Chapter 12 BIANCA’S POV I cast a eagle eye on my reflection for the thousandth time, feeling unusually concerned about how I looked. I have never been so cautious of my looks before. I was been extremely narcissistic and it was all because of him…of Richard. Letting out a big sigh, I turned to face Nina who was seated on the edge of the bed, watching me like I was her favourite character in her favourite TV show. “Are you sure this gown is okay? Or should I go for something shorter and more…revealing?” I squeaked. I knew for a fact that men are visual creatures. That they’re easily attracted and moved by what they see. Considering Richard’s personality and the images I found online, it was clear he preferred women who dressed…slutty. Rule No.1 in making him fall in love with me: Dress Slutty Nina popped out a tired breath, realizing she had to give me another round of motivational speech to pep me up once more. Rising, she approached me and took my hands. “Listen, girl,” she com
Chapter 13BIANCA’S POVDinnos is a recently opened restaurant that’s always packed. It’s known as one of the fanciest and most upscale spots to dine in the city. Mostly, it attracts the wealthy and affluent crowd.Dinnos is different because it doesn’t have a menu you can read and order from like most restaurants. Instead, the chef decides what to cook based on their inspiration, considering allergies and food intolerances. If you’re worried about the cost or not into trying new things, this might not be the place for you.As I got out of the Uber and entered the restaurant’s waiting area, I was greeted by a stylish atmosphere with comfy furniture, soft lighting, and tasteful décor. An ultra-slim woman with tiny eyes who was a staff member, dressed in a special staff uniform approached me as though she’d been expecting my arrival.“Welcome to Dinnos,” she greeted me with a well-practiced smile. Her cheeks were rosy, and her cheekbones seemed a bit swollen, maybe from smiling too muc
Chapter 14RICHARD’S POV She entered with a fiery presence that seemed determined to captivate me entirely. An intense sensation surged through me, suddenly leaving my lips dry and a heat that threatened to consume me racing along every part of my being. I moistened my lips, took a deep breath, and tried to cool off the inner fire on the brink of ignition. I managed a smile, my cheeks slightly shaky, as she confidently and seductively strolled to our table, like a supermodel at a big fashion show. She looked amazing, so attractive that having her for dinner right now wouldn’t be a bad idea. After we got settled, my gaze couldn’t keep itself from raking over her sumptuous body. The neckline of her black dress plunged so low to her cleavage, it was obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra, her pointy nipples poking out like thorns from the thin fabric. But I liked it that way. Those boobs were perfect; well-rounded and sizeable enough to fit into my palms. Desire and the need to have her in m
Chapter 15 RICHARD’S POV The contract terms were straightforward, ensuring both Bianca and I benefited equally. Contrary to her concerns, it wasn’t one-sided and didn’t favour only me. In fact, upon closer inspection, it favoured her more than me. It had an introduction (with our names, addresses, and the contract date), a preamble, definitions, and the main body, which covered: Assets, Finances and Properties: • Upon marriage, Bianca Sinclair will be entitled to 20% of her husband’s share in assets and properties. In the unfortunate event of her husband’s death, she will inherit all his properties. However, if there is a child, Bianca Sinclair will transfer all rights to the child when they reach an appropriate age or in the unfortunate event of her death. • There will be no commingling of assets after marriage. Any assets acquired post-marriage are to be divided fifty/fifty upon divorce. Joint custody should there be any children. Child bearing, custody and support: • Both pa
Chapter 16RICHARD’S POVThe waiter brought our food. I watched him carefully. This time, he didn’t look at Bianca the way he did before. He made sure not to let his gaze linger on her. It’s good he listened and stayed the fuck away.I picked up my fork and wiped it with the table napkin, keeping a close eye on Bianca. I observed her keenly. I wanted to see if she’d get upset or complain about our wedding plans, which I just revealed. I was relieved to see her showing signs of displeasure.She tried to stay calm, acting like it didn’t bother her much, but it was clear she wasn’t doing a great job at it. She couldn’t concentrate on her meal, giving me a look as if I shaved off all her hair and eyebrows, with various thoughts swirling in her mind.“But…but the wedding gown, I already made provisions for it…” She stammered, blinking in confusion.“Did you already rent it and bring it home with you?” I inquired as I cut my chicken and dipped the morsel into my mouth, chewing lightly as I
