already forgotten?


    ¡°Edward, did you sell a house without telling me about it. I thought we were open and trusted each other?¡± Valen says snuggling closer to Edward. ¡°Valen, I don¡¯t know which house she might be talking about.¡±


    ¡°Edward, I am talking about my parents house. I need the money now before I go.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Valen remarks. I don¡¯t want to stay near these people any longer. ¡°I thought we had settled this matter already. Why are you bringing this up right now?¡± Edward says. He must be joking. ¡°Are you serious?¡± I ask because I don¡¯t understand how he thinks we settled this. This is the money he made from selling my house we are talking about.


    ¡°If you think for a second you are going to get a dime from me youngdy, you must be dreaming,¡± he says shattering all my hopes.


    ¡°Neera, you keep forgetting how this family has been there for you. First, it was your expensive wedding which you or your family never spent anything on. Then your parents funerals which Edward took care of without asking for anything in return. We have been taking care of you ever since but you only took advantage of our kindness by ying around with other men. Edward pardoned you and only brought in someone who would respect him but you went ahead and attempted to kill her, not even minding my unborn grandson. Why don¡¯t you just leave and let us be in peace as we were before?¡± Piper pleads with me but I think she might be out of her mind. Does she really think I never cared about this family?


    ¡°I cared for this family more than I even cared for my own. I quit my job and took full responsibility of this house without any questions. I came to realize that you never cared about me or anything I did, you only wanted to fulfil your grandfather¡¯s wish by marrying me. I hate that I agreed to this arrangement. You have ruined my life Edward. Why don¡¯t you just have some conscience and give me what¡¯s mine?¡±


    ¡°I ruined your life? No, you are the worst mistake I ever made. Now, about the house, you have made it clear that you aren¡¯t getting anything from me yourself.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Me? How? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°You agreed to everything by signing those papers before you Neera. Dan, please make her understand,¡± Edward says. Dan clears his throat and takes the papers into his hands.


    He opens a page and goes on to tell me what I didn¡¯t want to hear. ¡°Ma¡¯am, this here states that by signing, you agree to not have anything from Edward, anything that belongs to him directly or indirectly. After the divorce, you don¡¯t get to have anything from him.¡±


    ¡°What? But Edward, that was my house and you clearly know that? Why are you doing this to me?¡± I wonder why he hates me so much.


    ¡°You should learn to read before signing anything Neera. Moreover, I am a business man, everything is like a transaction to me. Now, you should leave here this minute.¡± He says without even showing mercy to me.


    ¡°Mother, please make Edward understand. Where will I go without anything?¡± I plead with Piper. ¡°That is your business Neera. You are no longer part of this family so wherever you go should not bother me. Just leave already.¡±


    ¡°Mother please.¡±


    ¡°I am not your mother! You should have thought about that when you cheated on my son. It seems you weren¡¯t taught manners by your mother. Why don¡¯t you go and ask her how to behave as someone¡¯s wife? If she did then we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation.¡± How dare she?


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my mother like that. She was the most beautiful soul I know.¡± Tears are now threatening to fall. ¡°Spare me that talk and leave Neera. Do you want me to call the police on you? Right now you are invading private property,¡± Piper says.


    ¡°Thank you Dan for today,¡± Edward says shaking thewyers hands. They leave and I take it as a clue to leave as well. With Piper threatening me and given the status of this family, I should be cautious because she can¡¯t be lying. I walk up the stairs to my room to collect whatever belongs to me and leave this house. Tears are now falling freely down my face as I think about what Piper said. Maybe I couldn¡¯t be here if my mother was still alive. I could have left a long time ago and not stay here and be humiliated like this.

 Chapter 46

    I pick my old clothes, the ones that I hade with from my home. I add in a few mummy dresses that my friend gifted me and the baby items. My three mysterious items are also inside my bag. I check every document that I should have, my identification card, my parents memorabilia that I had collected from my parents house including their death certificates. Now I am ready to go.


    I descend the stairs slowly, pulling my suitcase behind me. Martha looks at me with pity in her eyes, I know she is sympathizing with me but there is nothing she can do about it. I hug her as she wipes the tears off her eyes.


    ¡°I will miss you Neera,¡± she says amid sobs. ¡°I will miss you too,¡± I pat her on her back. ¡°Let me help you with this,¡± she says, taking my suitcase and pulling it towards the door. I follow her getting past the satisfied eyes of Valen, Edward¡¯s expressionless ones while Piper¡¯s seems to wish that I was never here in the first ce. I also wish I was never here too.


    ¡°Martha, I think you know that you have work to do in this house. Don¡¯t waste your time on worthless things,¡± Piper says.


    We get to the gate and I know this is it, the moment I step outside I am now on my own. What to do, it is my fate anyway.


    ¡°Thank you Martha, you have been good to me all this while but I don¡¯t have anything to repay you.¡±  ¡°Neera, you don¡¯t have to repay me anything. I wish you would have stayed longer. I wish you well wherever you are going.¡±


    ¡°I think Piper must be needing you now. Go now or she might get angry at you. I don¡¯t want to be your misfortune on myst day here when we have been doing well all this while.¡± She could be fired because of me. ¡°No, you can never be a misfortune to me. I know you are the kindest person I have ever met. Do you have somewhere in mind that you are going to?¡± ¡°I might have. I have friends and I think I might go to one of them.¡± I say in order to make her feel at ease by my departure.


    ¡°Have you called a taxi?¡± She asks. If only she knew. ¡°I might do that outside. You should be going now and thank you.¡± She hugs me and leaves immediately, I think she got emotional.


    I open the gates and step out into this big world, a world I have never really explored. Where am I going? Where should I start? Which direction should I follow? I have nothing, I have no one. I only have my suitcase and my big belly with my unborn bundle of joy growing inside. I can¡¯t call Az and go to her house because she lives with her parents and I can¡¯t go there given my condition, I don¡¯t want to be a burden to her or her family. Jackie on the other hand lives with her fiance and she should be due anytime so that should be a no go zone to me.


    I take a deep breath and take a step forward, one at a time to wherever my legs could carry me to. I walk God knows how many miles and I can feel my legs getting bigger and bigger with every step I take. I am tired, thirsty and even hungry with the sun burning hot in thete afternoon.


    I can see a chair a few meters from where I am and I barely manage to walk to it. The ground is better than the seat itself with green grass and the shade givesfort and breeze thates in handy under this scorching sun.


    I push my suitcase under the chair for safety and lie down. I let out a long sigh of relief and tiredness and close my eyes.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ***


    ¡°Hey, wake up. This is not a public space,¡± a male voice wakes me up from my slumber. ¡°Youngdy, I am sorry but you can¡¯t be sleeping here. You can be charged for this,¡± he says pitifully. I got reallyfortable in this ce and forgot that I was on the move. How long have I been sleeping?


    ¡°I am sorry, I should get going.¡± I look at the man and I can see that he is a security guy from the way he is dressed. He looks oddly familiar though I don¡¯t know if I have ever seen him or rather where I saw him.


    ¡°Is this someone¡¯spound?¡± I ask him. ¡°Something like that but you can see it is the backyard of a private building.¡± He says and I look behind me and there stands the beautiful ss building. Familiar too and yes, it is one of the tallest buildings in this city so I might have seen it.


    ¡°Thank you sir. I will be on my way.¡± I pull back my suitcase from under the bench. I prepare to stand but my legs are too heavy and swollen. I can¡¯t stand on my own two feet and when I try to I feel painful and the increased size of my legs protrudes in my sandals.


    ¡°Miss, are you okay? Why are you all alone in this condition? Where are you going? Should I order a taxi for you?¡± He asks endless questions sincerely. ¡°No, don¡¯t do that. I will walk.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you don¡¯t have money for a taxi. Where is your husband?¡± He asks. If only he knew. ¡°Husband? No husband.¡±  ¡°Oh, sorry. Forgive me for this but did your husband chase you out of your house?¡± I don¡¯t me him for asking me that because anyone could guess from the way I am carrying my big bag and walking around with swollen legs. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a husband and I am here because I couldn¡¯t afford my house rent.¡± I can¡¯t tell him the truth.

 Chapter 47

    ¡°I am so sorry, miss. Don¡¯t you have anywhere to go to?¡± I nod. ¡°Miss, I can only give you a ce to stay tonight because it¡¯s gettingte. It is not afortable ce but if you are willing to stay there then you can for the night then tomorrow you can see your way forward. I am only helping you because when I saw you, I remembered my wife and I couldn¡¯t just leave you given your situation.¡± He says with a genuine smile on his face.


    ¡°Your wife is pregnant too?¡± He smiles from ear to ear. ¡°Yes she is.¡± ¡°Congrattions, when is she due?¡± I ask, genuinely surprised that we are getting along like long lost buddies. ¡°She still has like one or two weeks to go.¡±


    ¡°That exins the excitement you have on your face when talking about her.¡± ¡°I actually am nervous about this.¡± He confesses. ¡°It is allowed. It can be scary too, but you seem to be a good man and good things happen to good people,¡± I say. ¡°I think you are a good woman too and I see good things happening to you.¡± Me? I thought so too but I have nothing. I don¡¯t know where I could get the good things.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The time I could have got the best things has long gone so I have epted my fate.¡± Maybe I could have acquired all I wanted from my former marriage but no, I ended up getting divorced with nothing to write home about.


    ¡°I see otherwise. When you get better in life, don¡¯t forget me,¡± he says and Iugh loudly because that only sounds sarcastic. I think I should be the one telling him that. ¡°Please, this is not funny at all. It should be the other way around. You have helped a pregnant woman in distress so it is only fair that the heavens should bless you abundantly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is not funny and I hope after tomorrow everything will go as per your wishes. Come, you seem too tired. Are you hungry?¡± He is too caring. ¡°Yes, I could eat an elephant right now.¡± Heughs. ¡°I hope you can finish all of it.¡± ¡°You could try me right now and see.¡±


    He takes my suitcase and I follow him behind as he enters the building through a smaller exit. He takes the stairs that lead to the basement where there are only three cars parked. Should he be taking me to sleep in a car? Is it his car or someone else¡¯s?


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. We have somewhere to go, or were you admiring the cars? I know they are one of the expensive ones and anyone who doesn¡¯t would wish to acquire one.¡±


    ¡°I thought you wanted me to sleep in one of these. I was wondering how rich you are to have such kind of a car. Are you a rich man in disguise?¡±


    ¡°Oh please. I can¡¯t do that. If I am rich then I won¡¯t have to hide my identity. And no, you are not gonna be sleeping in the car.¡± He assures me. ¡°Alright then, show me. These legs are killing me.¡± I really want to rest, drink and eat.


    ¡°I can see that, follow me.¡± He leads me to one side of the basement where I can see a door and he pushes it open. ¡°Here, you can stay for the night.¡±  ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I don¡¯t know his name yet. ¡°It is Charles but you can call me Charlie.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much Charles.¡±


    ¡°You are wee.¡±


    ¡°Howe there are only three cars here or has everyone left already?¡± Surely this is a big building so I expect more vehicles parked here. ¡°Actually, this is the CEO¡¯s personal parking. That¡¯s why there are only a few cars. He has some business associates today that¡¯s why you see two extra cars in here.¡±


    ¡°Oh right.¡± I sit on the chair and I can feel my body overwhelmed with everything that has happened today. ¡°There is some water over there, and I will have to get you some food. As you can see, there isn¡¯t any elephant I can offer you,¡± he says and Iugh.


    ¡°I am sorry that you have left your post toe and attend to you.¡± It has been quite some time since he found me sleeping outside. ¡°I was just breathing some air when I spotted you. Thank God we are two of us although my partner might be wondering where I went. In the meantime, I am going to get something for you to eat and talk to him so that he doesn¡¯t freak out in case he finds you here. Make sure my boss doesn¡¯t see you here.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, you don¡¯t have to worry. You have done so much for me already. You have my word,¡± I say as he leaves. I need to get some water. I hope and pray that this night goes well and that no one that is against me finds me. Also, if his boss finds me here, he may charge me for it or chase me away. Given that I don¡¯t have anywhere to stay tonight I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin the only hope I have. Worse still I could make Charles lose his job after trying to help me and I can understand that he needs his job especially with the neer that is on the way. I just have to be quiet and make sure everything is alright. When his boss leaves then I will have a sigh of relief because as Charles said no one could ess this ce except for the boss or his colleague security guy.


    I can feel my baby jumping in my womb and I wonder why it is so happy in this kind of situation. I stand up to go and fetch some water to drink but my head spins and I feel my ears buzzing and everything around me spins as well. I hold onto the chair for dear life but it can¡¯t contain my abrupt pull and weight and everything goes dark.

 Chapter 48

    Aniston


    ¡°Thank you Maish, this meeting has been long but sessful. Have a good evening.¡± I say as wee out of the elevator to one of mypany directors and his brother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, I have never regretted working with you or your father and I hope this is going toe out as nned.¡± Maish says and on my part, I have always been grateful to him for choosing to be on my side when everyone thought otherwise. ¡°Yes Mr Aniston, I promise to provide everything you need concerning this matter.¡± His brother says.


    ¡°Have a nice evening and I will get back to you soon.¡± They enter their respective cars but before they leave, I can hear some noiseing out from the security guys¡¯ room. Maish pokes his head through the car window, ¡°everything okay?¡± He might have heard the noise too. ¡°Yes,¡± I wave at him and they leave.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I ask Michael who seems to be alert. ¡°Sir, could it be that some people broke in here because I suppose the security are at the entrance?¡± He asks. ¡°Maybe you should go and check.¡± I tell him but he makes no effort to go. I move forward but he is still standing.


    ¡°Sir, you should be careful,¡± he cautions and I feel likeughing. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing with me?¡± ¡°Sir, I might as well wait outside for anyone that would threaten to follow you inside.¡± He looks in all directions and gives me the sign of the way forward to soldier on.


    ¡°Michael, don¡¯t be like that, stop joking. Charles!¡± I call but no soundes from the room. I need to leave now. ¡°Let me check and see if there is anyone inside the room, maybe he tripped, fell and fainted,¡± he says and goes to take a look. He gasps the moment he pushes the door and looks inside.


    ¡°What?¡± He shouldn¡¯t be dramatic right now.


    ¡°Sir, it is a woman!¡±


    ¡°A woman?¡± Yeah, but why is he panicking about that? He should just ask her toe out or confront her on whatever she is doing here. Could she be one of the security¡¯s girl? But this is against work ethics.


