Kalia. Walk of shame. The Uber pulled up to the house, after dropping off Eric, my head was still killing me from the hangover. All kinds of news reporters were waiting by the main gate shouting all kinds of assumptions . I spotted Jake's Car in the driveway as I went in. Look at that, I thought to myself for once, he was the one waiting and not me. I got out of the car, my hair all riled up, barefoot carrying my shoes in my hands. I slowly walked up to the front door, in mood to handle any more noises. My head felt like it was going to explode. I opened the front door and there was Jake, furious I don't think I had ever seen him that angry he looked like he was about to cut my head off. "I knew you were a backstabbing bitch and a liar, but I had no idea you were a fucking hoe too." he said angrily, shouting yelling. "Can you please lower your voice or not speak at all."i whispered walking straight to the kitchen to get a bottle of water. "I will yell as loud as I want you fuck
The picture. Jake.I walked up and down completely taken aback by the things Kalia had just said. What the hell was going on "Get me paul right away" I said to one of the security men. "You need to calm down Jake, please." "Calm down? Are you kidding me? Were you not here a few minutes ago or did you not hear all the things she is accusing me off?" "Anyone could have said those things Jake, these are things that are out there people can read about in newspapers, it does not mean she knows anything beyond that." "But what if she knows something?" "I think with that mouth of hers, if she knew anything she would have said something already, she is not the type to hold stuff in and if she knows something, we will deal with it." Maria was right, maybe I was just being paranoid after the stuff she pulled. But being in the business I am in, having so many enemies, not knowing who to trust, it was hard to relax, especially after what Kalia did to me. " Yes sir. " Paul said, stepping i
The confrontation Jake.I opened the door furious, holding my phone up for her to see exactly what I was showing her. She was still in bed, she looked like she had just woken up. "I can't see whatever it is that you want me to see." I immediately tossed her the phone and she catched it, looking at it as I paced around the room. "Can you please stop doing that?" she said looking up from the phone, "You are making me nervous." she added. She immediately tossed the phone back to me without a word. "You slept with him?" I asked furious, getting even more angry at how nonchalant she was acting. "That is none of your business sir." she fired back, trying to get out of bed. "I am so sorry to disappoint you dear, but you are my wife so it's very much my business.""Last I checked, I was your wife only on paper, and If I remember correctly the last time I saw you, you had your dick down a throat that definitely did not belong to me. And I don't remember creating a fuss out of it." she
The party. Kalia. I was so nervous, I don't really get nervous a lot which is why this was so different and new for me. I had been so confident when I agreed to this party tonight but now I was second guessing everything, from my dress to my shoes, even the earrings I wore. This was the eleventh dress I had tried on this evening but none felt comfortable enough for the occasion. I needed to look spectacular, as much as we were going to clear the air about the controversy, this was very much the first time since the wedding we were going to be spotted in public together. I was in a black maxi dress that went all the easy down to the floor with a thigh slip that went almost up to the crotch. It was a daring dress, and it also was the wrong dress to wear to a club. I changed into a satin slip dress with little to no back at all. This is it. I whispered to myself, looking at my reflection in the mirror. I paired it up with some pink heels and a matching clutch bag. I held my hair up
The party part two. Kalia. There were cameras everywhere, people shouting our names from every corner of the room as we walked hand in hand towards the entrance. For those few minutes, I felt like my whole life was complete, in the arms of the man I loved. But at the back of my mind I knew this was all a facade, it was not real. He would never forgive me and I still wanted answers, and I still wanted to take his entire family down for what they did to my family. But today, I was going to have fun with my husband. I smiled at the cameras as they took pictures of us, anyone could have bought it, because I was genuinely in love with him. After a few pictures, he walked me to the vip section. "You did great out there." he finally whispered in my ears, handing me a glass of champagne. "You think they bought it?" I asked looking up at him. "Ofcourse, I am the luckiest man in the world, I can assure you that's what the headlines tomorrow will say." "Are we getting corky now?" I sai
Kaila. A visit to the hospital The ride home was quiet, and I appreciated Paul not trying to make small conversation, it had been a long night. "Hey, can we stop by the memorial?" I asked as we were pulling up to the main gate, I had the sudden urge to go visit my dad. I had not seen him since the day after the wedding. "The hospital, sure." Paul said, turning the car back around."I'm really sorry about this." I tried to apologize for making him drive all the way to the hospital in the wee hours of the night. "It's okay Kalia, I'm happy to help." was all he said with that smile of his. I studied him for a while, just staring at him. I didn't even notice he had realized I was looking at him. "Do you have any family left? I know you told me about your mom." I finally asked. "Not really, my mother was a single mom so after she died it has always been just me." "What about a girlfriend? A wife?" "Too busy, the job takes most of my time and I am devoted to my job, it would not be
