I landed on Adrian, my hand on his chest. I let out a sharp gasp and pressed my hands on his left breast to gain balance. I couldn't help but comment to my subconscious mind on how soft his chest was; though they were muscular, it still felt so cozy. We were staring into each other's eyes as his warm breath showered on my face. Some strand of my hair fell on his face across his nose and it tried shoving it out. Then, all of a sudden he pushed me off and sneezed violently.“You have added clumsiness to the list of your flaws. Why exactly do you have to fall on me? He snapped, trying to recover from the sneeze, but his nasal cavity wasn't done yet because he sneezed two more times.I took a few steps back to keep a reasonable distance between us because I feared Adrian's temper. “It was a mistake,” I muttered looking down. “You pulled me too hard and I lost my balance.”“Why do you always have to apologize?” He asked, turning around with his hands on his waist. “First, you came home lat
CHAPTER 51He stood still, his expression unreadable and numb. He looked broken and sober about my tears but he didn't want to show it. How would he have his steeze reduced because of me? He braced his ego a lot and valued his pride like a treasure. I knew everything about it.I wrapped my palm around my shoulder as if to extract the pain from it but it only intensified. Hot tears flowed freely down my cheeks. I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes tightly, trying to breathe through it all. He started walking towards me and fell on his knees beside where I sat on the cold floor. He helped me to my feet and led me to the bed.“That wasn't intentional. I just forgot that you're female, soft, small, and fragile.” He muttered, his voice laced with remorse, but he tried to hide it. I could hear it loud and clear but I stayed put.He touched my shoulder, and I shrugged, frowning. He tried again but I maintained a stiff face. I wanted him to know that I was hurt; I felt abused and misused.“Com
“Just let me go,” I cried, my voice cracking.He wanted to reply but his phone beeped.“Pass me my phone,” he said pointing at his phone behind me. I stared at the phone and back at him, then gulped hard. I picked up the phone and held onto it.“Pass it already,” he snapped with furrowed brows.“No, I won't. You will give me the duvet first before getting it.” I replied feigning seriousness. I don't know what I was doing but I continued anyway.“Don't be silly.”He sighed and stretched his right hand to get the phone from me. Immediately I shoved my hands under my dress and hid the phone there.“What do you think you're doing,” he asked, his brows furrowed slightly.“Adrian, just give me the duvet to cover myself up and leave, then I'll hand over your phone to you. It is that simple.” I explained my voice gently but steadily.“Huh, where exactly did you put my phone?” He asked, his eyes narrowed down to my abdomen area.I tucked my hair behind my ear and sniffed. “Where I put the phon
I sat up instantly my heart pounding against my chest. Did Adrian come after me? I was silent maybe I could get a clue of who was at the door, but it was futile. I braced my chest and tried to allow the words to form in my throat. My vocal cords were against me; I inhaled and exhaled multiple times. Then I spoke.“Who's at the door?” I muttered my voice shaky. “Adrian, are you the one?”There was no quick reply and that somehow made me want to believe that it was Adrian because he was the only one in the house that fancied snubbing people.“Ma'am, it's me, Helen”, she replied, finally making me heave a sigh of relief.“Helen,” I called as if not convinced enough.“Yes, ma'am, it's me,” she replied, her voice speaking uncertainly.I furrowed my brows slightly studying the door as if it were see-through.“Are you there with anyone?” I asked in shutters.She hesitated before replying making me doubt her more. “No ma'am, I'm here alone.”I shut my eyes tightly and gritted my teeth; I was
I slept off a few minutes later and didn't even know when or how Helen left. When I woke up, I found myself carefully lying on the bed with my duvet well covered. My shoulder was well massaged and tied with a piece of clothing, and as if that wasn't enough, I wasn't dressed in the gown I went to sleep in. I sat up instantly blinking nervously, “what is going on?” I murmured.And then, to make matters worse, I felt weak, and I had pains all over my body. What could be the problem? I went to bed overwhelmed and hurt, hoping to wake up lighter and relieved, and then this?Soon, it was as if someone whispered into my ears, and instantly, I opened the dress I was wearing and found out that even my underwear had been changed. I let out a loud scream. I was sure about everything. I usually wore matching colored underwear but I saw myself in a different color of bra and panties. “Why on earth did my underwear get changed?” I murmured.When I took a glance at the wall clock I found out that it
“I'm sorry for whatever you're going through ma'am,” She whispered, her voice breaking. A tear ran down her left cheek and soon the other side did the same.“Helen, why are you crying?” I whispered.She shook her head and ran upstairs sobbing profusely with each step she took.It was plain. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me what happened, it was clear, clear enough for any sensible person to understand. The earlier I accepted my reality the better for me. It was a bitter truth, indeed a difficult pill to swallow.Adrian had had his way with me.Why did Helen say what she said if it didn't happen? Why would she cry and feel sorry for me if Adrian didn't do it? She knows about it and couldn't even pretend about it till the end. My memory cast back to the evening in the garden, she told me about her rape story and how she lost her virginity. I couldn't relate to it by then because our challenges were different, but now I think we are on the same page. I should be more sorry for mysel