    ¡°A¡­a pregnant woman!¡± He starters. Could it be Charles¡¯s wife? ¡°Michael, why are you shouting instead of talking to her? Be fast about it, we need to leave.¡± Doesn¡¯t he know Charles¡¯s wife? If he doesn¡¯t, he just asks who she is and gets over it. Why is he behaving as if he has seen a ghost?


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Sir, she is¡­she is dead.¡± The moment he says that I feel a sudden urge to get to whoever this pregnant woman might be. Dead? I walk to where he is standing and push him aside so that I can get in. ¡°Sir, wait. You don¡¯t know if she was killed or something. You can¡¯t let your fingerprints be on her. You shouldn¡¯t touch her,¡± Michael says and I wonder why he thinks the woman is dead. She is facing away from us but she looks oddly familiar. ¡°We have cameras here, Michael so I won¡¯t get into trouble. Why do you even think that she is dead?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an assumption sir.¡± I step inside the room and crouch down and feel her pulse. Thank God she only fainted. ¡°She is okay, she only lost consciousness. She should be taken to the hospital right now.¡± I say. ¡°Let me call an ambnce,¡± Michael says and I turn her head to see who she is. Her hair covers her face in the process and I brush it off her face. My breath catches in my throat as I instantly recognize her. What the hell is she doing here? That one aside, I should take her to the hospital immediately.


    ¡°Michael, wait, don¡¯t call the ambnce. It might take too long to get here. Prepare the car, we should be getting to the hospital as soon as possible.¡± I say and his jaw drops. ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic, we are leaving now.¡± It seems he doesn¡¯t recognize who she is yet. ¡°Can I help you carry her?¡± He asks and I can¡¯t let him do that. ¡°No,¡± I warn.


    ¡°Sir, I am only trying to help.¡± He says. ¡°Michael, stop all this drama and help me by driving the car, okay? Someone needs to get to the hospital right now.¡± He looks at the woman I am gathering in my arms and his jaw couldn¡¯t drop any further. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s her, what is she doing here?¡±  He asks as if I know the answers to that question. I mean, aren¡¯t we from the same meeting on the topmost floor or the building?


    ¡°Michael!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± He leaves hurriedly and I pick her up bridal style and follow him. She is heavier than thest time I carried her to my office but yeah, I can still manage very well. Michael opens the rear doors of my car and helps me get her in gently. I then get in after her and hold her in ce as Michael takes the steering and speeds to the hospital. I hope we won¡¯t get a ticket for this.


    She is sweating and I take  my handkerchief from my pocket and wipe the excess sweat from her face. Her usual calm and beautiful face is distorted and I only hope that she isn¡¯t in pain because that would be a risk to her and her baby.


    She opens her eyes slowly and looks at me, opening her eyes wide. ¡°Neera, are you okay?¡± I ask her and she tries to open her mouth but only a few letterse out. ¡°Neera, please say something, are you in pain?¡± I ask her but she closes her eyes again back to unconsciousness. ¡°Hey, wake up, we are almost at the hospital,¡± my pleas fall on deaf ears.


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve arrived,¡± Michael announces as he switches off the engine. ¡°Help me get her out of the car.¡±


    ***


    I am sitting outside the gynecology room waiting for Neera to be attended to. My heart is beating fast in my chest as I remember the way she was trying to talk with difficulty and it breaks my heart. But what was she doing in the basement of my building? Why does she look like that? Do any of my security guys know about this?


    The door opens abruptly as the doctores out andes to me. ¡°Mr Aniston.¡± ¡°Earnest, how is she? Can I see her?¡± I ask him, concerned. ¡°Rx, Aniston. She is fine. Who is she to you?¡± I scratch my head and say, ¡°she is my friend.¡±  ¡°Aniston, you have a pregnant girlfriend and you have never told me about it? Did you break your friendship without my knowledge? Wait, where have you been taking her for her clinics? Don¡¯t you have faith in my capabilities anymore?¡± Earnest and his witty behavior.


    ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡±


    ¡°I see, you had a secret affair. It¡¯s okay, when I get married, you will know about it after a month,¡± he says. ¡°Earnest, it¡¯s not like that. Seriously, tell me, is she alright?¡± We are missing out on the main issue here.


    ¡°Aniston, she is alright now but her pressure is increasing and she is malnourished. Tell me what you were doing when this happened? Don¡¯t you love her? If you don¡¯t then you can let me take charge, she isn¡¯t bad looking. I can take care of your son very fine.¡± He says and I widen my eyes, he isn¡¯t joking, he is serious about that. I don¡¯t know how I am going to tell him that I only found her not so long ago in the security guys¡¯ room. I also have a lot of questions for her. I also need to know how Charles knows about her.


    ¡°I am sorry man, I need to see her now. I will  tell youter about our ¡®secret affair¡¯.¡± If only he knew this is a married woman. ¡°You can go and see her now.¡±


    I open the door slowly and close it behind me before moving to the bed where she is sleeping quietly. I sit beside her and take her left hand in mine. Her hand is soft but cold and I cover my other hand on top of it to at least transfer or share my heat with her. I rub her fingers and notice that her ring finger is empty. What is going on? I don¡¯t know what prompted her toe to my ce. Why didn¡¯t she meet me? Could it be that she wasn¡¯ting to me?


    I must be blowing things out of proportion. She might havee to see someone else. When she wakes up I will take her back. I should wait outside before then. I turn to leave but my hand is gripped tightly and I can¡¯t even stand up.


    ¡°Mom¡­mom.. don¡¯t. Don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave me alone. I don¡¯t want to¡­stay. Stay with me.¡± She murmurs in her sleep. ¡°Neera, wake up.¡± I say. ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­don¡¯t leave¡­, please,¡± she pleads. ¡°I am not going anywhere. I am not leaving you,¡± I say, wiping off the sweat on her forehead. She is having a nightmare. She calms down and goes back to sleep peacefully but still holding my hand firmly.


    I won¡¯t be able to move my hand from her hold lest it wakes her up. I pull a nearby chair carefully with one of my hands and sit on it, resting my head on the bed and cing our entwined hands above my head.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    It is peaceful here except for the smell of the disinfectant. I feel peaceful around this woman, I have never felt like this around any other woman before. Her breath is steady and I look up at her bump that is protruding. I lift my hand slowly and ce it on her belly. I spread my fingers but a movement inside her belly makes me withdraw my hand abruptly. What was that? I calm down and remember that she is pregnant and¡­oh my, did the baby just move? That was, I don¡¯t know how to exin it but it was so refreshing.


    My fingers are now itching to touch her again but I don¡¯t know how to stow it away so I give in. The baby seems excited right now. The door is knocked and Michael enters regardless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡± I ask him and he bows. ¡°Sorry sir. I just wanted to know if you are okay in here and that it iste already. How are you nning on getting home?¡±


    ¡°I am going to stay until she wakes up. I need to ensure her safety given that she is here alone and I am sure no one knows where she is. I will have to take her home.¡± I say and his eyes shift to my hands, one touching her belly and the other holding her hand. I know she is married but what to do, she is hard to resist.


    He clears his throat and focuses his eyes back to my face, ¡°but what was she doing at thepany? Have you talked to Charles about it? She could havee to visit him and he might be wondering where she has gone to. She doesn¡¯t even have her phone with her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right but I would prefer if she said it herself. Talking about her phone, could you arrange for it to be brought here together with anything that she had?¡±


    ¡°I can call Charles or his partner to make arrangements for her things to be delivered here.¡± Michael says and leaves to make a call. After a few moments hees back.


    ¡°Is everything settled now?¡± I ask him. ¡°No sir, there is an issue,¡± he answers. ¡°Issue? What issue?¡± Is he too busy or something? ¡°Sir, she had a bigger luggage with her other than her phone.¡± ¡°Then was she visiting anyone at thepany?¡± I ask because how can she carry some luggage without going anywhere?


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside, we shouldn¡¯t wake her up.¡± She moves her body when I withdraw my hand and I freeze. I watch as she searches for something with her hand and then rxes.

 Chapter 49

    Neera


    I feel my hands breaking apart from whatever I was holding then I open my eyes. The environment screams of a hospital ward because of its white walls and the smell of disinfectant. When did I get here? Who brought me here? Charles was supposed to bring me food and I was feeling thirsty so I¡­ No way, I fainted! But why am good here? I sit upright and someone holds me in ce as for a moment I forget that I am heavy.


    ¡°Careful, you might fall,¡± a voice says. It sounds familiar. ¡°Aniston? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I brought you to the hospital.¡± How did he do that? I was in a basement of a building. ¡°How are you doing now?¡± He asks. ¡°Better.¡± I say but my stomach chooses this as the perfect time to grumble. ¡°I can hear that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for bringing me to the hospital but I need to leave now.¡± I say quickly, making to get off the bed but he stops me. ¡°I can take you,¡± he offers. ¡°No.¡± Something bothers me. ¡°Howe you are the one who brought me here?¡±


    ¡°I found you in the basement of my building.¡± What? ¡°That is yourpany? You are Charles¡¯ boss?¡± This is shocking. ¡°Yes, he is one of my front office security guys. Were you visiting him?¡± Now this is hard. ¡°Something like that.¡± I have no clear answer to that. ¡°You are his rtive,¡± he says more of a statement than a question. ¡°No¡­a friend.¡± I say. ¡°You came visiting,¡± he notes and I start feeling guilty. I feel like he can see through my little lies. Maybe I should get my luggage and leave there as soon as I leave the hospital. I shouldn¡¯t let Charles get into trouble.


    ¡°Excuse me miss¡­Mrs, I might have gotten information that you have your luggage in thepany and that is against the rules.¡± Michael says and Aniston looks at him and then narrows his eyes at me. ¡°You know, I have strict rules for visiting hours for my workers. Charles might have forgotten them,¡± he says and I can literally see Charles¡¯ star diminishing.


    ¡°I am so sorry about that. I am also sorry on Charles¡¯ part. I didn¡¯t know about the visiting times and I also didn¡¯t know that it was yourpany,¡± I say apologetically. ¡°Howe? I thought you knew because you have been there and the name is also boldly written on the building.¡± Very challenging. ¡°I came through the back exit,¡± I say not sure if it is an entrance or an exit.


    ¡°Back exit? Neera, you are confusing me, are you sure you are fine?¡± He asks. I also feel like I should tell him the truth because I don¡¯t have any more lies to cover up my story. ¡°I am fine.¡±I say. ¡°Then tell me,¡± he sounds like he knows I am lying. I have never seen this side of him. It is as if he can read minds and this is one good trait of a business man. Aniston has been good to me and the one thing I shouldn¡¯t be doing is lie to him. He might even find outter about that.


    ¡°I was going somewhere but with my condition, I got tired at some point so I decided to take a rest. I din¡¯t know where I was at that time since my mind was too tired and I had lost count of time.¡± I say. ¡°Michael, I need you to get Neera some food.¡± Aniston says and I think he might be dismissing him to give us some privacy. ¡°On it, sir,¡± he says leaving the room.


    ¡°Were you walking?¡± He asks. ¡°Yes,¡± I answer. ¡°Tell me everything because after this, Charles is the next one.¡± He wants the truth from me.


    ¡°I was sleeping when Charles woke me up, telling me that I was at a private backyard of apany. He isn¡¯t my friend, well except until few hours ago. I wasn¡¯t going anywhere, I was just walking aimlessly then find somewhere to spend the night and know my fate tomorrow. I told him about that and he offered to let me stay at thepany¡¯s basement for the night then leave tomorrow. That is how I ended up in yourpany and to say the truth, I didn¡¯t know I was at yourpany until now that you told me.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t going anywhere? Had you forgotten who you were?¡± He is referring to me being Edward¡¯s wife. I even thank God that I have never had to fight with the paparazzi and for the first time, I am happy that Edward never made me public so not very many people in this city knows me. I can walk anywhere without anyone stopping by to take a picture of me or ask me any question.


    ¡°I know but what could I have done? I needed to go somewhere.¡± I say. ¡°How can you say that and ording to Michael, you had some luggage with you. How can you walk around heavy with luggage in your condition? Couldn¡¯t you have used a taxi or better still, your family is resourceful.¡± I know he must be wondering why I can¡¯t use a car given the status of my family or how can I be broke with all the money the Lawanson family has?


    ¡°You might not believe it but I am broke as a church mouse,¡± I shrug. ¡°You must be kidding me,¡± he says, widening his eyes. ¡°Oh, you are serious.¡±


    ¡°I quit my job a long time ago so yeah, I couldn¡¯t afford a taxi.¡±


    ¡°What about your husband?¡±  Oh no, there we go. I raise my left hand and show him my fingers and his face changes to one of, ¡®I thought so.¡¯ ¡°He divorced you? Why?¡± He asks sitting down on the bed.


    ¡°He used me of cheating on him. He assumes that the baby is not his.¡± I answer and he raises one of his eyebrows. ¡°Cheating? One look at you and anyone can tell which kind of a person you are,¡± he says making me chuckle. ¡°One look? Looks can be deceiving you know.¡±


    ¡°Psychology is one of the areas I studied some time ago and I can tell you what kind of a person you are. Even though I have spent little time with you, I know you are not capable of being unfaithful.¡±


    ¡°I have never cheated on him. I even quit working when he asked me to. I even stopped going out just to focus on taking the responsibility of the house. I buried my dreams and even stopped dreaming because I thought I had found my destiny. I did everything to make him happy but he didn¡¯t see that. What he did was to bring another woman in the house and make him his wife, forgetting me like I never existed. He didn¡¯t hesitate to throw me out of the house the moment he got the slightest chance.¡± A single tear rolls down my cheek and I wipe it away with the back of my hand.


