Hired For Christmas 004

Ace's POV

“How long do you plan on staying here and living this lie?” My best friend and support system, Zion asked.

“Zion not now, I'm very tired and would like to rest,” I brushed him off.

“You need to make up your mind before January and return home, your family is worried,” Zion sat on the couch inside my room.

“Are they really worried or do you just need space from me?” I raised my eyebrows playfully.

“Ace, you know it isn't…”

“Sir, Sir,” The cleaning lady entered my room without knocking, “You should come see this.”

Without thinking twice, Zion and I ran downstairs to see my girlfriend Ziora coming out of my car drunk and the condition of my car was in a terrible state.

I balled my hand into a tight fist, I just couldn't stand it anymore, “What happened?” I gritted and glared at her.

I just got the car two days ago after she destroyed the former one with a fire extinguisher on purpose.

Ziora walked zigzag till she fell on me, “My prince,” she giggled and she used her hand to demonstrate, “I …was… driving…at…a ….very….high…speed…. then…boom…I…crashed,” She burst into laughter.

I took a deep breath, trying to control my anger, “And you didn't think to get it fixed before coming here?”

“I.. wanted to,” She pouted and it only angered me, “Then I remembered I had you.”

“Ziora!!” The anger in my blood couldn't take it anymore.

“Your girlfriend is drunk, don't be too harsh on her,” Zion signaled for the cleaner to take her inside and she did.

I balled my hand into a fist, I needed space, I needed to breathe. I entered the house, put on my glasses, put on a face cap, carried my phone, and my card, and left the house before Zion could stop me.

Ziora and I had been in a relationship for the past three years and two years out of those three years had been a living nightmare. We only entered this relationship because my mother wanted our Union, I wanted it at first but now, I don't think I can take it.

I wanted to clear my mind so I took a walk instead of a cab, I got to the middle of the city and was enjoying the scenery when I noticed a young lady walking into the road without looking.

At first, I wanted to ignore her and continue going my way then I noticed she wasn't responding to the honking. Maybe she was deaf or something.

I looked behind and saw a car coming at high speed, I immediately ran to her, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her out of the road to the walkway. The driver cussed at her as they drove past.

“Were you trying to get yourself killed?!!” I yelled at her then immediately regretted it when the thought of her being deaf crossed my mind.

I was about to apologize, when she bent down, looked into the drainage, and began to cry. I looked to see what was making her cry then I realized her phone had fallen down the drain.

She was crying silently before then she began to sob louder. I didn't know what was wrong, I stood in front of her, removed my cap from my head, and placed it over her head. I had to explain to passersby that I wasn't the one who made her cry else who knows what they might do.

“Everything …in …my… life …isn't… going …right.. it's… like.. the.. heavens… are …punishing ..me… for ..my.. past.. or ..may..be… I… owe.. karma..” The young lady said, surprising me, I thought she was deaf but she could clearly talk and she had a beautiful voice that couldn't go unnoticed.

She wiped her eyes, removed the cap from her head, and gave it back to me, “I'm sorry, thank you and I should get going now,” she said in a polite and calm tone.

“Let me get you an ointment for your wound,” I said when I noticed the injury on her wrist. I didn't know where she had gotten it from.

The young lady looked at me for a brief second and her eyes were beautiful or maybe it was because she cried.

She looked at the watch on her wrist and said, “It's fine, I should get going,”

I didn't want her to go like that, I wanted to get her the ointment and some other things especially since she just lost her phone, “Please let me,” I insisted and she eventually agreed.

I walked her to the nearest convenience store, she sat outside while I went inside to get everything I felt she would need for now especially since she didn't have a phone.

I came back and handed everything to her, she checked what was inside and thanked me for it. I looked down at her finger and I saw she had a ring. Meaning she was married, something was going on and she wanted to end it all.

“I don't know what you are going through but you shouldn't jump onto the road like that, I can't tell you not to end it but you shouldn't do that in public,” I said to her so next time, she wouldn't bring attention to herself if she wanted to succeed.

She looked at me with a shocked expression, it was awkward so I opened the water I originally got for myself and handed it to her, she thanked me and drank from the bottle.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” I almost choked on my spit when she said those words.

“Excuse me?” I didn't understand why she was so bold enough to ask that or does she know Ziora? Nahh, she didn't know Ziora, if she did then she would also know me.

I was expecting her to apologize but no she didn't, she surprised me again, “Do you have anything to do for Christmas?”

I couldn't understand her and she was fucking weird, “Young lady, I just helped you, I don't understand why you would want that information.”

She shook her head aggressively as if trying to tell me I was thinking wrong of her, “I'm not weird or anything, I'm just trying to create employment for people who don't have anything to do for Christmas.”

She isn't only weird, she is strange and crazy. Who would have thought such a beautiful girl would lose it?

She lowered my gaze and bit her lips, “Me and my boyfriend broke up, I just wanted to take someone home and pretend like the break-up didn't hurt,” I could hear her voice break between each word. So she wasn't married, she had a boyfriend.

She must be going through a lot so I need to be calm now, “I'm sorry, I understand what you are saying but I can't do that, I don't know you, you might be a serial killer or something.”

“I know it's shameless of me to ask but please, you will be paid, that's extra cash and if you don't have anyone to spend Christmas with then you can spend it with my family,” she explained but I wasn't having it, I wore my cap and stood up to leave.

“I'm sorry, I cannot do that,” I hurriedly stood up to leave but she held my wrist.

She opened her purse, brought out a piece of paper, wrote something on it, and placed it inside my pocket, “Please, in case you change your mind, we will be leaving for my hometown by 8 in the morning, please I will be waiting for you.”

“I'm sorry, you don't even know my name and you want me to spend Christmas with you,” I removed her hand from my wrist and hurriedly entered a cab. What a weirdo.

That strange lady and her offer were on my mind till I got home. I entered the house thinking everyone would be asleep but no Ziora wasn't.

“Where are you coming from?” Ziora asked and I ignored her question.

“It's late I should go to bed,” I was about to climb the stairs when she held my hand.

“When are we getting married?” I turned to look at her with confusion in my head, “Or should we have a child first before marriage?”

I opened my mouth and closed it when nothing came out, “Ziora, what we have is toxic and you are talking about marriage and worse a child?”

“Excuse me?” Ziora's face turned red with anger and at this point, I knew she would start saying nonsense and destroying things.

“Yes Ziora, you wanted a job at the most popular Media, I got it for you, anything you wanted I have always gotten it for you, but you see marriage and a child, I can't do that right now, those aren't child play, I just_”

Before I could finish talking she slapped me across the face and I gritted my teeth, “Toxic?” Ziora scoffed, “I'm guessing there is someone new, so who is she? What does she have? Does she know everything about you? Is your family aware?”

I just couldn't take it, I needed space, I needed space from Ziora, I couldn't stay with her, I couldn't breathe the same air as her, I looked at the time and it would be inappropriate to kick her out of Zion's house at this time of the night.

I glared at her before leaving the sitting room, I went upstairs to have my bath when a piece of paper fell from my pocket, I picked it up and saw it was the paper that the young lady had given to me earlier.

I was about to throw it into the bin but decided to check it out, I saw it had an address and phone number and without thinking twice, I threw it inside the bin.

I was about to enter the bathroom when a thought crossed my head, I brought out the paper and kept it on the bed.

I needed to clear my head and get away from Ziora, so I brought out my luggage and began arranging clothes for the trip. There was no harm, at least I would rather die in the hands of a stranger than die in the hands of Ziora.