Accusingly, my hands were pointing at his chest, and in a surge of my emotions, the words just blurred out. "Well, it's your behavior that brings out the boldness in me," I replied in an authoritative tone with resolve, my eyes on fire with indignation.But Adrian sat there, as tranquil and composed as a body could get. Far from looking startled, a smile escaped his lips-a soft, gentle curling of his lips-and seemed to belittle my anger."I'm talking to you, and you're smiling right?" I exclaimed, voice incredulous at the behaviors while oozing disdain with every word."What's so funny, huh?" I demanded, my eyes narrowed to slits, my face hot with anger.Adrian's smile never wavered; his eyes were on mine with an unnerving intensity."I don't know you to be this kind of lousy person," he said in a low, even voice, the words subtly rebuking."And I think you need a sleep," he said, his eyes steady on mine, his face the picture of calm and collected.The anger rose within me at his word
I was stuck there, cold with fear, rigid in body and by now completely insensitive to the outside world, as if frozen into a block of ice, as is the case with fish stuck in blocks of transparent ice.My heart was a pool of fears, my mind preoccupied with consequences; I envisioned the most horrific figure of my life-strict, serious, and forbidding Adrian lurch forward and spring into action, letting loose the storm upon me. I had crossed swords with his instructions and prepared for the shock.I closed my eyes, screwing them shut as if to shut out the brewing tempest. My heart jumped a beat, my breath catching in my current throat, while I waited for the explosion. I felt like the ground would open up and swallow me whole, allowing me to escape the scene unfolding before me. But I was trapped, frozen in place, unable to move or escape."Where is the food?" Adrian's voice thundered, firm and commanding, sending shivers down my spine.I stuttered an apology, my eyes still closed, my voi
A shrill ring cut through the silent corridor of the hospital-one of William's phones was ringing. He reached for it in a flash and answered the call in a racing heart. The voice on the other side sounded strong and commanding-no room for any doubt or hesitation."Where are you?" Adrian asked, leaving no room for arguing.In an instant, William's heart sank, with his mind racing towards the implication of Adrian's question. He did not ask him which hospital he was in, but where he was; it was as if he knew where he was. The realization sent a shiver down William's spine, and he felt his voice catch in his throat."Ehhhhh." he stammered, faltering.Adrian was explosive in response. "Speak up, my friend!" his voice boomed through the phone."What are you stammering for? Or is my wife dead?" The words hung in the air at once a challenge and a threat. William felt his heart pounding with the struggle to respond; his palms started to perspire."No, sir, no, sir," he said at once, the words
The eyes of Dr. Fredrick shone with urgency, and his whole body was filled with anticipation. Another minute more he could hardly wait for; he was out of patience, began to pace up and down in front of the ward, his hands trembling like that of a thief who had been caught red-handed."Nurse!" he yelled, stamping his foot on the ground as his voice reverberated down the corridors. The echo of this sound in the hospital was like a clarion call-one that could not be ignored. Immediately, the nurse came running to the ward, her face a picture of concern as she hastened to attend to the doctor's summons."What is it, Sir?" she asked breathlessly as she struggled to keep up with the doctor's frantic pace.Doctor Fredrick's eyes flashed into hers, his stare intense as he gave his directions."Get the surgery ready," he said in a low urgent tone."We are about to perform a heart transplant now."The nurse widened her eyes in surprise but wasted no time, hurrying to prepare the operation theat
Adrian's voice came like thunder over the phone, and a cold shiver ran down William's spine as he had never before heard Adrian speak with such urgency and emotion.Adrian was a man known for his tough exterior, his business acumen, and his strict demeanor. Yet, when it came to his wife, Jenny, he was a different person altogether. He had human feelings for her, feelings that he rarely showed to anyone else.William was scared; he heard the running heartbeat of his heart as he listened to Adrian's angry voice. He knew he had to do something quickly to cool off Adrian's anger and get the doctor to attend to Jenny.Immediately, he sprang from his seat and scurried to the doctor's office, his legs moving with swiftness down the hall to try to soothe Adrian's temper.He was now at the doctor's, and Mr. William delicately knocked on the door as his knuckles kissed the wood softly."Come in," a voice called from behind the door in a meek manner. The door cracked, and William slid into the