The hospital waiting room. Kalia. I never in a million years expected Jake to show up at the hospital, especially that night, I was certain he was going to spend the night with Naima, but yet, here he was sitting right next to me. It felt different, like we were different, like something had shifted, even though we had a wall between us, but it felt nice too having someone there with me. I looked at him again, he looked to be so deep in thought, I wondered what he was thinking about.After staring at him for a few more seconds, I stopped, my mind carrying me back to the day I found out my mother had died. It was the first real day I could remember of me ever being in a hospital. It was my birthday I was turning six the next day. We always had a tradition with my mom, she would buy me a cake on the eve of my birthday and we will spend the evening just me and her in my room eating the cake and making wishes and visions boards for my new year. But on that particular birthday, she h
Jake. Unexpected visitor. Seeing her at the hospital so vulnerable, I was used to the strong Kalia who looked like nothing fazed her. But I could not get her face and how hurt and sad and defeated she looked last night. A part of me wished there was something I could do to help her, take some of her pain away. But another part of me, the business side of me, had questions about the secrets she had revealed last night. Her father Mr Kiari never really married, and I always assumed he had just gotten one of his mistresses pregnant, but something about how she talked about her mother felt off. Mr Kiari never lost his wife to an accident, I would have known, one of the things he was known for was his ability to detach. I needed to find out more. "Good morning, you look happy today."Maria said, pouring me a cup of coffee. " That's because I am, " I said cheerfully." But I have a question for you " I said to Maria and she sat down. " What is it Jake?"" It's about Kiari, was he ever
Kalia. I had been working overtime for the money and the hours were starting to get to me. I was exhausted, but I needed the money. I turned away from the cashier’s counter closing it and slammed into a hardwall.. well, it felt like it was a hard wall, but in fact, it was a man’s solid chest. Large,powerful hands came around and gripped my upper arms to steady me.For a second it was all right. I had the apologetic, slightly flirtatious smile and appropriate words that passed for polite regret ready, I’m so sorry. But when my eyes flew past the broad shoulders up to his face my whole world tilted crazily. I felt the blooddrain away from my head and my face whiten. A part of my brain screamed, No. No. No.No fucking way. Not halfway across the world. Not after all this time.I had done a pretty good job of starting afresh, far away from my previous life, far from anyone that knew me. And for a while it had worked, or atleast I had thought so. I opened my mouth and… Closed it like som
Kalia.I looked at my reflection again in the mirror for the fourth time, my bed full of clothes I had tried on and none of them seemed to fit me. I needed to start shopping for maternity clothes and that required me to get out of my room, which I was not ready to do. Maya had offered to take me shopping, but with the morning sickness, it was hard. All my time was spent on my knees by the toilet throwing up and the remaining time in bed, sleeping. It didn’t help that the one person I wanted to be with was also the one person I was avoiding. But I couldn't hide in my room forever, at some point I had to get out, and that day was today. It had been exactly two days since our confrontation, since Jake claimed he was not the one responsible for my mother's death. It had also been exactly two days since I had been in the same room as him, or even seen him. I couldn't deal with that news, not now, not when I was still trying to come to terms with being pregnant. I dressed up in a pink
Jake.I hadn't really slept all night, and now as I lay awake, the morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of my bedroom windows, casting soft, golden rays on the hardwood floor. I stood at the window, staring out over the city skyline, my coffee growing cold in my hands. I wasn’t seeing the buildings, though; my mind was far away, caught in a tangled web of emotions that I could neither fully understand nor escape.All I could think about was Kalia, which was not fair to the woman sleeping soundly on my bed. I turned around and watched her, snoring softly. I had woken up so many times to her face, she was beautiful, and despite giving birth to a child she still looked spectacular. At one point in my life she meant everything to me, don't get me wrong I still loved Naima, but I was not in love with her. And last night was prove of that. Maybe it was time I started being honest with myself, and maybe tell Kalia I was in love with her, but that was a dumb thin to do. Kalia w
