Crystal's POV ''Karen!' Eric's shout for our housekeeper shook the whole house that morning. I trembled from the fact that Eric was displeased about something. I was in the kitchen that morning with Karen preparing Eric's breakfast. Karen ran out of the kitchen on trembling legs. I wanted to cover my ears to avoid hearing what Eric was saying to Karen but I didn't. From what Eric was saying, I knew I was in a lot of trouble. Eric was my husband of two years. I was forced into marriage with him by my adoptive father. I had no one else to turn to that could save me from him and my grandmother needed help. I had to go ahead and marry Eric against my wish. My name is Crystal Martins. The adoptive daughter of Kelsey Martins. Although very few people knew that I was adopted. Kelsey Martins, according to my grandmother, had seen her one day under the rain holding a two-year-old, which was me. Out of pity, he agreed to adopt me and give me his name. He got my grandmother and me
Crystal's POV 'How more useless can you be, Crystal?' Eric asked me quietly as he put down the teacup in his hands. He made sure to drop it carefully so that he didn't spill tea on his hand. I knew that when he spoke to me like that, it meant that he was upset with me. I had made the tea just the way he liked, but somehow, that morning, he didn't like it or maybe he was just in a mood to make me feel bad. He did that whenever he felt like hurting my feelings. In the past two years, I have come to know that I must not say anything to him when he is angry. Even saying sorry would trigger him. He had slapped me often for saying sorry to him. 'First my suit, now my tea all in one morning? Are you trying to provoke me into killing you?' Eric asked but I said nothing. I kept reciting one to one thousand in my mind just to keep my mind occupied and let him rant all he wanted. When he was satisfied with his abuses, he took his briefcase and left in anger. I sighed in relief to
Crystal's POV I tried my utmost best to avoid Eric when he returned from work. I was in the kitchen with Karen when he returned. Adele had jumped into his hands kissing him passionately. Eric had shamelessly kissed her back knowing well that Karen and I were there. I didn't feel any jealousy; all I felt was disgust at the sound their mouths were making, but who am I to complain? Karen and I stood there and watched them kiss. I signaled for Karen to go back into the kitchen while I stayed where I was since I didn't know maybe my leaving would provoke him. 'You stood there while I kissed my girl?' Eric asked me shamelessly after he was done plunging his tongue down Adele's throat. 'I was waiting for instructions. Can I serve your dinner?' I asked. 'Yes. My sweet girl and I will love to eat now,' Eric said, making Adele laugh like the bimbo she was. 'Ok,' I said and served his meal and that of his girlfriend on the dining with the help of Karen, and I made myself scarce.
Crystal's POV 'I swear on my life I am not seeing anyone, Eric, please,' I said, jumping out of bed as fear gripped my heart. 'You are not seeing anyone yet you were mumbling his name in your sleep? How convenient,' Eric said with sarcasm dripping in his voice. 'I will tell you the truth, please,' I said, swallowing hard and pleading with my eyes. 'Should I take a seat so that you can give me an encyclopedia on the person you have been sleeping with behind my back?' Eric asked moving closer to me. 'No. I swear on my life, Eric. Midas was my friend in high school. I must have been missing him, and that was why I kept mentioning his name in my sleep,' I explained, praying that it would sink into his head and that there was no way I was seeing another man. 'Really? And you expect me to believe that bullshit?' Eric said coming closer to me. Before I could decipher what he wanted to do, he slapped me across the face and pulled my nightwear. It tore under his tight grip and I
Crystal's POV I was discharged from the hospital two days after I woke up. Eric didn't call, nor did he show up at the hospital. I was partly glad that he didn't come or call while another part of me was sad that he didn't show up. I knew he didn't care if I died or lived, but he should have at least pretended to care and show up at the hospital, even if it was just once. Everyone knew I was married to the powerful and rich Eric Conner but they didn't know how much I went through just because I have the name Conner added to my name 'Are you alright?' Karen asked placing a hand on my leg. We were in the car taking us home. Eric had assigned a car to Karen before he left. I knew he didn't do that out of love or care for me. He must have done it so that I wouldn't have to get a taxi when I got discharged from the hospital and risk being seen by the paparazzi. Anything Eric did was always for himself. He had never done anything selflessly since we got married. 'I am fine
Crystal's POV 'I know you dread this dinner as much as you dread a live snake but you and I know what the result of your refusal to go can be ' Karen said as I looked at the cloth Eric had handpicked for me to wear to his family dinner like an abomination 'Sometimes, I feel Eric is just out to embarrass me for no reason. This dress is too revealing, Karen,' I said, picking up the dress and turning it around for a better view. It was a beautiful gown, no doubt, but it was backless. The front was beautifully designed with a small cut on the chest area to give a glimpse of cleavage. Another problem I had with the dress was that it was too short for my liking 'You need to get dressed. I am sure that Sir Eric is almost through. You are going to get us both into trouble if you are not dressed by the time he is through,' Karen said, looking pleadingly at me. Eric had instructed Karen to help me get dressed as if I was a toddler. It was Eric's pastime to make me feel brainless most