Chapter 17 RICHARD’S POV Crossing her arms defiantly against her chest, she leaned back and turned her gaze away, sulking. “Bianca, please,” I motioned, attempting to soothe her. I looked around, noticing some guests giving us curious looks and whispering, their words indistinct. Her raised voice had drawn their attention. “Don’t shout at me. It’s crucial we discuss things like any civilized couple before getting married. Your parents practically begged for my hand in marriage, as if their lives depended on it. I had to give up a lot to agree, so yes!” I simmered quietly, not wanting to attract more attention. “I was forced into this, and I have the right to set conditions because I’m the one dealing with the consequences, I’m the one facing challenges here.” I held myself back, inhaling deeply, trying to keep my control. If it weren’t for Dad and Ben, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be at a club, enjoying myself. Instead, I’m here, dealing with the heavy weight of marriage and trying to j
Chapter 18RICHARD’S POV A small smile graced the corners of my lips, almost lasciviously as my interest was drawn at what she said. The night we spent together at that motel invaded my thoughts again. I pushed them aside to focus on the present.“We’re adults. We can have it whenever we feel like. But it should be purely consensual.”She sighed, as though a weight had been lifted off her jutting chest.“And babies?” She asked with intense curiosity and expectation, raising her eyebrows. “The contract talked about them several times. Are you okay with having kids?”I couldn’t believe it when she mentioned that, but I tried not to show my shock, not wanting her to think I hated the idea. But babies?! I wasn’t ready for that. Not yet. They were only mentioned in the contract for future and legal reasons.“Yes…” I stammered, feeling a little bit uncomfortable. “But not now. That’ll be after we’re well settled and ready to have them. No pressure.”After a moment, she nodded with underst
Chapter 19BIANCA’S POV Did I mess up by signing that contract and agreeing to all his terms and conditions for our wedding and marriage? A part of me worried it was the biggest mistake of my life, while another part insisted it was not. It was just a piece of paper with fancy words. A piece of paper can’t define our marriage. It can’t define our love. The love I have for him. I’m pretty sure everything in it will be forgotten once we’re married and living together. He didn’t mention where we’d stay after the wedding. Fuck! I forgot to ask him that. Maybe he forgot too or it’s at his family’s house. I hadn’t been there before, but I was sure it was huge enough to contain two families from the way Mum and Dad spoke of it. My parents want us there, but I want our own place. I don’t want his father overseeing us and discovering our marriage is based on a contract. I sighed and looked at myself in the vanity table mirror. Richard booked a presidential suite for me to get ready for the w
Chapter 174 RICHARD’S POV Approaching B’s family house, I saw B stepping out, but the moment she saw me, she ran back inside. My heart hurt from seeing how she was avoiding me. “B please wait. Hear me out first. I have something important to tell you. The pregnancy was fake…I know everything now…” I said as I rushed out of the car and chased after her. But I didn’t think she heard me as she quickly slammed the door shut down on getting inside. I banged against the door, screaming for her. Apologizing. Pouring my heart out and letting her know how much I loved and missed her. I didn’t care if I was constituting a nuisance or being absurd, I just wanted her forgiveness. I wanted her back. But it all fell on deaf ears. No one opened the door for me. I wondered if my dad had come like he promised. Maybe he hadn’t yet. I wondered if her parents were around. Surely, they won’t approve of my behaviour and I didn’t even know how to explain the whole situation to their understa
Chapter 173 RICHARD'S POV By the time I made it back to the apartment, it was almost dusk. Heather’s parents had the heart to forgive her for lying to them. Despite all she did, they still loved her as their one and only daughter and were willing to take her back. After they left, my father noticed how troubled and unhappy I was, and I couldn’t help but tell him everything that happened. I needed someone to talk to. Someone who could understand and advise me. And right then, my father was the only one I could turn to. He advised me to be patient, to give B more time and not act rashly to avoid losing her completely. He also promised to go see her parents intercede on my behalf and convinced me to head back to the apartment and rest because I really needed it. As I was approaching my apartment from the elevator, I noticed the door was left ajar. I didn’t put too much thought into it because it was probably Gideon. I had seen him earlier that morning before stepping out.
Chapter 172 RICHARD’S POV I wasn’t sure where B could have gone, but the only place that came to my mind was her family house. I just hoped she hadn’t gone to any other place. It’ll be hard finding her if she did. No matter what, I had to get her back. I want her back. Not only is she the love of my life, but she’s also carrying my unborn child. She will be the mother of my children. Rushing into the room, I hurriedly pulled out the drawer of the nightstand, searching for my car keys. I couldn’t remember where last I kept it but I think it should be in the drawer because I usually left it there. Instead of finding my car keys, I found something else. My brows drew in curiously as I took out the paperwork. Going through the contents, terrible regrets assailed me as I shook my head in agony. B was pregnant. All these while, she has been carrying my child but kept it from me. All these while, I have been hurting and treating her badly not knowing my seed was growing inside her.
