Caught up

It was dark but the lights in the compound somehow covered everything up. She would be lying if she said didn't have fun because she had fun. 

After going round the market, they finally got what she was looking. With Fiona everything is worth the risk, they decided to the park to have fun had some ice creams then went to an eatery to have a nice meal.

It has been long since she came to the eatery but it was the best eatery while she was growing up and will still be the best not forgetting the cheap price. Fiona enjoyed the meal that they lost track of time. 

Both of them were laughing remembering  what happened in the eatery when they got into the house but Fiona smile faded off immediately.

       "Where are you coming from at this time?" Damian's cold voice made them stop on their track and Fiona hid behind Ariel.

      "From the market and it's only eight not that late," Ariel shrugged. 

He got up and took the stairs not uttering a word. Nora and Lena whispered to themselves both surprised of what happened as Fiona sighed with relief. 

She was expecting hell to break lose on them with the way he asked. 

       "Things are changing," Lena whispered to Nora as she gave her questioning eyes.

       "What?" Ariel asked her as Nora moved forward.

       "Ma'am, I wanted to talk to you," Nora spoke.

       "About?"

       "What you did for me, thank you so much. I still have my job because of you," 

      "It's fine. Don't allow that to repeat itself. Fiona we should do this more often, I had fun," they laughed and Fiona handed her the shopping back. 

She took the stairs and knocked on Damian's room. 

       "Come in," he replied and she opened the door locking it behind her. 

       "I went to the market and found a shirt that looks same as the one you have. I brought the both for you so you can discard the burnt one if you like," she shrugged and handed him the shopping back.

       "Its dangerous for a lady to be out alone at this time of the night especially in the market," he commented and placed the bag beside him.

      "I wasn't alone, I was with Fiona,"

      "Next time take a driver then tell people where you are going. There is a handover board meeting tomorrow and you are supposed to be there," 

      "I'm not handing over anything, I don't think I'm needed there," 

     "Somebody will be here tomorrow at seven to help you dress up there after there will be a dinner party from six. You should be out of the room ready at eight thirty, I'll be waiting for you,"

      "I haven't said I will be going," 

     "I wasn't asking if you will be going, I was telling you. It was a statement not a question," 

Ariel stumped her feet on the ground and walked out.

As always she cried herself to sleep due to Jayden and was woken up by the knock on the door.

She sluggishly got down from the bed and went to open the door. 

    "Good morning there are people downstairs who want to come in, should I allow them?" Fiona asked as she yawned.

      "Why should people want to see me?" She asked back.

      "To help you prepare,"

      "Damn it, what's the time?"

     "7:05am,"

     "Not bad, tell them to come after ten minutes. I need to make the bed then have a shower before they come in. I'm also hungry," 

    "Once you are done, the table will be set," 

      "Thank you,"

      "Can I tell you something and please don't tell anybody?"

    "Of course I won't tell anybody," 

Fiona moved closer and whispered in her ears.

    "Be careful with Lena, yesterday in the morning somebody saw her coming from Ivy's car and Ivy screams evil and wickedness,"

    "Thank you for letting me know, I will be careful,"

    "Go and have a shower, I will make the bed,"

    "No, I told you I do my things alone. My breakfast, I'm so hungry," Ariel pointed at her and rushed to the bathroom.

 The whole time they were doing her makeup, her mind was elsewhere. First there is Jayden the man she loved with every fibre of her being and he cheated on her with her friend in a world with millions of women. Second she stays with a psychopath husband who ran away from a psychiatric hospital. 

One minute he is kind, calm, gentle, caring and understanding the next minute he is angry, cold, emotionless and controlling, deciding for her. 

When she came back to this country she had a dream of starting a fashion line and here she was being prepared for some handing over she didn't understand. 

What was being handed over? It could even be her being handed to the slaughter house. She looked at herself on the mirror and she wasn't that bad but she always likes her natural self. All the makeup made her uncomfortable no matter how thin the layer was.

        "We are done ma'am," the head among them spoke and she looked up to her.

       "How old do you think I am?" Ariel asked but she didn't reply.

       "I'm 25, get that into your head next time you call me ma'am. Just leave," she got up and went on the bed. 

They bowed and left then she followed then after few minutes. She was so hungry making her angry with everyone.

Damian was already on the table but was scrolling through his phone instead of having breakfast. 

She inhaled deeply, served him then served herself and started eating before him. 

       "Should we go with Fiona? Since I'm not needed in the handing over she will keep me company as we wait for you," Ariel asked after she was done. 

       "Let's go," he got up and started walking away.

She walked after him and sat silently in the car as he started the car. After a long drive, he parked the car outside the Lillard group of companies head office.

      "Can I ask a question? I heard that every year your company offers grants to people to start businesses. This year are you done receiving proposals? I want to send in mine," Ariel asked with a smile and he sighed.

       "You want to start a business?"  

       "Yes,"

       "Why?"   

       "It has always been my dream, I only lack the capital,"

      "Maybe next year this year's the deadline was last week,"

She nodded disappointed.

      "How much do you need?"

      "I don't want you to give me the money out of pity,"

      "And the grant, is it not out of pity?"  

     "Can you give me a job in your company?"

      "I will think about it, let's go in," 

They both got down and he took her hand in.    

      "What is this?" Ariel asked removing her hand.

      "Last I checked you are still my legally wedded wife," he responded taking her hand again and they walked hand in hand heading into the big company. She received glares from the people especially the women but she ignored them clinging to him, she felt really good being the centre of attention. 

Everybody was seated in the conference hall and after they arrived, Lillard the second started the meeting. 

Ariel wasn't attentive to everything they said but at least she heard few things like their last financial year goals and what they achieved, things they should set in place for this financial year under the new management then started talking about the new product they were bringing in the market and their expectations, the intended market and so many other things making her bored.

Things were going on well, like nobody knew she was missing in action, until she felt that farmiliar pain in her tummy reminding her it was fifteenth. 

       "No way," she spoke not knowing she had spoken loudly till everyone in the room turned to face her and she felt like disappearing.

She knew they were talking about the product and mentioning figure but didn't know where they had reached. She can't embarrass herself before all those people.

       "I'm sorry for saying it out loud, I wanted to raise my hand but didn't know if that is what you do of you want to speak but what wanted to say is that. According to women easily adapt to knew products than males. This product is intended for nake but the goal you put, if you ask me within that time you may not manage. Seventy percent of male can not embrace something new in one month," she said and they gave her approving eyes but that was not the issue right now the issue was her stomach that was not giving her peace and the thought of embarrassing herself.

Of all the days her flow came today, why not yesterday? She only knew one person whom she could ask for help but he was on the director's chair, there was no way she could reach him neither did she know what would happen if she excuses herself and just leaves or maybe she had already spoiled her clothes.