    ¡°I loved him and always put his and the family¡¯s priorities first before mine. He never reciprocated. He never loved me at all and he had been cheating on me right from the beginning of our marriage.¡± Tears are now rolling nonstop and I let them fall freely. I can wipe themter when I am done with crying.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave when you knew that he was cheating on you?¡± He asks. ¡°I thought he would change. I didn¡¯t know he would go ahead and get another woman to our bedroom and disown me as his wife. I thought I could stay for my child but his new wife used me of wanting to kill her unborn child and that¡¯s how the whole family turned against me. Edward called hiswyers and made me sign the divorce and got nothing in return.¡±


    ¡°What? That is not how it works. You clearly have his child.¡± He says. ¡°As I told you earlier, he doesn¡¯t think that it is his child. He threatened to sue me for attempted murder if I created drama so I had no choice but to leave.¡± He pulls out a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and gives it to me. ¡°I am so sorry Neera, I know of evil people and their deeds but I didn¡¯t know that they exercised their cruelty on innocent souls.¡± He says and his face changes to a distant one. ¡°I only did what our families wanted. I married him from an agreement that came about from the people I have never even met or seen before. I did what I thought was good for both our families.¡±


    ¡°You said that you didn¡¯t have anywhere to go. Couldn¡¯t you have gone back to your parents house?¡± He asks. ¡°Oh that, he sold the house and when I asked him to at least give me the money that he made from the purchase, he made himself clear that it was a repayment for all that his family had done for me. I couldn¡¯t bear to cause drama when Valen had made them believe that I wanted to kill her unborn baby and I could spend my time behind bars. I can¡¯t let my child grow up in a foster home when I am capable. I did what I thought was right. I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve such kind of treatment. I,¡± I choke on my words and Aniston moves near me and wipes my tears with his thumbs seeing that his handkerchief isn¡¯t in use.


    ¡°Neera, you haven¡¯t done anything. You did what any responsible daughter would do.¡± He says, wiping my ungrateful tears that fall continuously on my face even when he does his best in wiping them. ¡°I thought he would love me, I thought he would love us. When my baby came along, I thought he would view me differently but it only got worse,¡± I sob and he makes me lean on his hard and lean chest. I knock on my head silently, how can I be thinking about that right now? ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s going to be fine, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s not good for the baby.¡± The moment he says that I wipe my tears away using his handkerchief and turn in his arms to face him. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t cry right?¡± He nods. ¡°I won¡¯t do that for an ungrateful human being. It could even be dangerous for my child and I would do anything for its wellbeing.¡±


    Enough of the crying.¡±How did you know that I was in that room?¡± I ask him because I don¡¯t know. ¡°I was leaving and before I could get into my car, I heard amotion and I had to go take  a look. Guess who I saw lying on the ground?¡± He asks.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Me?¡± I squeak.


    ¡°I had to do the honorable thing of taking you to the hospital. I thought you were Charles¡¯ friend or rtive.¡± Taking about Charles, ¡°I may need a favour from you.¡±


    ¡°I hope it is worth it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s from a noble cause. Can you spare Charles please? He was only nning on helping me. I can pay for his sins like maybe, work for you?¡± I am not sure he would ept my request. ¡°Work for me? Which kind of work do you think is vacant in mypany?¡± I scratch my head to be able to find a suitable answer for that. A cashier or a sales person? That is the only field that I have experience in. Although I am a literature graduate, I don¡¯t know if I can be hired with the little to no experience that I have.


    ¡°You can check which department iscking manpower then I can make myself useful.¡± I answer. I don¡¯t even know the protocol they use at hispany to hire somebody.


    ¡°No, you tell me what you want or your area of study then I can check then we know the way forward,¡± he says, making it difficult for me. I should just opt for unskilled  roles because there could be a vacancy for a challenging role that is totally different from my area of expertise. What do I do? Can I just go for his idea or? Dear Lord, please help me.

 Chapter 50

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, any work for now is okay for me. I need to survive in this city.¡± ¡°Right now they are only menial jobs at my construction site I think,¡± he says, daring me to ept the offer. ¡°Then we have a deal sir,¡± I say, and gesture for a handshake but he hides his hand behind his back.


    ¡°I am not that heartless youngdy. How about I pay you now then you work for meter?¡± Is he serious? Advance payment? ¡°Great. When do I get the advance?¡± I am so excited. ¡°Are you in a hurry? We haven¡¯t signed a contract yet so it¡¯s only fair that you get the payment after that. How soon do you think you want to get it?¡± If only he knew the urgency of the matter. ¡°As soon as now?¡± I raise my eyebrows at him. ¡°Now? You didn¡¯t answer my question on why you are in such a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Well, for starters I need to look for an apartment. I have nowhere to sleep tonight.¡± I don¡¯t know where to go to after I leave this hospital. Can he agree to let me stay at hispany then? ¡°Is that why you are in a hurry to get the advance payment? Come to think of it, why didn¡¯t youe to my office then, or you should have called me. I remember Sara gave you my card.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, she did but I forgot where I kept it. I didn¡¯t even think about that when I was leaving that damn house. I might have misced it.¡±


    ¡°Let me not beat around the bush. I know your situation, Neera. You have nowhere to stay right now so what if I ask you to stay at my ce before you find yours then we talk about this? I really want to¡­help you. If you want to pay me then you do it after you give birth. I can¡¯t just stay and watch you suffer when I can help. I even wish you hade to my office right away the moment you were thrown out of your house but it¡¯s fine. I am here now. I am going to call the doctor and after he checks on you we are leaving, is that alright?¡± If this is not an angel sent directly from heaven to rescue me then I don¡¯t know who he could be. ¡°Thank you so much Aniston, I will never forget about this for a very long time.¡± I say.


    ¡°I wish you remember me forever,¡± he says more to himself than to me. ¡°Of course I will never forget you ever. I cross my heart.¡±


    ¡°So, do I get a promise from you?¡± He asks and I don¡¯t understand. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Yes. You promise me you will never cry about that ever again. What do you say?¡± When I think of everything that I have been through, I make a vow not only to him, but to myselfrgely.


    ¡°Never again.¡± I say solemnly as the door opens as Michael and the doctores in.


    ***


    Michaeles back with my suitcase and ces it in the trunk of the car. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say as he opens the door for me. I have talked to Charles already and Aniston told him that I am his long lost friend and I didn¡¯t know where he lived. Most of this is true, for real I don¡¯t know where Aniston lives and I am like a friend of his.


    ¡°How is Sara?¡± I ask when we are all settled in the car. I hope she doesn¡¯t throw tantrums the times I¡¯ll be staying in her brother¡¯s house. She was like a sworn enemy the first time we met.


    ¡°She is doing great. She doesn¡¯t seem to stop talking about you anytime she gets the chance.¡± Sara? Talk about me everytime?


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe what I just said but since that time you escaped from those kidnappers, she has never been the same again. Neera, Sara told me everything from how you saved her from a gunshot to how you two escaped that godforsaken factory. This is one of the reasons I am not hesitant in helping you. You deserve more than this and if you ever ask me for anything in return regarding this, I will do anything. My sister means everything to me and she is one of my greatest responsibilities. You did what I, his brother couldn¡¯t have done.¡± One of the reasons? Are there more other reasons?


    ¡°Aniston, you weren¡¯t there and I did what I did as any other sane human being could have done,¡± I say.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have forgiven myself if anything was to happen to her.¡±


    ¡°God knows you were busy doing something else so he might have used me to do that for you.¡± He is a good man and good things happen to good people.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you too Aniston.¡± I say and lean my head on the backrest of the car. ¡°We aren¡¯t far from home. I know you are too tired, you literally had a very long day.¡± He says as Michael turns to a driveway that is upied by beautiful townhomes on each side. Hees to the front of a white gate and presses a code on the screen sensor on the side of it and a middle aged security guy opens it. He salutes at the car as Michael goes to park it at a shade that has few other wonderful cars.


    Michael shuts off the car engine and opens Aniston¡¯s door and goes on to open the trunk to retrieve my suitcase. Anistones to my side, opens my door and helps me out. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say but he shuts me up. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, I was only doing what gentlemen do.¡± He says casually and I smile. ¡°So you are a gentleman huh?¡± I tease him. ¡°I don¡¯t know, you tell me if you think I am,¡± he challenges. ¡°You are, sir.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me sir. I thought we were friends,¡± he says. ¡°I thought I am your subject,¡± I say. ¡°Not yet. So in the meantime before you be my worker, Aniston is a better option and don¡¯t use the term subject, we are in the 21st century not in the sixteenth.¡± He corrects and I nod. ¡°Come.¡±


    He leads me to the most magnificent house, I can argue it is the most beautiful mansion in Sura City. The door is opened by ady, who looks like she could be in herte thirties or could be in her early forties.


    ¡°Wee home, sir.¡± She says respectively and makes way for us to enter. The inside is as luxurious as I expected it to be.


    ¡°Neera!¡±


    Sara shouts as shees to the living room. She gives me a side hug since my belly cannot amodate a bear hug. ¡°You look beautiful and kinda¡­ big. I missed you.¡± She says cheerfully and takes my hand leading me to a nearby couch. ¡°When did this happen?¡± She asks. ¡°What?¡± I don¡¯t understand what she means. ¡°I mean, you are going to be a mom. Have it been so long since we saw each other? How time flies.¡±  Yeah right, since that time we were kidnapped.


    ¡°It seems someone has forgotten about me,¡± Anistonins. ¡°Oh brother, you have been getting those for far too long. It¡¯s time for change,¡± she says. ¡°Alright then, Betty, is dinner ready? I think someone doesn¡¯t like me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± Betty says.


    ¡°Then you show Neera her room. She will be staying with us for a while,¡± Aniston says.


    ¡°Are you serious? Neera, are you going to stay with us? This is a dreame true for me. Betty, she is gonna be staying with me in my room. Michael, take her bag to my room.¡± Sara is so excited. Howe she looks like I am her lost rib?


    ¡°Yes little sis, she is going to be with us but she is not going to stay with you. Do you want to suffocate her?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She had forgotten about my condition. She changes her mind after taking into consideration what her brother says and doesn¡¯t question it. She respects him. Aniston makes a good guardian. He could be the best father any wife could ask for.


    ¡°Then I will have to take her to her room after dinner. Neera,e and join us for dinner.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I think I might have had something to eat before I came here.¡± I still feel full.


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t. See, you are now eating for two so count the first one as the baby¡¯s then this one is yours.¡± She can¡¯t be serious. ¡°Just a little, okay,¡± I don¡¯t want to make her feel bad given how she is trying her best to make me feelfortable. I also want to go and freshen up after this. I feel awful after staying like this the whole day.


    ¡°Neera, I talked to doctor Earnest and he assured me that he would be more than d to have you attend your antenatals in his hospital. Unless you want to continue going to the one you usually attend,¡± Aniston says and it reminds me that I can no longer go to E&PL hospital because it belongs to Edward¡¯s parents. I was even using Edward¡¯s card. Isn¡¯t this a golden opportunity? Aniston might have overlooked my future with everything that he is doing for me. Perhaps he knows I used to go to the Lawanson family hospital and I can¡¯t go back there given the conditions of our divorce.


    ¡°Thank you Aniston. I won¡¯t be able to go back to that hospital because it belongs to Edward¡¯s parents. I was given strict instructions so that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡°Then Earnest will be d to have you,¡± he says, smiling. ¡°Neera, will you start going tomorrow? I will take you there and when you do your ultrasound, I will be holding your hand. Then I will take you shopping and we will buy all the beautiful baby items we can find. Everything should be in pink colors. Oh my goodness, I am so excited!¡± Sara exims.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s a boy? Do you think pink would be a great color for boys?¡± Aniston asks her. I never thought that he could have ideas on baby colors.


    ¡°Then we can make him act like a girl.¡± Oh dear, now she sounds ridiculous. ¡°It doesn¡¯t happen like that little sis, you have to go with the norm. ¡°Alright then, but she can go for the gender ultrasound. Then I will know which colors to choose for my god baby. What do you think about knowing the gender of your baby?¡±


    God baby? ¡°I decided against that. I want to love the baby the way it would turn out to be. Be it a boy or a girl.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, I will be decorating the baby¡¯s room in preparation for hering. Brother, what about the room next to mine? Don¡¯t say it thank you I love you,¡± she says even without waiting for her brother¡¯s response. I am just enjoying their cheerful exchange that is less than table manners.


    ¡°By the way Neera, I am missing something here or rather a lot. Forgive my questions but what happened? Why are you here, staying with us? Not in a bad way though.¡±


    ¡°I understand but it¡¯s a long story, Sara.¡±


    ¡°I have all night to listen to it.¡± Sara doesn¡¯t give in easily. ¡°Not tonight Sara, Neera has had a long day so it¡¯s only fair that she rests early,¡± Aniston tells her. ¡°Alright then, tomorrow you will have to tell me about that long story.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    We are done with dinner and it¡¯s time for a night¡¯s rest. Aniston wishes me a good night¡¯s sleep and retires to his room while Sara insists on taking me to my room.


    ¡°Thank you Sara, I am going to freshen up before I go to bed.¡± I tell her after helping me unpack some of my things. ¡°You have a good rest and I will see you in the morning,¡± she says leaving the room. I get into the shower and after some minutes, I am out and ready for bed in the mostfortable night dress. I lie on the bed carefully and cover myself and it feels sofortable that after a long time, I feel at peace and every burden seems to be lifted off my shoulders and I sleep soundly as a baby, with nothing to worry about anymore.

 Chapter 51

    Two weekster.


    I wake up feeling well rested and in high spirits. It is earlier than my usual wake up time. I spread my bed and arrange my room before freshening up to go downstairs. I usually do this since there is nothing else to do in this mansion, every chore taken over by the house helps. I am treated like a porcin doll and majorly like family. I don¡¯t feel like an outsider. Sara put herself in charge of taking me to the hospital with Az. My friend thought at first that I was joking when I told her that Aniston¡¯s sister will be apanying me to my checkups. I understood because their first encounter wasn¡¯t something to be happy about after I identally broke her item. They had an unpleasant exchange and now, they had no choice but to ovee their differences because on one side is my best friend and on the other is somebody I could call family with the way she treats me.


    Both of them think that I am carrying a baby girl. They are getting along well and I like that the people who care about me are sailing in the same boat as I am.


    Sara has already started decorating the baby¡¯s room and has even called some interior designers to do some touch ups in it. It is as if I am going to stay here forever with everything that she is doing. I am supposed to leave here as soon as I give birth, at least that is what we agreed on with Aniston, after I start working for him.


    I will be going for a walk today after breakfast. I need some exercises since I don¡¯t do any serious activities. I walk down the stairs and find Sara and Aniston already at the table.