CHAPTER 171 RICHARD’S POV The news of Heather’s pregnancy hit me like a shockwave. I was so shocked I struggled to accept it. How did it happen? How am I the one responsible for it? As far as I knew, Heather and I hadn’t gotten into any intimate act since she returned. There must be a mistake somewhere. B was so shattered she couldn’t even look at me. But I wished she could just listen to what I had to say before jumping to any conclusions. This was all a misunderstanding. I knew nothing about it. I know I have been cold and mean towards her lately, but that was only because of the way she’d been acting towards Heather. I believe with time she’ll stop seeing Heather as a threat and apologize for her actions. I cared for Heather and promised to be by her side to make up for all those years I failed to protect her from Ben. But that doesn’t mean I’ll go as far as sleeping with her. I made it clear to her that I loved B and only B now. What Heather and I shared was all in the
CHAPTER 170BIANCA’S POVIt’s been almost a week now. That night I went out of the apartment, I wasn’t thinking straight. I was losing my mind. I had no one else to run to except Nina. She was the only one who could understand me right now and tell me what to do. At this point, I was considering a divorce. Divorce him and move on….He lied about loving you….He never loved you….He only agreed to this marriage because his father wanted him to… you were only a second option, a plan B.Nina advised me not to give up on him yet. She said if he truly loved me then he’ll come for me. She also said I should threaten him on leaving the apartment and if he persisted, then I’ll make him choose between me and Heather. That was a good idea. The only way I could bring an end to this once and for all. It was either her or me. And I know Richard will choose wisely because deep down, he still loved me. That bitch was only putting a blindfold over his eyes, but it’s only a matter of time before I ta
CHAPTER 169HEATHER’S POVBy the time I was done adjusting myself, getting everything together and reaching downstairs, Richard was already seated on the sofa of the living room watching a movie.Thank goodness he hasn’t brought the drinks. I sighed in relief. That would have ruined the whole plan.While Richard and I were in my room, I heard the entrance door squeak open and slam shut. That meant the bitch has gone out. That makes everything a lot better. I hope she never comes back. I hope she gets hit by a bus or truck or falls off a cliff and her body is never found. As it stands now, that will make things a lot better now.“Hey,” I smiled at Richard as I took a seat very close beside him. “What are you watching?”He looked at me with a smile before looking back at the TV.“I just turned on the TV and found the movie interesting,” he said. He grabbed the remote and pressed the information button to check the title and description. “It says ‘The Idea of You.’”“Ok,” I beamed a smi
CHAPTER 168HEATHER’S POVRichard tried to make me feel better but I wasn’t fully giving in to it. I will feel a lot better, and be the happiest woman on the planet when he throws his garbage wife away from this penthouse apartment and our lives forever.“I’m sorry Hay,” he apologized, his voice very gentle and soothing to my hearing. “Please forgive B. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.”“She knows what she’s doing!” I blurted out, sobbing heavily. “She hates me and is out to destroy me. She's dangerous and the earlier you realize that, the better and safer it is for us. Who knows what she might do next and accuse me of?.... perhaps she could stab herself next and say that I did it. Maybe she could come back with bruises and cuts and broken bones and accuse me of hiring hitmen that did it to her…and you might just have to believe her…”I broke down in another outburst of tears, burying my face in my hands. I could tell Richard was extremely worried and cared for me a lot because he
CHAPTER 167 BIANCA’S POV “Great,” I muttered sarcastically. Ben’s arrest was supposed to be good news. Perhaps the best news ever. He had hurt me and wanted to do very bad things to me, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something wasn’t right. If possible I needed to find a way to question him about Heather. I needed him to tell me everything he knew about her. If they planned her rape story together to deceive Richard. But how do I do that? The last thing I want is to meet up with him after what he did to me. And if Richard found out I met with his greatest enemy, he’d be mad at me and think I was somehow involved with him. Little did he know that bitch sitting close to him was his greatest enemy. “I’m glad he’s finally getting what he deserved,” Richard said, still sounding overjoyed. “Can you imagine he asked to see me?...” But then he stopped halfway, realizing the look on my face. “What happened to your face?” He peered closer, his eyes squinting and b
CHAPTER 165BIANCA’S POVAfter I threw up earlier today, I started feeling strange. I felt unusually tired and drained both physically, mentally and emotionally. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I could be pregnant. And the thought of that made me feel worse. I just couldn’t get pregnant now. Now wasn’t the right time at all. Heavens, please…I threw up a couple more times and the whole discomfort deteriorated. I got dressed and decided to visit a lab nearby to run some tests, keeping my fingers crossed that it had better not be what I was thinking.To my greatest shock and disappointment, it turned out to be true. The test turned out positive. I was fucking pregnant.Since I came back, I have been feeling extremely sad. I didn’t know how to handle the news much less break it to Richard.I knew pregnancy was supposed to be good news. I knew it was supposed to bring and bind the couple together and make them stronger in love. The thought of starting a family was something beautif