40.Jake.A few days ago. My private investigator had just gotten back to me on Kalia's background. "So boss, I have some news." he had said, even his voice seemed troubled. "What's going on?" "Kalia is not really who you think she is who we all think she is." "Whats that supposed to mean?" "Well I did a little digging like you asked, it took a lot for me to get her file." Leo started, but I was running out of patience, " She is not really Kiari's daughter.""What doea that mean?" "I got a hold of Kiari's file, he was never married, he could not be able to have biological children, he adopted Kalia." Leo paused for a minute, letting the words sink in. It was all starting to make sense, I knew something was off about her story, and how she talked about her mom. " Kalia's parents died when she was only six years old, her mother died in a car accident, hit and run, and her father died a few weeks later.""Woow,that must have done a number on her." i said feeling sorry for Kalia,
Jake. It had been over nine months since Kalia dissappeared with no trace at all. It was like she had never even existed. But I never gave up, I still had people out looking for her. I stood by my bedroom window, or atleast what used to be our bedroom window, overlooking out, looking at the sky. It was a beautiful morning, and I could not stop thinking about her today..She must have already had the baby by now. My baby. Now looking back, none of this things mattered anymore, I had fought for my company which was not hard given Kalia left me half the company she shares that she owned before she disappeared. I had everything I ever wanted except her, I was in love with her and she was all I could think about. Wondering if she was okay, if my child was okay. "Hey," my mom said rubbing my shoulders gently from behind me. I had been so absent minded that I never even heard her get into my room. She stood next to me and we stood there together in silence, we understood each other a
44.Eric. I sat in the hospital parking lot for what felt like eternity, part of me wanted to drive back and act like I had never gotten this information. I wished I had not pushed Naima to be honest with me. But Kalia was my best friend, she was like family, like my own sister. I had to warn her. I slowly got out of the car, suddenly feeling a slight headache. I walked to the reception, but before I could talk to anyone, I spotted her and she ran towards me excited, all smiles. "Hey, you didn't have to come." she said, as she hugged me as she led me to a bench and we sat down. "I know, but what kind of friend would I be if I was not there for you when you needed me most?" she said, taking my hands in hers. "Thank you for coming, it really means alot that you are here." she said in tears. "But no crying please, I don't want to see any tears on your beautiful face." She just looked up at me with her big brown eyes, and smiled. "I love you." she whispered"I actually wanted to
The night was heavy with stillness, the kind that made every sound feel amplified and every thought reverberate like an echo in a cavern. Anna sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed in the guest room of her parents' house, her hands absently toying with the delicate lace of her wedding veil draped over her lap. The moonlight streaming through the window painted silvery streaks across her face, illuminating the turmoil in her eyes. Tomorrow, she would be married. Tonight, she wasn’t sure if she was ready.The house was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the old wood floors and the muffled hum of her father’s television in the den downstairs. Her mother had gone to bed hours ago, reminding Anna in her usual efficient manner to get some rest for "the big day." But how could she? Her mind was a storm, a whirlwind of questions and doubts she had kept at bay for months but now seemed impossible to ignore.Anna stood up and walked to the window, pushing it open to let the crisp December
Jake. The different lights of the club flashed in circles on the dance floor, casting a sickly glow over the crowd. The bass of the music reverberated through the floor, vibrating the glass of whiskey in my hand as i slammed it down, beckoning the bartender for another.I didn’t care for the taste anymore, the burn in my throat that felt like a fire that never quite went out. It was a reminder of the way i felt inside raw, scorching, and too damn much to handle. The glass was empty before i could think about it, and the bartender didn’t even look at me as he slid another one over to me.I could feel his eyes on me a couple of times, maybe judging me. “Tomorrow,” i muttered, almost to myself, staring at the amber liquid as though it held all the answers to my agony and pain. Tomorrow, she was getting married. Kalia was getting married. It sounded like a bad dream only that it was infact happening. She was getting married. Not to me. Never to me.She had made that abundantly clear.
Kalia.It had been a day since I found out I was pregnant, I kept hoping it was the hormone imbalance and weather and food, but none of it really mattered. I was pregnant with Jake's baby. I was dying to talk to someone, tell someone else and get advice on what to do. But I didn't really have any friends, so I thought about telling Maria, she was close to Jake, maybe she would help me break the news to him. I paced back and forth in the kitchen, my hands fidgeting as they clasped and unclasped, fingers twisting in anxious rhythms.The weight of the news I carried hung heavily on my chest, threatening to burst out in a rush of words that I hadn’t yet gathered the courage to speak. The pregnancy test had been sitting on the bathroom counter for hours now, its two pink lines glaring up at me like a truth I couldn’t avoid. I was pregnant. And the father was Jake. I leaned against the counter, my breathing shallow as I tried to make sense of the storm of emotions raging inside of me .