    ¡°Neera, you look radiant this early morning, you had a good night¡¯s rest I guess,¡± Sara says as I pull my seat. ¡°Yes I had thank you, I hope you two aren¡¯t exceptions.¡±


    ¡°We certainly slept well,¡± Aniston says. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± I counter as a notification sounds in my phone. I unlock it and I can see it is an email but I don¡¯t know who it is from.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Aniston asks and I think my abrupt silence after I checked my phone has piqued their curiosity. ¡°Yes, I just received an email notification so let me check it out.¡±


    I open the email folder and it reads:


    Thank you for participating in the Annual Writing Competition. Your submission has been reviewed and approved and we are pleased to inform you that your manuscript is among the three finalists.


    The final presentation will be held at the House of Citizens, be sure to attend.


    Yours sincerely,


    The AWC Panelist.


    What? I can¡¯t believe this is happening right now. How did this happen? I mean it was supposed to be deleted months ago when Edward found me before I could submit it. I rey the events of that particr few minutes that had me thinking that my once in a lifetime opportunity had flown out of the window. I remember pressing my fingers on the keyboard and theputer screen¡­Wait, did I submit it in that manner? I have seen miracles happen but this, is a major one. I even thought that the contest was over and had forgotten about it.


    I have no words to say about this but my heart is so overjoyed and my mind can¡¯t believe what I just read. I am among the top three finalists of the contest.


    ¡°Neera, you seem to be in another world. I am too curious it can kill me. Is there anything to worry about?¡± Sara asks and I can see the expression on her face is unsettled.


    ¡°Everything is great. It is just that I can¡¯t believe what I just read on my phone.¡±


    ¡°What is that making you this amazed?¡±


    ¡°Let me see it.¡± Aniston says and stretches his hand to take my phone.


    ¡°Wow, this is awesome, your story made it to the finals.¡± He remarks. ¡°For real? Neera, I never knew that you could be a creative writer. I am so happy for you.¡±


    ¡°What makes me surprised is that I didn¡¯t know that my story was submitted. I didn¡¯t even know that thepetition was still ongoing and the cherry on top is that I am among the finalists.¡± I say, still surprised.


    ¡°How is it surprising when you are the one who did that?¡± Sara asks.


    ¡°Well, I had almost done that when something happened.¡±


    ¡°And what was that?¡±


    ¡°Edward found out about the story before I could submit it and we had a serious confrontation. He even deleted all of my drafts. Although I can attest that I might have submitted it because it was just a ¡®press button¡¯ away then be done. So that could be it.¡± I say.


    ¡°Why was Edward so cruel to you? I mean even if he didn¡¯t love you he could have treated you well since you agreed to marry him.¡± Sara says.


    ¡°He told me asionally that I was only there to rece his dead grand aunt. So he only married me to fulfill his grandfather¡¯s wish and nothing else.¡±


    ¡°What has the death of his grand aunt got to do with your happiness? I don¡¯t get why someone would hate you for that when clearly you didn¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°It was assumed that my grandfather was the cause of her death so  because they were business partners old Lawanson thought the only way my grandfather would pay was to bring a marriage agreement between the two families.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. But that is not reason enough to make you suffer like that. I thought Edward was a prince charming but he is the devil¡¯s agent. I hate him,¡± she says. ¡°How did your grandfather kill her?¡± Aniston asks. ¡°He identally crushed her with a machine.¡± He goes into deep thought and turns to me again. ¡°It is going to be fine. Now you just have to prepare for the prize that you are going to get. I will be sure to attend.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t also miss for anything. I will be there to support you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I already know the dates for the final presentation from the day I read theirpetition advert. It is the next Friday.

 Chapter 52

    ¡°Neera, here is your dress.¡± Sara says as shees to my room. I am justing from the bathroom to get ready for the AWC event. ¡°I see you are already ready. You look stunning by the way,¡± Iment at her long blue and white floral dress that in my opinion suits this event very well.


    ¡°Thank you and this will look great on you,¡± she says handing me the short sleeves navy blue bandage dress with a ck and white kimono. I put it on and it isn¡¯t too long, just below my knees. The kimonoplements it well, giving me the sophisticated and ssy pregnant woman look. I apply some lip gloss and a little face cream because I am not in the mood for any make up. I gather my hair into a neat ponytail and that gives out the career woman vibe.


    ¡°Wow, you are the most beautiful pregged woman I have ever seen. Let¡¯s go get that prize. I am sure that you are going to beat all the other contestants and win thepetition.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    I walk down the stairs carefully and meet Aniston in the living room on a call. He seems serious in whatever they are conversing with the caller and after he hangs up, he turns to me and stares for a while beforeposing himself. ¡°You look gorgeous, the dress suits you,¡± hepliments and I am taken aback by his unexpectedment. ¡°Thank you, you don¡¯t look bad yourself.¡± Sara narrows her eyes at us andes near us. ¡°You look good together,¡± she says and I cough. ¡°What I mean is you both look great and brother, we are ready. We should be leaving now,¡± she informs him but he shakes his head.


    ¡°I am sorry Neera, I won¡¯t be going with you. I have an emergency that needs my attention so I will be leaving now. We would have given you a ride but the House of Citizens is in the opposite direction.¡±


    ¡°It is okay, we will manage.¡±


    ¡°Yes Anny, my driver will do the job, don¡¯t worry.¡± Sara says, making him twist his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, I told you it sounds girl-ish, in fact, it is a female name,¡± he says. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see you guyster and Neera, best of luck,¡± he adds and pecks his sister on the cheek before hees to my side, holds the back of my head and pecks me on my temple. I feel¡­ I don¡¯t know how to ce it but isn¡¯t it too intimate?


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Sara asks me when she sees that I am in a bit of a frenzy. ¡°Yes, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Are we going to pick up Az as well?¡± She asks. ¡°No, she will join us there. I think she will even be punctual than us. She was excited about that.¡±


    ***


    ¡°You are all wee to the Annual Writing Competition. Distinguished guests, delegates, friends and family, we are pleased to have you at the final presentation of our contest that usually takes ce once in a year. Wherever you are watching us from for those who are online, you are wee. In today¡¯s event, we are honored to have the celebrated New York Times editor in our midst and not forgetting our own Sura Media executive producer, Mr Birdle who is also the best selling author of our time. As you all know, Sura Media is the regional leading mediapany. Now, let me wee them to talk to us before we proceed to the main part of the event which is knowing the country¡¯s best author. I am not saying the other¡¯s aren¡¯t good but in thispetition, the first prize goes to the one that our learned and experienced panelists chooses as the best. Now, a big round of apuse as we wee our own Mr Birdle to give his speech and thereafter, we shall have Mr. Sumner,¡± the MC announces.


    Everybody ps as Mr Birdle goes up the stage and takes the microphone. He makes his speech then wees Howard Sumner who makes his speech as well.


    ¡°Now, we are going to wee our three finalists up on the stage so that the world will know the next big author and the faces behind them. A big round of apuse for Mr Nic Denitte, Mr James Wright and Miss Neera Brown.¡±


    ¡°Neera, it¡¯s time,¡± Az whispers to me as I prepare to stand up and go up to the stage. ¡°We are behind you,  off you go,¡± Sara encourages me and I stand up and walk step by step to the few stairs that lead to the podium. We stand in line and face the crowd of book lovers that are assembled in this hall that is on the ground floor of the House of Citizens. I take a long breath to settle my nerves and face the table of four panelists before us. Each one of themments on all of our manuscripts giving us more or less of what should have been included in our crafts.


    ¡°So, we are moving on to the final one which is announcing the winners of the contest. Let¡¯s wee Mrs Iyner  to oversee the positions. Mrs Iyner, the stage is yours,¡± the MC says. A familiar middle aged woman walks majestically to the panelists and one of them hands her three cards beforeing to the stage. Wait, she is the famous author of my favoriteic book, ¡®The House of Lies.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you for giving me this opportunity,¡± she starts and I love her majestic andmanding voice. ¡°Without wasting any time, let me go straight to announcing the winner of this year¡¯s contest. In the second runners up position is Mr James Wright. Please step forward,¡± she directs and he moves a few steps in front of us. My heart is now beating fast with just two positions remaining. First runner¡¯s up and the winner. I hold my palms together, look down on the floor and close my eyes.


    ¡°Now, the first runner¡¯s up,¡± she pauses and everybody in the room goes silent. You could hear the pin drop. I am now holding my breath waiting for her crucial announcement. The moment she calls out the name of the runners up then obviously the remaining one is automatically the winner. As of now, I havee this far so even if I am not the winner, the second position is better as well. I know that quite a number of people take part in this contest so being here is a giant leap for a first timer like me.


    ¡°In the first runner¡¯s up position, let¡¯s wee Nic Denitte,¡±  she calls and my heartbeat couldn¡¯t be faster. I think if somebody could be standing next to me my heartbeat could be loud in their ears as well. ¡°Now,dies and gentlemen, are we ready for the winner of this year¡¯s annual writingpetition?¡± She asks and everybody cheers. ¡°Our winner for this year¡¯s writing contest is, Miss Neera Brown!¡± She announces making me look up and I can see Sara and Az cheering as well. They are really happy for me.

 Chapter 53

    After all the formalities, we are seated in the car ready to leave. I have a contract to sign in a week¡¯s time. I am tired and would kill for a little nap.


    Azes to the side of my window. ¡°Thank you foring Az, your presence was highly appreciated,¡± I say. ¡°Oh, you should know that I was more than excited to be here. I wouldn¡¯t miss that moment where you get on the stage and receive that prize. Way to go girl. You know what, I am thinking about a live interview with you one of these days.¡±


    ¡°An interview? For what?¡±


    ¡°You are a celebrity now. You are a sensation now. I guess everybody would want to know about your lifestyle and you will have to start dealing with paparazzi as from now,¡± Az says but I don¡¯t think I am that interesting to know about me. ¡°Thank you for your support anyway, see you around. I am feeling so tired right now.¡± I say. ¡°You go Neera, I know you have tried, you are so strong. I should be on my way too, bye Sara and take care of her.¡±


    ¡°With all I have Az, see youter. And I would love to be on that interview too,¡± she says making me nudge her with my elbow. ¡°There is no interview, okay?¡± I correct her. ¡°If you say so, Felix, let¡¯s go,¡± she tells her driver.


    ***


    ¡°This is so delicious, Betty, from tomorrow you are going to teach me all those recipes.¡± Sara says the moment we sit down to have dinner. It¡¯s in the evening and it¡¯s just the two of us on the dining. The food is delicious for real, Betty must have attended some cooking sses for sure.


    ¡°Why do you want to know how to cook now? I mean Betty is here,¡± I say. ¡°I know right? I could have started earlier but I just wanted theplicated recipes because when I leave, I wouldn¡¯t be in trouble for burning someone¡¯s kitchen and also having to pay someone to do it for me or do some online orders. I prefer homemade,¡± she says. ¡°You are leaving?¡± I didn¡¯t know about this.


    ¡°I am going away for two years for my masters. So I thought cooking sses coulde in handy,¡± she answers. ¡°When? But you could study while staying here.¡± ¡°In three month¡¯s time. I can¡¯t because I am going overseas.¡± Oh. ¡°I am gonna miss you,¡± I say. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are missing me already while I am still here,¡± she jokes. ¡°Sounds funny right? I am already past three months and envisioning a life without you,¡± I say. ¡°Oh no, I will be back before you know it. It¡¯s not like I am going forever. I will also be visiting during the breaks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± ¡°I will miss you too for sure,¡± she says. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the now, we still have three months,¡± I say.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long but productive day. Enjoy your night Neera,¡± Sara says as she yawns. ¡°Good night Sara, see you in the morning.¡± It is still pretty early for my usual sleeping time but I need some rest even if it would take some time before I sleep.


    I enter my room that I have gotten used to. I have every reason to call it mine, I have my privacy and no one questions or cares about how I live in or take care of it. Sometimes I wonder why it had to take this long or why I had to go through what I did before I could have this peace and respect. Why would I have to marry that damn hunk when he clearly wasn¡¯t interested in me. But what can I say? After everything, I can admit I am happy. I wish my parents were still alive to see my achievements. I wish they could see that their girl is one of the best uing authors in this country and I won in the firstpetition I took part in.


    I walk to the drawer in the closet where I ced the three mystery items and retrieve them and go back with them and ce them on my bed. There is the camcorder, the album and the other box I don¡¯t know what is inside. Which one do I start with? Let me talk to my parents first.


    I take the album and open the pages one by one before finding one with the pictures of them. I ce the pillows against the head board so they support my back and hold the photo album so that I can take a good look at it.


    ¡°Mom, dad, see this?¡± I ask holding my certificate that I was awarded at the ceremony. ¡°I was in the first position at this year¡¯s annual writing contest. I wish you could share in my achievements but all I can say is, mama I made it,¡± I say with one single tear rolling down my cheek. ¡°I remember when you could buy me story books because you knew I loved interesting stories when I was still a little girl. You nurtured who I would be and now, I feel proud to have been your child and will never forget all that you did for me. I wanted to tell you that Edward divorced me but I never regret that decision even for a second. The only thing that I regretted is why I took too long to realize that I needed to be out of that ce. That is now in the past because now I met this amazing family that treat me as their own even without asking for it. They helped me when my life almost came crumbling down and I didn¡¯t have anyone to run to or anywhere to go. I am happy mom just like¡­¡± Before I can finish my statement someone knocks on my door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I say and wipe the tears that were now full on on my face. Anistones in wearing grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt that hugs his upper body like a second skin. He looks clean and fresh with them biceps and his packed muscles protruding from the t-shirt.


    ¡°You are back,¡± I note as he closes the door andes to where I am. ¡°Yes, not so long ago,¡± he says. ¡°You are crying, what happened?¡± He asksing closer. ¡°Nothing. I was just talking to my parents and telling them about today. Take a seat,¡± I gesture to the space beside me on the bed. ¡°I guess you have met them, in my not so perfect wedding,¡± I say. ¡°Not really. I was a backbencher there so I might have but not know them.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Oh, then you might get the opportunity now. Here,¡± I give it to him and he buries his head like he is looking at something crucial. ¡°Can I look further?¡± He asks and I nod. He opens the pagesmenting on some of them and smiling at others. ¡°You were pretty as a little girl.¡± He says looking at one of my pictures when I was five.