Crystal's POV 'Why does Eric love this type of dress? Where does he even get them from? The slums?' I hissed as I threw the dress on the floor. Karen picked it up and put it on the bed. Eric loved his women dressed in revealing clothes. It was none of my business until he started making me wear rags, all in the name of fashion. 'If you don't mind. I might have a dress you would love' Karen said shrugging 'Really?' I asked wondering where Karen could get a dress that was worthy of the Conners end of the year party from 'Yes. If you wouldn't mind' Karen said and I asked her to go bring it I did not want to go to the party. Especially since Adrian was taking his girlfriend with him. I wouldn't have known about his intention to take her to the party if he had not made the call in the car on our way from dinner with his family. He had received the call and almost got us killed in the process, but thankfully enough, the other driver had been smart enough to apply the break
Midas' POV I watched Crystal walk into the ball room and I felt an undiluted joy seep into my heart. Joy at the fact that I can finally get to see my Crystal so close to me. Watching her from afar months had been nothing but pure torture but I had to endure in order to know those I was up against very well before I made my move. Crystal shone in the room light. I had guessed her size but Karen had done a good job in getting me the actual size. She looked like a queen. Heads turned her way as she looked around. My Crystal, my first love, my only love. I had frowned when Eric's mum, his sister and one other lady had been talking to her. I couldn't hear them from where I was but Crystal's body language said it all. I watched as Eric Conner stormed to her side and pulled her out of the hall and took her towards the garden. It seemed she said something that didn't sit well with him. I gave them some seconds headstart before I followed. I signalled to Edmond, my PA and he nodde
Midas’ POV I smiled happily as clapping erupted in the hall where Mr Rotman was having the party. I couldn't take my gaze off Crystal now Pearl as she smiled confidently at everyone waving her hands like the true princess that she was. No one could have known that she almost had a nervous breakdown a few minutes before her father called her to the podium. ‘I am so nervous Midas. I feel like turning around and running away,’ she had said to me when I was about to leave her alone behind the podium so that I could watch her walk up there. ‘Running away right now is a good idea but we both know that is cowardice. Didn't the therapy work?’ I asked, looking into her eyes. ‘It did Midas. It is just that …’ ‘Use everything you have learned to get through this night, my love. By the way, you look stunning,’ I said before pulling her into my hands and kissing her lightly on the cheek. I didn't want to tamper with her perfect make up that was why I didn't give in to my urge to kiss
6 months later Eric's POV ‘What are you doing with the Rotmans’ invite?’ Dad asked Mum as he came into the living room ‘Mrs Rotman herself sent it to me,’ Mum answered smiling. That was the first real smile I had seen on her face in months. We were staying in our house but things weren't as rosy as they used to be seven months ago. We would have been living in abject poverty if I hadn't taken it upon myself to sell our cars and cunningly invest them into shares at the company Daddy manages, which was our former company. The company had been renamed Crystalized Pearl. It was an irony that the name had Crystal in it. Hearing the company's name sometimes gave me a headache, so I just avoided listening to anyone calling out the name. I sold my house where I lived with Crystal to pay off debts and I had to burn the clothes she left behind just to keep her off my mind. I still loved her even after everything that had happened. Dad was doing fine with the company. He w
Midas’ POV I could see the fear and nervousness on the faces of the staff of the Conners' company as I entered the office complex. Even those who met me at the door greeted me nervously. I knew they must have already heard that I was the new owner of the company. I had worked with some of their accounting staff for a day or two before coming to the place, and from my interactions with them, I knew the tension was high, but I had promised Crystal that none of the current staff was going to lose their jobs. A lot of them were standing around greeting me as I entered. I had the intention of addressing them once I was through with the Conners. It is a new year, and no one deserves unhappiness except people like the Conners, who have been dishing out sadness to others. ‘This way, sir,’ one of the staff said, pointing at the office where the Conners were. He opened the door and Edmond and I entered. The Conners were all there including their daughter CC. I wondered what she co