Adrian paced around his office, the soles of his shoes echoing from the walls-a rhythmic accompaniment to turbulent thoughts.He paced around, looking into the floor as though he was looking for some sort of misplaced treasure.His face furrowed: his brow did show worry and concern. He was tormented by uncertainty over what would next happen, with his mind consumed by the fear of Mr. Shanks' response.The memory of Jenny's collapse in front of Mr. Shanks' investors was fresh within his mind, the shame and embarrassment still burning within him. Adrian boiled in anger and frustration as his mind went to the words of Mr. Shanks:"I don't pay my workers well.”He slammed his hand onto the table. The sound resonated through the room, like the cracking of thunder. Books that lay upon the table tumbled to the floor, their pages fluttering open like wounded birds.Adrian's face twisted in agony and he screamed, his voice a raw and primeval shriek. "No………!" he yelled, his hands tearing at his
"No, sir, please don't go!" Mr. Adrian pleaded as he tried to stop investors from storming out of the company in a fit of anger."Let's talk about this; there must be a way we can resolve our differences.""I don't think so," one of the investors turned and said. "I think you don't pay your manager well, that's why she couldn't even answer our questions.""Why do you say that?" Adrian asked as he tried to defend Jenny."I say that because the lady who slumped looks stressed, that's the reason she slumped," the investor added. "We will send you our response soon," Mr Shank said as he and his core investors left the company.The voices of the investors made Mr. Williams run out from the other office to the conference room to see what was happening. "I! I!" Williams shouted, running to the lifeless body of Jenny, slumped to the floor, her body limp and her face pale."Ahh, no! What's happened to her?" Williams exclaimed, shaking me gently. "Wake up! please wake up!"But I didn't respond
We got into the car and zoomed off to the Adrian company. I was feeling a little bit anxious.Finally, we got to the company, the name of the company welcome us and the beautiful environment was wowMr. Williams, the manager who had been shaking under pressure; quickly handed him all the necessary files. With a great deal of confidence, he showed the people present in the room.I was so confident that Adrian was taken aback, and soon found himself stealing glances at him as he flipped through the pages of the document."Good morning sir," the cleaner said, breaking the spell. "Mr. Jude, our client, is here to see you.""Alright, I'll be there in a minute," Adrian replied, adjusting his clothes. He looked at me and then the other remaining six workers and sighed."I want this client to invest in our company," he said to me."I, please, I would be happy if you make us proud. I know you haven't done this before, but I just believe in you," Mr. Williams said, desperation and hope so thick
No sooner had the words escaped my lips than Helen's eyes had widened in alarm and she let out a loud shout, but I was quick to react. I swiftly clamped my hand over her mouth, my fingers pressing gently against her lips to silence her. "Why are you shouting?" I asked her in a low, urgent voice, looking around the room nervously, fearful that Julian might have heard her cry out.Helen's eyes darted back and forth, her face pale with fear, as she whispered, "He will catch me, ma." Her voice was trembling, and I could feel the depth of her anxiety. I took a deep breath and, as reassuring as possible, my voice calm and soothing, told her, "No, he won't. Just do it, and be unnoticeable," I urged, my eyes locked on hers.Apprehension clouded her gaze; she was terrified that her ruse would be discovered. I knew by now that I really had to get her on my side. My knees nearly grazing the floor, I stepped closer, speaking in a begging, urgent voice:"Please, Helen, I beg of you. I need to kno
And as I sat, lost in my thoughts, came Adrian's soft voice to pierce my fog."Sit, my love." But I didn't utter a word, my mind still wandering to some far-off place, engrossed in the thoughts that had occupied me all day.Adrian's voice came again this time louder, more insistent, "Sit, babe." The sound of his voice was like a summer's breeze-soft and soothing but it was enough to bring me back to reality."Hmm, I breathed in immediately," I said, my voice a little shaky, as I slowly came back to the present."Sorry, I was lost in thought," I apologized, and my eyes found Adrian's concerned face across the table. A look of worry marked his features, and a pang of guilt pinched in my chest as I looked at him for the first time. The scent of the food wafted up to me: savory, full, and growling my stomach with anticipation.Today's dinner was a light, elegant rice flour and chicken soup. What astonished me most was the way it had been presented: freshly arranged with a handful of color
While reassurance on my part was due, it would not go away, and a shadow of skepticism and doubt remained in Adrian's eyes. But I knew I needed to reassure him and he had to believe that I meant to help him."Serious, Adrian," I said, the conviction laced deep in my voice as I reached out and laid my fingers on his shoulders. My fingers came into contact with his skin, and the tension in his body started to dissipate.Adrian's face slowly broke into a smile, crinkles forming around his eyes as he stared at me. But then his face turned curious, his eyebrows arching upwards in a questioning curve."But how will you do it?" he wondered, his voice full of wonder, eyes wide with curiosity. I smiled again, and excitement and anticipation started building up in me."Don't worry, I will do wonders," I said confidently, looking right into Adrian's eyes.He was still in shock, his eyes wide with wonder, trying to digest the fact that I was offering to help him. I decided to change the subject a