    ¡°You want to say in other words that I am not pretty anymore?¡± I joke. ¡°Of course not. You turned into the most beautiful woman I have ever met,¡± he says smiling and I don¡¯t feel awkward at his statement instead I feel my baby moving. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    One picture captures his attention and he looks puzzled at me. ¡°What is giving you that look?¡± I ask when he goes silent. ¡°Why are you having these pictures?¡± He asks and I am surprised at his question. Why would he ask me why I am having my family pictures? I tilt my head because I don¡¯t get it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I mean this,¡± he says, showing me the picture that is like a mystery to me.

 Chapter 54

    ¡°Aniston, what is going on?¡± He is making me nervous just like the way I felt when Martha told me to throw the picture away. Although she had told me who the two men were, she gave me a strict warning not to show it to anyone. I know who they are except for thedy and another man who I think is her husband because of their wedding photo.


    ¡°I just wanted to know why you have this photo with you,¡± he says, not making any more sense. Maybe if I could borate he would know why I am having a family picture with me. ¡°Aniston, this man here is myte grandfather,¡± I point to one of the men and he is more than surprised at my reveal. ¡°Your grandfather? No way,¡± he says.


    ¡°Yes way, the others are his friends although I don¡¯t know the two,¡± I say, pointing to thedy and the man I do not know. ¡°But why are you asking, you are making me nervous.¡±


    ¡°Neera, this woman here is myte grandmother, this is her husband, my grandfather. The other man is my grandma¡¯s brother, although he wasn¡¯t her real sibling, my great grandfather adopted her as his own daughter.¡± For real? What a shocking revtion. Does this mean¡­ No it can¡¯t be real. ¡°Do you know who this man is, your grandma¡¯s brother?¡± He should at least know that one. ¡°No, sincerely speaking I never got to know him but all I know is that he is my grand uncle. I recently assigned someone to look for the identity of the man.¡± What?


    ¡°Aniston, do you really not know who this man is?¡± I ask. ¡°No I don¡¯t. As I had told you some time earlier, my parents weren¡¯t born here that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t get to know most of their rtives. I wasn¡¯t even bothered about it because thest time I asked my mom, she told me to forget about it, so that¡¯s it.¡± He can¡¯t be serious.


    ¡°Did your grandmother have any other sibling, like another sister?¡± I ask because where this is going, I sure am going to have my blood pressure rising and having a heart attack. ¡°She was adopted so I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± he answers. ¡°I mean, his brother, did he have any other blood sisters?¡± I want to be sure of what I am assuming. ¡°He was an only child. That¡¯s why his father adopted another child, that is, my grandmother because they couldn¡¯t have another baby.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°My father told me. He was also the only child of my mom. He told me something in the lines of somebody close to my grandma had yed a wicked game card with our family since the beginning. Up to now I don¡¯t know what he meant by that,¡± he says, deep in thought. This is really a small world we live in.


    How is this possible? A woman that made my father agree to a marriage arrangement is Aniston¡¯s grandmother? He doesn¡¯t know that his grandmother is Edward¡¯s grand aunt and that she is the woman my grandfather was used of killing. How is he gonna take it? As of now he doesn¡¯t know the identity of his grandmother¡¯s foster family. Should I tell him the truth? I think I should because he hasn¡¯t given me any reason to keep anything from him, especially those that concern him.


    ¡°Aniston, I am sorry for what I am going to tell you next. I,¡± he cuts me off, ¡°no Neera, don¡¯t be. What were you going to say anyway?¡±


    ¡°The other man, who is your grand uncle, is actually Edward¡¯s grandfather.¡± I say and his mouth drops to the ground. ¡°Bullshit!¡± He curses. ¡°No Aniston, it¡¯s not bullshit. He is really his grandfather and your grandmother is his stepsister. I know this because you told me that he only had one sister and I was living in the Lawanson household so I know who he is.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This is so shocking Neera. I have never had any close rtions with the Lawanson family but you can¡¯t me me because I didn¡¯t know. Another thing is that I have never liked that family and with what they did to you, I lost the little faith I had in them so even if they are like family I am not in the mood for any formalities. I am okay the way I am if you are nning to try and talk me into going to introduce myself and create some rtionship.¡± He confesses.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be but I know what I am going to tell you will be more shocking than that.¡± I hope he won¡¯t go into a frenzy because of that but I am more than prepared to deal with however his reaction may be. Let me say it and get it over with, whateveres.


    ¡°What is it Neera?¡±


    ¡°That woman, your grandmother is the one my grandfather was suspected of killing,¡± I say quickly. ¡°And that¡¯s what led to your marriage right?¡± He asks with calmness that I didn¡¯t expect. ¡°Yes. Actually the truth is his son was to marry my grandfather¡¯s daughter but because my father was born instead, the agreement was passed on to me.¡±


    ¡°Did your grandfather serve any jail sentence, like, was he charged for murder?¡± He asks, making me think that he is thinking of opening a case against my dead grandpa. ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t. I was told that because they were buddies and business partners, my grandfather was to leave everything behind and transfer all the shares he had this name and also ensure that his daughter marries into the Lawanson family as a recement for his dead sister.¡± He sighs.


    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is that how can you not charge someone you use of murdering your sister although he took matters into his own hands by taking all that belonged to him. I have never heard of this before, not even from my father. I only know that my grandma died under mysterious circumstances or so I was told.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry for your loss and please forgive my grandfather because from the story my father gave me, he wasn¡¯t aware so he did it identally. I know my father couldn¡¯t have lied to me because he told me this on his deathbed. But to atone for my family¡¯s sins, I will leave tomorrow,¡± I say because I don¡¯t think he could find it interesting to stay near me anymore, given that my grandfather killed his grandmother.

 Chapter 55

    ¡°Neera, this happened many years ago even before you were born. It would only mean I am wicked just like them for sending you away for something you did not do. You are not going anywhere, this is like your home. This was surprising and shocking as well to know that your grandfather was my grandma¡¯s acquaintance but everything happens for a reason. Whatever happened is in the past now so don¡¯t dwell there so much,¡± he says making my eyes water.


    ¡°Thank you Aniston. You are such a wonderful and understanding man I have ever met. I think everyone around you feels the same. Sara must be so proud to have you as a brother.¡± I say and put away the photo album.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. What are those by the way?¡± He asks, referring to the camcorder and the small box lying beside my feet. ¡°This here is a camcorder.¡± I stretch my hand to get it but any further I would burst from pressure. ¡°Hey, why are you trying so hard when you could have just asked me to get it for you,¡± Aniston says and moves his body to pick the small box and the camcorder. ¡°Where did you get this from?¡± He studies them and with the condition of the camcorder even though I had cleaned it, it still looks old and one might wonder what I am doing with such a thing. I may be considered a hoarder which I am not.


    ¡°The box is my father¡¯s memorabilia and the other I picked from the old factory that day we were kidnapped.¡± I say, I hope I don¡¯t sound like a fake archaeologist. ¡°Oh I see, what does it contain?¡± I haven¡¯t had time to check it. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I was nning to check it out.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see if it¡¯s still working.¡± He opens the memory section and retrieves a uSD card and shows it to me. ¡°Seems it has some information in it.¡± He puts it back in and tries to switch it on but it doesn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Can we try another way?¡± I ask and he nods. ¡°Of course. Let me bring myptop and see if it can work there.¡± Why are we so serious in knowing what is contained in this cam? I hope we aren¡¯t switching our careers in this manner and that I didn¡¯t even care to hide these items from Aniston.


    Hees back with his MacBook and sits back on the space beside me. He takes the uSD card and inserts it in an adapter and plugs it in theptop. He switches it on without even bothering to hide his password from me. ¡°Your password is supposed to be private, you know.¡± I say. ¡°I trust you.¡± Oh, he didn¡¯t just say that.


    ¡°That much huh?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are some FBI or some underworld mafia or a thief and also I can change it anytime.¡± He says not moving his eyes from the screen and I chuckle. He opens the drive and selects the specific file folder one we are supposed to be looking at. It opens further into two files, a video and an audio. ¡°Do you think we should start with the video or audio?¡± He asks. ¡°I think the audio is okay for a start, I don¡¯t want to witness a murder first so audio first then videoter. ¡°Okay ma¡¯am,¡± he says and clicks open the file.


    ***


    shback, many years ago.


    George Lawanson


    ¡°Jacob, what are you saying?¡± I ask as I sit on my chair listening to my driver. ¡°Yes sir, I am sure of this. I overheard your father talking to hiswyers about transferring his entire business empire to Zara, your sister.¡± He says making me stand up abruptly from my chair that swivels before settling. ¡°Jacob, when was this?¡±


    ¡°Two days ago when you asked me to take your father to the meeting when his car was at the mechanic. It wasn¡¯t just another usual meeting but he was discussing the necessary procedures with hiswyers on how he is supposed to do that.¡± So my father wants that good-for-nothing stepsister to inherit what rightfully belong to me? Why would he do that? Am I an embicile or mad that he would give aplete outsider all his property?  Am I not his son? ¡°Where is he right now?¡± I need to see him right away. ¡°He is at home, he wasn¡¯t at the office today ording to one of his security.¡±


    ¡°I need you to gather more information on this but do not let anyone else know about this. I will get to the root of this and I am going to my father. He has some exining to do. Dismissed.¡±


    After he closes the door I bang my hand on the table and push all the papers and every other item on the table barely missing theputer such that they scatter all over the floor. My secretaryes in panting and looks at the mess on the floor. ¡°Is there any problem sir?¡± She asks. ¡°No, and clean that up I am done for the day.¡± I say walking out of my office and she dares not ask me any question because she knows what kind of a person I am when I get angry.


    I get in my car, not waiting for Jacob to drive me. I have to talk to this old man because it seems like age is catching up on him and he might just be making wrong decisions. I drive at full speed and get home faster just like I wanted and park the car right at the entrance of my father¡¯s house. I hope he is here because if I don¡¯t find him, I am going to explode with anger.


    ¡°Good afternoon sir, wee,¡± the youngdy servant greets me when I get in the house. ¡°Martha, where is my father?¡± I am not in the mood for chitchat. ¡°In his room upstairs,¡± she answers. I run up the stairs and open the door to my father¡¯s bedroom without knocking and I find him looking at my dead mother¡¯s picture.


    ¡°Dad, we need to talk,¡± I say. ¡°Sit down,¡± he offers but I can¡¯t bring myself to sit right now. ¡°I am better like this.¡± ¡°What is it son?¡± He asks. He better be prepared for my questions because I am boiling from inside.

 Chapter 56

    ¡°Dad, why are you nning on giving Zara all my inheritance? Am I not your son?¡± I ask and he chuckles. ¡°George, you are my only son and you know that. Zara is also my only daughter, why are you asking me that? Where did you get that information from?¡±


    ¡°Father, that is not important right now because what I want you to tell me is why you are nning to disown me.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I am not disowning you son, all I am doing is giving your sister a share of my inheritance. Is that a crime?¡±


    ¡°How much is that inheritance?¡± I ask because if it is more than what she needs to get then I am not gonna have it. ¡°George, I gave you all that you needed to start your own business. You were not interested in real estate so I helped you create that factory which you partnered with Mr Brown. Zara is interested in real estate so what¡¯s the harm in giving her that?¡± He is sounding ridiculous now. ¡°Dad, not just because I wasn¡¯t interested in being a realtor doesn¡¯t mean you give it away just like that and all of it? No dad, you are going to do away with that thought because I won¡¯t allow it.¡± If he thinks he can convince me to leave that then he is mistaken.


    ¡°I have already signed the transfer documents and they are already in your sister¡¯s name,¡± he says, making me widen my eyes. ¡°You say? Okay, so what do I get from you apart from what I worked hard for?¡± He sure can¡¯t leave me empty handed. ¡°George, you have everything you could ever ask for and as of now, I can¡¯t promise you anything because I can¡¯t change whatever I have done unless your sister is no more. George, some advice from your father, don¡¯t let greediness overtake you because it wouldnd you in trouble some day. I know what you have been nning behind closed doors and my son, you need to change your tactics.¡± He says.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Zara told me that you have been nning to acquire all the shares you have with Mr Brown. I hope you are not nning something evil,¡± he says and I fold my fingers. ¡°Of course not dad, I can¡¯t do that to my long time friend and business partner. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± I say but I wish I could just smash Zara with my bare fingers. Why is she starting to make my life difficult?


    ¡°Has shee back from Marina?¡± I ask. ¡°They were supposed to be back yesterday because they are moving to Sura City permanently. They should be back I am sure, I can¡¯t wait to meet my grandson, he should be grown by now. It¡¯s been long since thest time I saw him.¡± He answers. ¡°Me too. I am leaving now, I hope I will visit you soon.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Bye son and be careful.¡± He says as I close the door behind me. I need to see Zara as soon as possible. I cannot let her ruin my ns and I need to stop her before she goes farther. She wants to inherit all my father¡¯s property and still wants to ruin my n of taking what I worked hard for, no I can¡¯t allow that. I will take care of Mr Brownter but as I said, I can¡¯t kill him because we havee from far since childhood. I will only make him give me what I want easily without breaking any sweat. I remember how he would help me with my ss projects since my father would not tolerate a loser in his home. But then Zara came with all her intelligence and my father wouldn¡¯t stop praising her. She has made my life a joke for far too long.


    I drive to my house and find my son, Eric seated alone in the living room. ¡°Where is your mother?¡± I ask him. ¡°I don¡¯t know dad,¡± he answers and continues reading his book. I room to my bedroom, open my secret drawers and take out my small revolver and load it with bullets. I hide it in my small briefcase and leave. I have to make Zarae to see meter. I drive back to the office and call Jacob to my office.


    ¡°Sir,¡± he acknowledges when hees in. ¡°We shall be going to the factoryter. I need Zara to be there as well and make sure everyone has left. Tell her that I am working overtime tonight and I am yearning to see her after she moved to Marina so she shoulde. I need to make something right tonight.¡±


    ¡°Noted sir.¡± He says, leaving. I don¡¯t want to talk to my step sister because I would lose my temper and everything I have nned for will be destroyed.


    Later in the night, I drive to the factory so that I finish whatever I want to do. I look around the parking area and all the lorries are parked but no one is around. Jacob appears from the huge entrance and I follow him in as he directs me to where she is waiting.


    ¡°Hey, little sis. Long time no see,¡± I say the moment I get to the room on the topmost floor which is the third floor of this building where the workers take their rest with some offices of the supervisors and managers.


    ¡°Yes George, it¡¯s been long but now we shall be staying here full time. We have moved here permanently.¡± She says but enough of the pleasantries.