Midas’ POV ‘How did I do?’ Crystal asked me the moment the cameras were off. I pulled her up from the chair and pulled her straight into my chest. I kissed her lips gently before I answered her question. We had decided that Crystal should grant the interview to let the Conners off the hook for a while. Netizens were going wild on the Internet and people had placed a siege on their companies everywhere they were in Roseville. It was time to move on to the next line of action, hence the interview. ‘You did great babe. You were eloquent and you looked like a queen. Tell me, how did I get so lucky?’ ‘Stop being playful Midas. I am serious here,' Crystal said trying to push me away but I held on to her. ‘I am serious here too Crystal. You were magnificent,’ I said then kissed her neck. She shivered in my hands then blushed. I knew she was uncomfortable with the camera crew still in there but I just wanted to hold her. ‘Mr St Clair, I will be on my way now,’ Theresa the hos
Eric's POV ‘You need to eat Eric. That is the only way you are getting out of this bed. You need to man up and stop behaving like a child,' Dad said angrily before leaving the room. I didn't have an appetite, but they seemed not to understand. How could I eat when my whole world had just crumbled. ‘For us to get out of this mess, we need our strength and our wits around us Eric. So starving yourself won't help you,’ Mum said coming to sit beside me. ‘Mum, in just a blink of an eye, I have lost everything. I realized too late that I could lose Crystal.’ ‘Crystal will come back Eric. She can't possibly leave her grandmother alone.’ ‘The Martins haven't contacted you?’ I asked Mum in surprise. ‘No, they haven't,' Mum answered. ‘I thought they were the ones who gave you this house.’ ‘No. That is another friend. Not them. Why did you ask if they have contacted me?’ ‘Crystal’s grandmother is missing alongside her caregiver.' ‘What! And those fools didn't deem it fi
Eric's POV I sat in the car, watching her house from a distance, deliberating exactly how I intended to make her pay for what she had done. At a point, I wanted to turn back and just release the uncensored video to the Internet; of course, I had nothing more to lose as it was. Everything had already gone to ruins but I changed my mind and decided to confront her instead and tell her to expect her nude photos all over the internet the next day. If I go down, she goes with me. I would have gotten out of the car, but I stopped when a car came to a stop in front of her house, and a man well dressed came out looking like he had just walked out of a magazine cover. She opened the door instantly, the car parked, and rushed into the waiting hands of the other man. My blood boiled, I wasn't even out of the way yet and she was already in another man’s arms. I thought she said she cared about me. It all just showed that she didn't love me in any way whatsoever. I was sure that she must hav
Crystal’s POV I was confused with everything my grandmother was saying. She told me herself that she picked me up from a dumpster while she was digging through dumpsters to get food. ‘Grandma. I don't understand you at all. Who am I?’ I asked her with a deep frown. ‘You will all have to listen to my explanation and you Crystal, you need to listen to me with an open mind. Promise me you will not judge me until you have heard it all,' my grandmother said looking pitiful. ‘I promise Grandma,' I said. ‘Ok. Where do I start from?’ Grandma asked looking at Mr Rotman. ‘Start from when you took Pearl,' Mr Rotman said with anger very evident in his voice. ‘No. I think she should start from the beginning. Who were you to my mother?’ I said. I didn't want any details left out. It was obvious that Mr Rotman knew who she was to my mother but I needed to know too. ‘Okay. I met your mother when she was still pregnant with you. She was homeless because her landlord had thrown her ou
Eric's POV I came awake gradually as the knock on my car window continued gently. I opened my eyes and wound down. Two police officers were standing outside the car. Some nosy people in the neighborhood must have called the cops. ‘We noticed that your car has been parked here all night. We just wanted to make sure you are okay in here,’ one of the police officers said. ‘I am fine. I guess I slept off and forgot to go home,’ I said trying my best to smile. ‘Ok. But I might have to ask you to move your car because your presence here since last night has given some of the residents concern. Hope you understand sir?’ The other police officer said and I nodded in understanding. I knew the drift so I started the car and moved. I checked the mirror to see if they were standing there. As expected, they were standing at the spot where I just moved from watching me drive out of the street. When I was sure that I was out of their sight totally, I parked my car. My life as it was,
Crystal's POV ‘I am beginning to think that you added weight since we got to Paris. I can feel pain from your weight’ Midas said as I lay on his chest after another round of mind blowing love making. ‘Are you calling me fat?’ I asked raising my head to look at him, feigning anger. Midas laughed hard pulling at my cheeks playfully. I joined him but soon stopped to just stare at him. ‘Why are you starring at me like that?’ Midas asked as his laughter turned to grin. ‘You are so handsome and it is so unbelievable that you are mine. I feel so blessed Midas,’ I said smiling at him. ‘The first time I got here after I was rescued from Roseville by grandpa, the first thing that came to my mind was that my wealth will be meaningless without you in it. Now that you are here, I feel so complete. I can't wait to announce to the world that you are mine,’ Midas said. I would have said something more cheesy but my stomach rumbled so loud that we started laughing at the same time. I co