    ¡°Zara, did someone pay you to make my life a living hell? I ask. ¡°What do you mean? What did I do?¡± She is ying dumb now. ¡°Ever since you moved to my father¡¯s house, everything changed. My father forgot about me because you enchanted her with your smartness and good girl behavior.¡±


    ¡°George, you know I couldn¡¯t do anything to change that. I was born that way and your father was happy with his daughter¡¯s intelligence,¡± she says and it¡¯s like she is bragging. ¡°Cut the crap. Now that he wants to transfer all his property to you, what do you say of that? Did you report my misdeeds to him so that you could gain his pity?¡± I say because why would my father decide to transfer his property to her out of the blue?

 Chapter 57

    ¡°I don¡¯t need self pity from my father and you know that. I have my own money, my husband is rich so I wouldn¡¯t need to do anything so that I could get anything from him. I have enough already,¡± she says boastfully and I chuckle.


    ¡°Your father? Thest time I checked, your father abandoned you at an orphanage so I don¡¯t know how my father could be your father. Anyway, I need you to sign those documents declining that inheritance as soon as possible. You have no right to have them,¡± I say.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°I will do no such thing George. Why are you so greedy? You want to take what belongs to me right, that¡¯s understandable but what about taking what someone has worked hard for? Isn¡¯t that pure wickedness?¡± There we go.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I know you are nning on taking all the shares of this factory business from Mr Brown. You want to take what he has worked hard for, why?¡±


    ¡°Because the problem with Mr Brown is that he was more intelligent than I was in school. I had to rely on him so that my father would at least feel proud of me. This factory, half of the capital that helped start it, was funded by my father and I want everything that my family has taken part in to be mine and mine alone. I want no outsider to reap where they never sowed. And you, I need the documents signed tomorrow. You talk to my father and make him transfer all that he had given to you back to me. Are we clear?¡± I say but she shrugs.


    ¡°No George, I am not and to let you on the brighter side, I have a recording of you nning your evil act against Mr Brown and the conversation that we just had, is recorded in this camcorder.¡± She retrieves it from behind a shelf and holds it in her hand. ¡°I will take this to Mr Brown and tell him about it then show it to dad too,¡± she adds.


    ¡°You will do no such thing.¡± I dare her.


    ¡°Try me,¡± she dares me back. She is beyond control now, If she does that then I am doomed. Mr Brown would withdraw his shares and my father would even disown me. I open my small briefcase and draw the small revolver and point it at her.


    ¡°You give me the camcorder and I let you go,¡± I say but she shakes her head. ¡°No George, you wouldn¡¯t kill me. I cock it and she tenses and runs to the window. ¡°Give it to me. You won¡¯t be able to jump down from here because this wall is a boundary between the factory and a wild animal park so do the right thing and give it to me,¡± I say but she is not backing off. ¡°No,¡± she says and opens the window ready to jump but I fire the gun at her making her move back a few steps. She takes in a deep breath and moves to the window, looks at the camcorder and throws it outside with all her might as I fire another shot at her. She falls back and a pool of blood forms around her. Jacobses in hurriedly but when he sees Zara on the floor he rxes.


    ¡°Should I dump her sir?¡± He asks. ¡°Not yet,e, I need to see where I need her to be dumped first. I need my n to work out. And after this, you have to find that thing before someone else finds it. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    A momentter, I am all set and ready for the final activity before I go home. Jacob and I carry Zara¡¯s body to the first floor where the right machine is for carrying out my mission. ¡°Have you made sure the machine is off?¡± I ask Jacob. ¡°Yes sir, it is all set and whoeveres first may be forced to switch it on because it shouldn¡¯t be off no matter what.¡±


    Yes, the machine is designed for running all the time so I just have to make Mr Brown do it before anyone else does. After we settle her in the crusher, I leave the factory and let Jacob do the cleaning for any evidence that could lead us into trouble, leaving everything to unfold by itself.


    I get home and just as I left, my wife isn¡¯t at home yet. Eric is seated alone and still reading his book. ¡°Eric, why are you still up thiste? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sleeping by now?¡± ¡°Not yet dad, I am still studying for my qualifying exam.¡± He says. ¡°You go to your room, you have two weeks to do that. Haven¡¯t you been studying for the past fourteen years?¡± I don¡¯t understand how he is so serious right now in his second year in college. He should not pretend right now.


    ¡°Alright dad, good night.¡± He says and climbs the stairs to his room. I need to call Brown right now for my n to work out. I take thend line and dial his house number. I hope he will be the one going to pick up.


    ¡°Hello, George. How are you? I haven¡¯t seen you today,¡± he says when we connect on the line. ¡°Yes, I have been busy today and that is the reason why I called you. I still have business to attend to in the morning so I was thinking if you could be the one to oversee tomorrow¡¯s activities. Unless you are busy tomorrow too.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I¡¯ll be there early in the morning, you know I prefer when my work begins early and gets to finish early as well so everything will be taken care of don¡¯t worry.¡± He says, just how I wanted this call to turn out and the words I needed to hear.


    ¡°Alright then, I will see youter in the day. Enjoy your night,¡± I say and hung up. I freshen up and get to bed, I want to be well rested for the big news tomorrow.

 Chapter 58

    I wake up early because I need to be away from here. I want nothing to point towards me in any way concerning Zara¡¯s killing. I want the news to find me out of this town. I want to check out my new project that I started out of town thene backter.


    Few hourster, I get a call from home informing me to get back as soon as possible. I am told to go to the City Hospital because my father is admitted there. When did he get sick? And why am I not getting the news I have been anticipating for a long time. The receptionist directs me to the ward and I find my dad pale as if he has been ailing for long. He turns with difficulty to face me when he hears me enter.


    ¡°Dad, what happened to you?¡± He tries to talk but a cough escapes from his throat. ¡°George, why did you kill your sister?¡± He asks, puzzling me. ¡°Dad, what are you saying? Is my sister dead?¡± I pretend not to know that Zara is dead. ¡°I know Mr Brown is innocent, it is you that is responsible for her killing. I know you wanted someone to pay for your sins and you chose your friend. You killed my daughter in such a terrible manner, did you hate her this much?¡±


    ¡°Dad, I never liked her because she was the apple of your eyes and you had totally forgotten about me. She took everything away from me dad and you just couldn¡¯t give me an opportunity to make you proud because everything I did never was good in your eyes. I wasn¡¯t like your son anymore and now, you decided to give her everything. Did you think that I could just sit back and overlook everything? No way.¡±


    ¡°I knew I had made a mistake when I told you that the property could be taken from her only if she was dead. I saw the sparkle in your eyes when I mentioned it. I knew my daughter was in danger but didn¡¯t know it could find her that soon. I didnt even allow her death be known to the press or the authorities because I knew it was you who did it. I was protecting you so let Mr Brown go, he is innocent.¡± He starts breathing hard. ¡°Your daughter? She was never your daughter and I will make sure that she disappears without any trace. Everything she has will be taken away from her. You have my word, I am never going to send him to jail, I want him to simply give me everything that he has and then, I will restore my peace.¡± I say sternly. His breath quickens and I can see that he has some difficulty breathing. I run out of the ward to call the doctor.


    I sit on the bench outside the ward and wait for the doctors to do their job. I want to be out of here and get to Mr Brown as soon as possible, but I can¡¯t go with the condition my father is in. Momentster, the door opens and the doctores to me. ¡°I am sorry Mr Lawanson, we lost him.¡± Oh shit.


    After doing what is needed at the hospital and informing my family, I call Mr Brown over to my house. We need to finish this today. Hees an hourter and finds us waiting for him in my study. I need my family to bear me witness to what I have in store for him.


    ¡°George, I am sorry for what happened today and I swear I didn¡¯t know that she was there. It was an ident,¡± he says but I know better. ¡°I am not going to apprehend you my friend but if you are truly sorry, I have a proposition for you.¡± I say calmly. ¡°I truly am. I will do anything to pay for what I did.¡± I like how this is going. ¡°You know a dead person can¡¯t be reced, right?¡± I ask and he nods quickly. ¡°So I need you, infront of my family, to sign this documents that state that you are going to transfer all your shares to me. Another thing is that my son here, Eric could have married from your family but you have David so I guess my son here will make sure that this marriage agreement stays andes to pass in the next generation. What do you say?¡± ¡°Not a problem. I am going to sign them.¡± He says and takes a pen and scribbles his signature, clearly on the two documents; THE SHARES TRANSFER and two, THE MARRIAGE AGREEMENT.


    (End of shback)


    ***


    Present day.


    ¡°What was that? Edward¡¯s grandfather killed my grandmother and med your grandfather for it? I had known from the start that the Lawanson family were not to be trusted. Now look, his greed worked overtime and Neera, I am so sorry that you were used for something you knew nothing about and that it was not done by your family. I am sorry Neera,¡± Aniston says.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be, the Lawanson family yed against two families. They killed your grandmother, made my grandfather give up everything he worked for and I had to get married so that my family wouldn¡¯t pay legal consequences. I never knew some people could be this evil, I mean, kill someone and me someone else for it. I had to go through hell for the better part of this year in that family. I lost my house that my father bought with his own money to them and after losing my job as well, I got divorced and didn¡¯t get anything from that hell of a marriage. I need my life back but better this time. Redemption time is here.¡±


    A tear rolls down his cheek and I am taken aback and I have no idea what to do. I never thought a man¡¯s tears, and especially this man right here could move me after what I have been through. After battling with my subconscious, I move my hands slowly so that I cup his face and wipe the single tear with my thumb. He leans into my palms for a moment then holds my hands and looks in my eyes.

 Chapter 59

    ¡°Neera, I swear to you that I am going to open this case and whatever that family took from my family, will be brought back. And as for you Neera, the death of my grandma wouldn¡¯t have to be paid for by an innocent person. You are going to get back what your grandfather worked hard for and your father as well. Those shares, the house and the bad name that was tainted by that family.¡±


    ¡°Aniston, I am ready to fight for everything that was lost, I must regain all of it. That family made my life a living hell for something their forefathersmitted. But why are you helping me? You have done so much for me and now this. How am I gonna repay you? I know, when I get rich after reiming my father¡¯s house then I will repay you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to repay me Neera. I can do for you anything as long as you let me,¡± he says, still looking into my eyes deeply. ¡°Why, Aniston?¡±


    ¡°Because I like you Neera,¡± he says quickly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yes and my feelings for you started since the first time I saw you. The day you fainted at mypany, I wanted to pursue you but I found out that you got marriedter when I attended your wedding. Even after that I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say about this Aniston.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. There is no rush. First things first, I need to talk to mywyers. There are four cases to crack. First, that family has to pay for my grandmother¡¯s death and give the Aniston family what they took away. Second, whatever belonged to Mr Brown must be given back. Third, your house that rightfully belonged to you, every penny they got from selling that house is going to be given back. I must thank you because youring here wasn¡¯t just for free,¡± he says getting off the bed.


    ¡°Which is the fourth case?¡± He seems lost for a moment thenes back to sit on the bed. ¡°Neera, I recently found out that my parents were killed and then we were made to believe that it was an ident.¡± He says. ¡°How?¡± I ask. ¡°They were killed somewhere else then brought on the road where they staged an ident.¡± ¡°Do you know who did that?¡± ¡°Yes, his name is Jacob and he sure used to work actively for the Lawansons but he might have gone back to his hometown because he doesn¡¯t live here anymore,¡± he answers.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So he only came to carry out the evil task so that no leads of a murder could be traced. So have you reported this and have him jailed for it?¡±  ¡°I was still gathering more evidence and now, it is just the right time to do it.¡±


    ¡°Can we watch the video then?¡± ¡°Yes, I had almost forgotten about it.¡± He opens the video folder and a little older version of the woman in the photoes to life, Zara. She is seated in front of the camera and she starts to talk:


    ¡°I hope this message finds you well. This is for you Mr Brown, I know you are a good person and you have been a good friend to my brother, not just a partner. I don¡¯t know if you will believe me but I wanted to tell you that I currently overheard a conversation that my brother is nning to take everything away from you and I have a n of telling him I recorded his conversation so that I get him to confess his plot against you. I believe you have worked hard for that. He is my brother but because I don¡¯t want him to get into trouble by trying to rip off something that belongs to you I would want you to be careful when you meet him. Do not let him get those shares away from you, they belong to you.


    I also know that he could get back at me for doing this and not only that, he could hatch a bad plot against you. You have been a friend to my husband and that is why I wouldn¡¯t want any bad toe your way. I hope you don¡¯t lose on this one.¡±


    And the clip ends.


    ¡°This is too much for just one person, exactly how greedy was this man? Couldn¡¯t he be content with whatever he had? This is absurd. They reaped what and where they didn¡¯t sow.¡±


    ¡°I need to see what¡¯s in this box as well.¡± I try to open it but it¡¯s a bit difficult like no one has ever opened it in like forever. ¡°Can you help me?¡± He takes it from me and pulls the metal lid off. ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°They are a bunch of papers. I wonder what they are for.¡± I pick them up out of the box to check them out. The first paper is an ownership document and it¡¯s for David Brown. It is for my parents¡¯ house. I pass it to Aniston and the next paper is a marriage agreement. Oh okay. The other is the share transfer and thest one is a notebook that doesn¡¯t contain any words but then a paper falls down from it and it piques my interest because it is a handwritten note but looks old with the way it has turned it¡¯s color..


    ¡°See this?¡± I show it to him and he takes it from my hand. He reads through it and looks at me. ¡°This is from Mr Brown.¡± He says. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°He is apologetic to your father for not giving him the life that he deserved and that he had to die a poor man after all he had worked for was taken before his eyes. He says that he found outter he was wrongly used of something he did not do but couldn¡¯t fight for his rights with how Mr Lawanson had gained influence and that he was like an undercover president with how every powerful politician was his buddy. He goes on to say that his closest friend was the minister for home affairs. The minister had a hand in weapon business and used to ce orders for his workers to design unique weapons especially guns and bullets for special customers. This is exactly what I needed, Neera you are an angel!¡± He sounds ted about the new discovery and before I could ask him what that means, he wraps his arms around me and I can feel his muscles through his shirt.


    It looks awkward with this position we are in, me sitting with my hands on the sides and him crossing his arms from the side because he can¡¯t hug me from the front but it feels like he is enjoying the moment. I can¡¯t even hug him back if I wanted to because he has trapped then on the sides. I try to move my hands and he lets go and scratches the back of his head. ¡°Sorry, I just got carried away.¡±


    ¡°Why did you get excited anyway?¡± I need to know. ¡°You see, my parents¡¯ killers used one of a kind bullets to carry out the deed and I have been looking for the person behind the design but it was taking longer than I wanted. Then, youe here and in less than a month you crack the biggest mystery I have been trying to solve for some years, isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know this either but you are wee.¡±


    ¡°This is enough evidence and I want this case tomence as soon as possible. I need to go to bed now because as from tomorrow, I won¡¯t rest until justice is served.,¡± he says with determination in his voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t  it the weekend?¡± I ask. ¡°Yes, but mywyers need something to start working on first thing on Monday,¡± he says. ¡°Oh right, and I promise you I am going to give you all the support and cooperation you need,¡± I say. ¡°And I promise to make sure you get all you deserve Neera. I will support you as well, you don¡¯t have to worry aboutwyers or anything because all that is catered for.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you and congrattions on winning the AWC. You deserved it. Let me help you with this,¡± he says collecting everything on the bed. ¡°Can I keep them safe with my other evidence?¡± ¡°Yes you can, except for the photo album,¡± I say. ¡°Of course, enjoy your sleep,¡± he says, cing it on the bedside table. ¡°You too. I hope I get to sleep after everything,¡± I say because this will make me think for sometime before getting to sleep.


    ¡°Then can I stay and maybe¡­ snuggle you to sleep?¡± Oh no, he didn¡¯t just say that. ¡°No but thank you for your offer. I will manage,¡± I say quickly. Hees to me and puts his head against my belly and listens for a few seconds before saying, ¡°hey little buddy, I hope you don¡¯t disturb mummy so much, make sure she sleeps okay.¡± I chuckle and he raises his left eyebrow before he leaves.


    I sigh deeply after he closes the door behind him. That was close, I can¡¯t just let someone who confessed his feelings towards me sleep beside me. Not a good idea.

 Chapter 60

    Few monthster.


    ¡°Neera, are you sure about this?¡± Sara asks as I put on my sneakers. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just a walk, nothing much. I need to exercise you know.¡± I say.


    ¡°I think so too, Neera, I¡¯d prefer if you were to rest more,¡± Aniston agrees with Sara¡¯s idea. ¡°I insist. It is good for me and the baby too. Moreover I can¡¯t just sit and not do anything. You stopped me from even drawing water to drink, I might turn into a vegetable if this continues,¡± Iin. Anistones and kneels at my feet and puts my leg on his thigh. He ties thece and does the same for my other feet. He has be fond of me and he can¡¯t even go out without talking to my belly and kissing my cheek or temple. I have also grown used to it and every time he goes out I look forward to his return.


    Everytime hees back, he always brings a gift for Migo- the name he has given to my unborn baby. He said that it is a name for a baby friend and it is neither make or female. He even sometimes take me for my antenatals and Dr Earnest makes sure my visit is memorable. He even oversaw the baby room redecorated to amodate any gender. He makes sure that I get to sleep every night before he goes to sleep.


    Most of his work is done at home and whenever he goes to the office, hees back earlier than usual. I know he can¡¯t stay away from me as much as I do although I am not ready to reciprocate. I still have my guard on loving someone deeply, after learning my lesson the hard way. I know he is genuine but I am not giving in to his advances yet.


    ¡°Neera, you have exercised enough so at this time you could just¡­anyway, it¡¯s okay if you do that in thepound outside,¡± Aniston says. ¡°You of all people should know that I like adventure,¡± I say. ¡°I might know but this is different.¡± I don¡¯t get it. ¡°How is it different?¡± ¡°Neera, you are heavy, on a good note though.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried that I might develop symptoms on the way? Don¡¯t worry, I still have time.¡±


    ¡°Then I might as well go with you and we are not discussing this any further.¡± He says then goes to shut down hisptop andes back to me.


    ¡°You two would make a great couple. I wanted to go with you but I need to be at the immigration office in an hour. I will see youter,¡± Sara says as she picks up her designer bag and walks out of the house.


    ¡°Should we go as well?¡± I ask Aniston as I stand up. ¡°Here, take my hand,¡± he says and helps me up.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± He asks me as we go out of the gate. He has turned down the offer to go out with a bodyguard. ¡°We can go to that small park down the road. Not many people go there at this time of day.¡± The park is just for the people around this area and there aren¡¯t many of them in this suburb.


    ¡°Oh, great.¡±


    We walk hand in hand along the footpath that leads to the park. He greets one or two people along the way some congratte him and he doesn¡¯t bother to tell them the truth. It is okay because I also don¡¯t have that time to exin what doesn¡¯t concern them.


    ¡°Can we sit down for a while? I want some ice cream,¡± I say after walking around the park for a while. It is hot this afternoon and an ice cream vendor is just few meters away from where we are. ¡°Wait here, let me bring it. Which vour would you like? Oh I know, without chocte right?¡± I nod.


    Hees back with a big container of vani ice cream and sits beside me. He doesn¡¯t give it to me but opens it and scoops a spoonful and directs it to my mouth. ¡°Open up, a bit wider, yeah that way,¡± and I feel a sweet vani taste in my mouth, and another and another.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to have some as well?¡± I ask him. I have never seen him have it. ¡°I bought it for you,¡± he says. ¡°See, this is a lot for just one person and it is too hot, go on.¡± He purses his lips and takes a spoonful. ¡°Mmmh, yummy but I can feel my sugar levels rising and hypertension kicking in,¡± he says making meugh. ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic. Have some more,¡± I take the spoon from his hand and scoop some on it and give it to him, one after another.


    ¡°Enough, thank you. Don¡¯t turn the tables on me, you wanted it,¡± he says. ¡°Okay then, I was even worried that you are going to finish all of it,¡± I joke. ¡°I can¡¯t do that to the woman I love,¡± he says making me freeze. ¡°Love?¡±


    ¡°Yes Neera, I love you more than anything. I have loved you for a long time but feared that you might turn away from me if I made my real feelings known to you.¡± I knew he might have stronger feelings towards me with the way he has been carrying himself around me. I just assumed because I didn¡¯t want to lead him on when I wasn¡¯t sure if I was ready or not to love again but I didn¡¯t want that scumbag to win even when I am no longer in his life. I even healed faster than any person who might have been broken like I was.


    ¡°You might not believe me but I was in love with you even when you were still married but I chose to do so in a distance. You know what? Sara used to walk in on me talking about you or even dreaming about you. I never knew I could talk in my sleep but that is what love made me do,¡± he pauses and takes my hands in his, ¡°if you could just give me a chance so that I can prove to you how much I love you and I promise, you will never regret.¡±


    I am just listening to him say those words with sincerity etched in his voice and I can¡¯t help but feel so emotional. I can feel tears welling in my eyes. He moves my hands to his lips and kisses them tenderly and looks to my eyes and we hold our gaze for sometime. The tears that I had kept at bay chooses this as the right time to fall freely. He wipes them off with his thumb and gazes back into my eyes.


    ¡°You have such mesmerizing eyes and I would gaze into them all day,¡± he says and I can¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You know how to say all the right words,¡± Iment and he smiles too, ¡± because you have all the right things to talk about Neera. Perfect eyes and I can¡¯t even think of staying away from you,¡± he says what¡¯s on my mind. ¡°I also feel like I can¡¯t stay away from you,¡± I say and I see a sparkle in his eyes. ¡°You do?¡± He asks.


    ¡°Yes, I miss every moment that you aren¡¯t around and I have grown fond of you Aniston.¡± I confess. ¡°When did you discover this?¡± A weird question but okay. ¡°Since you started spending time together with me in my bedroom and caring for Migo even though he is not yet here and that he isn¡¯t your own.¡± ¡°Neera, I wouldn¡¯t think that Migo isn¡¯t my own child and if for once you ever doubted it, that is like my own and because it is yours, I will love everything about you and Migo is one of them. Quick question, why didn¡¯t you tell me then that you liked me, you used to assume my advances even though you had developed feelings for me?¡± He asks.


    ¡°I just had to have my guard on because I wasn¡¯t ready to go through what I had experienced again. I tried it once and it backfired miserably. I couldn¡¯t just bring myself to let anyone into my life,¡± I say.


    ¡°Baby, no,¡± oh, now we have advanced from Neera to, baby? ¡°You didn¡¯t have to because I can never hurt you for anything in the world. I have wanted you ever since you came to deliver those books to my office, you are the woman of my dreams. I couldn¡¯t even care to have any other woman because that candle had diminished when I attended your wedding but when I found you lying in my basement, I felt it start to ignite again and each passing day, my feelings for you grew and I fell hopelessly in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Aniston, you have given me all the right reasons to want you ever since I moved to your house,¡± I say and a single tear rolls down. ¡°Let me kiss your tears away and be your support whenever you need me,¡± he says then holds my chin and pulls my face gently closer to his. I close my eyes and I feel his lips on my cheek leaving butterfly kisses as they move upwards and finally rest on my eye for sometime before I feel the emptiness but his breath still lingers on my face and his hand doesn¡¯t leave my chin. I open my eyes and find his face just an inch away looking at me and the atmosphere gets intense as our unspoken desire for each other hangs in the air.


    ¡°You are so perfect,¡± he murmurs and everything changes. It¡¯s like we are in our own bubble with no disturbance, just the two of us. His eyes move slowly downwards and then settle on my lips and I swallow hard anticipating for his next move. He moves his lips and touches mine but before I can wee his lips further, his phone vibrates loudly in his pockets.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he curses and I have never heard him curse before. He lets go of my chin and holds my hand and uses the other hand to take the phone out. He looks at the caller id and proceeds to pick up and looks back at me. He listens for a moment then says okay before hanging up, all this while never breaking his eye contact with me. I have noticed that he likes looking at my face. ¡°Your face is amazing and beautiful to look at, ¡± hements making me blush, was he reading my mind? But yes, he has experience in Psychology. ¡°What is funny anyway? Is my face that funny to look at?¡± He asks and I smirk.


    ¡°Not funny but more like fun when you say things like that,¡± I correct. ¡°Things like what, baby?¡± He says sweetly making my face turn into a ripe tomato, I suppose. ¡°I have never heard you use curse words before,¡± I say. ¡°Oh, that. Someone just ruined the best and most perfect moment of my life-actually almost perfect moment of my life and you expect me to keep quiet?¡± This man. ¡°I believe the great moment can¡¯t just be destroyed by unimportant interruptions,¡± I say and he nods.


    ¡°Yes, I just received a call from mywyers that the final hearing is tomorrow.¡± Oh great, I can¡¯t wait to see the pride that Piper holds ripped off her face with that son of his. In the first two court appearances, I did it online and only thewyers attended the live proceedings. Now this one is the final one that will oversee justice being served.


    ¡°Good then, I can¡¯t wait for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you are going to make it? If you can¡¯t then you don¡¯t have to be worried my love, mywyers and I will take care of everything,¡± he offers. ¡°No, I can¡¯t miss this one, I have to be there. Can we go back home now?¡± I have had enough of the park for today.


    ¡°Of course. Are you tired?¡± He asks tenderly. ¡°A bit,¡± I smile. ¡°Then let me carry you,¡± he says standing up. ¡°No thank you, I am too heavy these days. I might have added a little weight over the months,¡± I decline. ¡°Oh girl, you don¡¯t know how far my strength could go,¡± he says. ¡°Then who is going to carry my ice cream?¡± ¡°Baby, we can just leave it here, I will buy you a better one. I think it has even melted under this heat.¡±


    ¡°No way, I still want this one.¡± I protest. He helps me stand up from the seat and murmurs, ¡°such a frustrating youngdy. Alright my love, you can have your way.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Court House, Sura City.


    ¡°With all the evidence presented before this court, I hereby find George Lawanson guilty for the murder of Zara Aniston and the court rules as follows:


    1. The houses under Lawanson¡¯s name are to be given back to Mrs Aniston or the next of kin in due course. That is, The Beaver Apartments, The Millennial Building and The Attic.


    2. 50% of the shares of The Lawanson Group are to be transferred to Mr Brown or the next of kin with immediate effect.


    3. House number 304, Summer Street which is under the name David Brown is to be given back to one Neera Brown. The defendant has to either make a bank transfer of the money that he made for the sale of the house or hand the house back.


    4. Jacob Anand is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mr. Howard Aniston and Francesca Aniston plus fifty years imprisonment for helping a murderer hide evidence of his crimes. Also he has to serve 25 years jail term for causing irreversible injuries to one Mr David Brown.


    5. Edward Lawanson has to serve five years imprisonment or pay a fine of 25 million dors for the assault and kidnapping of media personalities and causing trauma to concerned families.


    6. George Lawanson is to serve life imprisonment for the murder of Zara Aniston and orchestrating the murder of Mr Howard and Mrs Francesca Aniston.


    The judge strikes his gavel and adjourns the court. Anistones to me and hugs me so affectionately with his eyes shining and I know he is emotional. One cannot be just calm when the murderer of his parents is brought to justice so I understand him perfectly well. ¡°It¡¯s over now, Aniston,¡± I say and he wipes a stray tear that drops from his eye. I feel a pain in my stomach but I assume.


    Sara, on the other hand, is crying nonstop and I think I should try to calm her down. She didn¡¯t know that her parents were murdered so this is like a hard p on her face.


    ¡°Sara, it¡¯s okay,¡± I coerce her and help her wipe her tears off her face. ¡°Can I just get one chance to punch that scumbag Jacob in the face?¡± She asks and I know she is getting over it. ¡°I am sure the prison wardens will give him proper punches better than these soft hands of yours would,¡± I say and she lights up. ¡°Yes, serves him right. That¡¯s better.¡± She gets up from her seat and I hold her hand as we leave the court with Aniston and Michael behind us. ¡°Yes Sara, I have heard that their fingers get ripped off one by one until they are finished,¡± Az says and Sara smiles. Surely she couldn¡¯t have bought that one.


    I can see Piper and her family being led outside. She wipes her tears with the scarf around her neck and I sure know that they are not tears of joy but tears of defeat. I wish they could be tears of deceit and that she could know how it feels to be deceived by a close person. Edward looks at me with an emotion I have never seen but I am sure it¡¯s not anger. He should have known better that I was one of the reasons he was having what he had. I haven¡¯t seen Valen, maybe she had stayed back home because of her pregnancy.


    I remember Aniston asking me if I wanted a paternity case against Edward but since he denied my baby since the beginning, I didn¡¯t want anything to do with him. I don¡¯t want us to have anything to do with rtionships of any sort, like child support or co-parenting. I have more than enough and a family to give my child.


    ¡°I wanted to take you somewhere after this,¡± Aniston says after we are outside the court. ¡°Am I included?¡± Sara asks. ¡°Sara, all of you are invited. Can we go now?¡± ¡°Oh yes of course,¡± Sara says cheerfully.


    We are weed into a cozy restaurant with friendly staff with genuine smiles, not like those who just show their teeth without any emotion. We sit at a bigger table because it¡¯s the seven of us. Me, Sara, Aniston, Michael, Earnest, Az and Charles. Yes, Charles is now his personal bodyguard and this is the second week but he only apanies him to public ces and sometimes I am with him.


    ¡°What would you like today?¡± The waitress asks. ¡°Neera, what would you like?¡± Aniston asks. ¡°Spaghetti Bolognese will do.¡±  ¡°What about everyone else?¡± He asks. ¡°Any special seafood will do,¡± Az and Earnest say together and everyone turns to look at them. ¡°You both are fans of seafood,¡± Sara notes and then gives out her order as everyone else does too.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you are a fan of seafood,¡± Earnest tells Az when the waitress leaves. ¡°Actually I love the ocean and everything about it. The beaches, the breeze and I also like surfing.¡± Yeah, she took me surfing once and I almost fainted just thinking about jumping over those unapologetic waves. ¡°You love surfing?¡± Earnest asks her with interest. ¡°Yes. You do too?¡±


    ¡°My number one hobby. I like them higher though and I would go further than any other surfer in the ocean.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know a doctor could surf,¡± she says and everyone chuckles. ¡°Doctors are human beings too,¡± Michael says and everyone agrees. ¡°Az, why don¡¯t you choose a date to find out if doctors surf too?¡± He challenges her. ¡°No, you choose then let me know because you can¡¯t bargain with a doctor¡¯s schedule.¡± Oh, she understands him.


    ¡°Alright then, I will call you when I set a date but I seem to have forgotten your number, what was it again?¡± He is a funny guy. ¡°That is because I have never given it to you dummy!¡± Sara nudges me with her elbow and whispers, ¡°I smell something cooking.¡± ¡°I know right,¡± I whisper back. Aniston has been acting weird since we got here and has only a few words. I turn to look at him and he nervously scratches the back of his head.


    ¡°Aniston, what is it?¡± I ask him in a whisper as everyone is concentrating on Az¡¯s conversation. ¡°Nothing.¡± He is lying. ¡°I know there is something bothering you. Tell me,¡± I urge him but instead of talking he pulls his seat back and goes on one knee. I did not see thating. Everyone else in the restaurant goes silent as all the attention shifts to me. Sara and Az take out their phone to capture the moment.


    ¡°Neera, you have been such a wonderful person in my life and ever since I met you, I have wanted to spend my life with you. You are beautiful, smart and you have brought nothing but peace and I must say that you taught me perseverance and it made me reap the best in life. I know I will go on and on if I decide to say all about you because they are never ending. So Neera Brown, will you do me the honor of spending the rest of our lives together? Will you marry me?¡± He asks and all I do is nod because I can¡¯t talk without having to cry like a baby. ¡°I want to hear you say it,¡± he urges and I have no choice. ¡°Yes Aniston, I will marry you,¡± I sob and he takes a small silver box from his pocket and retrieves a beautiful ring from inside. He slides it on the middle finger of my left hand. Everyone cheers as he kisses the finger and then proceeds to wipe my tears. He takes my hand in his and sits back on his chair.


    ¡°Hey guys, be sure to find this in the papers on the front page tomorrow,¡± Az says. ¡°Are you going to decide against it?¡± I ask Aniston but he shakes his head. ¡°No, I want everyone to know that you are mine, unless you don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°I am sure it¡¯s not just the two of them with the video,¡± I say as I look up at the diners who mostly have buried their heads in their phones. Just then our orders are brought and everyone digs in.


    ¡°Cheers to a peaceful life ahead,¡± Aniston says. ¡°Cheers,¡± we say in unison. Mmmh, the food is so delicious, just entertaining all the right taste buds. Everyone is enjoying themselves as well.


    I feel the urge to go to the loo and when I try to stand up, I feel a sharp pain in my abdomen and I quickly sit down holding my stomach. Aniston sees this and is quick to respond. ¡°Baby, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I take in a deep breath and whisper, ¡°I feel like going to the bathroom.¡± ¡°Should I take you?¡± ¡°I will be going to thedies¡¯ washroom, you know.¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± He can¡¯t be serious.


    Another sharp pain courses through me and this time around a sound escapes my mouth with how painful it is than the first one, sessfully capturing the attention of everyone at the table. ¡°Aniston,¡± I hold him and I can see worry written all over his face. ¡°Baby, should I take you to the hospital?¡± He asks. ¡°I think so.¡± I say and this time I manage to stand up but feel so heavy, I can¡¯t even move my legs forward.


    ¡°Neera, what is wrong?¡± Az asks as shees to my side. ¡°I feel pain in my stomach,¡± I say with difficulty. ¡°Doctor, I think you have an appointment,¡± Az tells Earnest. Hees to me and touches my stomach. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°I feel excruciating pain but ites and then disappears for sometime,¡± I say and he nods, ¡± it¡¯s time Neera. Aniston, we need to get her to the hospital as soon as possible without wasting any minute.¡± I feel another pain and I hold Aniston¡¯s hand tightly for dear life. ¡°Michael, prepare the car, faster!¡± He barks and Michael disappears.


    ¡°Just breathe in and out, we are going to the hospital,¡± Earnest says as Aniston and Az help me walk outside the restaurant. Sara takes my phone and the small handbag I was carrying.


    Michael parks the car right at the entrance of the restaurant. I am helped inside and Earnest gets in together with Aniston because this calls for a professional to be beside me. He calls the hospital to prepare for my arrival. Aniston holds me in his arms as the pain gets worse as Michael speeds towards the hospital and in no time we arrive.


    A wheelchair is brought and I am whisked to the maternity ward. I am all sweaty and Aniston wipes the beads off my face. I amid down on the bed and Aniston takes my hand. The contractions are now full on and he looks at me with sympathy in his eyes, do I need that right now?


    ¡°Baby, is it so painful?¡± He asks and holds my face so tenderly. ¡°I am so sorry, okay?¡± He says and I feel like punching him. ¡°Doctor Earnest, please get him out of here,¡± I say referring to Aniston. ¡°I was thinking about that too.¡± He must have seen how useless his words are on me right now. ¡°What? I want to be with you baby, don¡¯t you want me anymore?¡± He asks innocently. ¡°Aniston, please leave,¡± Imand. ¡°You can stay behind the curtains for now,¡± Earnest offers and the nurse escorts him. He kisses me on my forehead before leaving but I have something serious to do right now.


    ***


    ¡°Congrattions, you have a bouncing baby boy,¡± Doctor Earnest announces as I try to calm my rugged breath. One of the nurses goes to fetch Aniston and he is by my side in no time. He is sweaty and I can see his eyes red, has he been crying?


    ¡°Baby? Are you okay?¡± He asks as he wipes my sweat. ¡°You should wipe your face too,¡± I say and he does so with his shirt sleeve. The nurse brings the baby to me with his cries filling the room. He puts him on my chest and I hold him tenderly and he is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. His tiny nose and tiny fists and mouth with his head covered with jet ck hair just like my mother¡¯s.


    ¡°Here, hold him,¡± I give him to Aniston and he contemtes for a moment before holding him tenderly and a tear falls from his eye to the baby¡¯s face. ¡°He is so perfect, just like you,¡± hements and I agree.


    ¡°You look perfect together and love, I have never told you something,¡± I say and he looks at me. ¡°Have you been hiding things from me?¡± ¡°Only this one. Did you know that Edward used me of cheating on him with you and that he was sure this baby is yours?¡± I say and he gasps. ¡°He did? Then I am more than happy to have him bear my surname,¡± he says and this is more than what I was expecting. He sure epts this baby. ¡°I am proud to call him Miguel Aniston.¡± More of Migo. ¡°Thank you Aniston,¡± I say. ¡°Thank you Neera for making me a father and epting to be my wife.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 62

    Epilogue


    ¡°By the power vested upon me, I pronounce you husband and wife,¡± the priest announces and I look up at my husband, Brian Aniston who looks charming in his grey suit. ¡°You are so beautiful Mrs Aniston,¡± he murmurs as he brings his lips closer to mine and kisses me. The crowd cheers as the camera¡¯s sh at us. Az might have called the entire journalism fraternity here.


    ¡°Back at you Mr Aniston.¡± I say and he takes my hand and leads me out of the chapel. We are taking some photos but Aniston seems unsettled. ¡°Where is my son?¡± He asks as he searches the crowd. ¡°Sara has him, she must be somewhere out here. You miss him already?¡± ¡°Yes, maybe he wants to feed and I don¡¯t know if Sara knows that,¡± he says. ¡°He is fine, don¡¯t worry. There shees,¡± I point towards he as she saunters towards us.


    Miguel is now seven months old and his appearance is nothing like me. He more looks like my father and I literally thanked God when he didn¡¯t have any feature from that family which I don¡¯t talk about. His hair is my mother¡¯s and most of his features are my father¡¯s except for his lips that I don¡¯t know whose I took after.


    ¡°My boy,¡± Aniston says as he takes him from Sara. We take more photos with him before proceeding to the reception. We have decided not to go on a honeymoon before Miguel turns one and it will be when he is no longer breastfeeding and has learnt to sleep entirely on his own. Right now, most of the time we have to stay with him in our bedroom until he sleeps and that is when the nanny takes him to his bedroom.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you having an after party?¡± Jackie asks me. ¡°After party¡¯s are a scam, moreover, we have done the main part so I don¡¯t need that. The wedding was more important.¡± I say and she smiles. She is more chubby after getting married and I am sure her husband¡¯s family cherish her just like her husband does. They did get married three monthster after she gave birth to her twins. Az is also engaged to Earnest but they haven¡¯t set a date for their wedding.


    I have started writing my books and I already have one of them published. It has received a lot of support from book lovers and with Aniston¡¯s influence my book is doing well out there. I n to do more books in the future after I let all of my business I got after the court ruling be run under my husband¡¯spany.


    ¡°Where are you going for your honeymoon?¡± She asks. ¡°I am sure Aniston hasn¡¯t nned about that yet,¡± I say and she chuckles. ¡°Anyway, we nned to go after Migo turns one. That is when I am sure Aniston will be ready to n,¡± I say and she leaves to go and tend to her little girl. Aniston turns to me. ¡°Why baby? You miss me when I am even right beside you?¡±  ¡°You have no idea,¡± I say batting my eyshes. ¡°Neera, can we go home? We have already cut the cake and I am getting bored here,¡± he says making me smile. ¡°I have never heard of a groom getting bored in their own wedding,¡± I say. ¡°I am unique you know. A man of many out of this world talents.¡± ¡°You sure are Mr. Aniston.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°On a serious note though, can we leave? Besides, my son isn¡¯t used to these kinds of ces,¡± he sayspletely winning over this. ¡°You are right.¡±


    ¡°Az, we are leaving now,¡± I inform her and she nods. ¡°Okay then, since everyone has made himself known then there is no need to stay.¡± She goes to inform the MC then she makes her speech as the bestdy before Earnest makes his as the best man. We thank everyone and leave.


    Miguel is fast asleep when we get home and Aniston puts him to sleep in his baby crib. ¡°He looks so peaceful,¡± I say because he tends to be stubborn when it is me putting him to sleep. ¡°Yes, that is great because I have wanted to take you out of that dress ever since you walked into the door of the chapel.¡± He says and I put my finger on his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that infront of the baby, it¡¯s bad manners.¡± He chuckles and holds my waist, ¡°I know just the right ce to do that.¡± He leads me out of the room and closes the door quietly behind him.


    When we get to the door of our bedroom and he tries to open it, it is locked from inside. He knocks and Sara opens it but blocks the entrance. ¡°Sara, what is going on?¡± Aniston asks. ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± She asks and I smile knowing exactly what she means. ¡°Are we doing this right now?¡± He asks exasperated but Sara doesn¡¯t move an inch. ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± She asks again. He checks his pockets and luckily he finds his wallet and takes out a few notes from it and gives them to her. ¡°So stingy,¡± she says but then leaves.


    ¡°After you mydy,¡± he says directing me to enter and thenes in after me. After a few seconds someone locks the door from outside and I know it¡¯s Sara¡¯s doing.


    The room is decorated with white and purple flowers with some petals scattered all over the white beddings and the floor. Aniston pulls me close and kisses me deeply before moving back to remove my tiara off my hair. He undoes the pin securing my hair in ce and it falls around me and he tucks it behind my ear.


    ¡°Turn around,¡± he says softly and Iply. He undoes the zip and lets the dress fall freely as it is sleeveless. I think that¡¯s why he was talking about talking the dress off me the moment he saw me. I have nothing on underneath except for thecy pantie that barely hides my privates. ¡°You are so perfect,¡± he murmurs and cups my boobs with his palms and nts soft kisses across my shoulders. He pinches the nipples and a moan escapes my throat. I can feel one of his hands moving down and he hooks two of his fingers in my pantie and moves it down off my hips. He holds my hand and I step out and he takes the clothes and tosses them on the small couch near the door. He pulls me such that we are facing each other with my nipples poking his toned torso.


    ¡°I want you so bad baby,¡± he breathes fanning my ears and he sucks my earlobe and kisses the back of my ears until the dip of my shoulder and down to my boob. He breathes in and then sucks hard making me hold him for dear life. He then holds me in ce and kisses me deeply and intensely as he makes me move backwards until I can feel my legs touching the bed. ¡°I want you here, in my bed and not just today, I need you everyday for the rest of my life because I have waited for too long, baby. I love you so much,¡± he says gazing deeply in my eyes. ¡°I love you too,¡± I say and he lifts me and ces me on the bed and positions himself between my legs. I know this is just the beginning of a life I had always envisioned for in a marriage, my dream marriage.


    [The End]


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!