Chapter 5

~Natalie~

"Let me go," I screamed as Franklin hoisted me up and placed me on his shoulder. He marched away, climbed the flight of stairs, and led me back to our room. His grip was strong on my waist.

I had fallen asleep while waiting for Franklin to return home.

The loud banging on the door jolted me awake, and I rushed to unlock it. Franklin was back and accusing me of drugging him.

I thought he was joking, but he was damn serious as he lifted me onto his shoulder and took me straight into our bedroom.

Before my mind could register what he was about to do, Franklin placed me on the bed, mounted me, and pressed his lips against mine.

For three years since we got married, Franklin hadn't kissed me. He didn't want to acknowledge me as his wife, as he mostly avoided me.

Franklin only ate my food, saying he didn't like eating outside food. He complained they didn't cook it well and often used inferior ingredients. Therefore, he'd return home to eat what I'd prepared for him or order me to bring his lunch to his office.

"Franklin, stop!" I breathed, trying to stop him as he towered above me on the bed, and I couldn't push him away.

I was supposed to be excited that he was finally making love to me, but I'm not. I knew Franklin. Once he woke up the next morning, he'd accuse me of taking advantage of him.

I sensed Amelia had drugged him. Now Franklin came home accusing me of being the one who'd drugged him.

Why should I?

Franklin stopped kissing my lips. His gaze lingered on my face as he moved back and swiftly removed his shirt.

"What are you trying to do?" I asked him, panicking.

Franklin ignored me. The next moment, his belt came off, followed by his trousers. I sat on the bed watching him.

Franklin then looked at me with eyes as hungry as a wolf's, and he drew near me and stripped off my green nightgown.

His hand trailed over my body and stopped at my intimate spot.

A soft moan escaped my lips, and I hated that I responded to his touch, wanting him at the moment.

I should've left Franklin when I had the opportunity. His mother didn't like me. She called me names in the presence of her three children and said I wasn't fit to be her daughter-in-law. None of Franklin's two siblings liked me. They didn't relate to me and disapproved of my presence.

The only person who was kind to me was Franklin's best friend, Michael Austin.

Michael was the only one who smiled at me and happily ate my food whenever he visited Franklin in this house, especially on weekends. But Franklin didn't like it and had warned his friend to stop teasing me.

Franklin said I didn't know how to cook, and each time I tried to improve my cooking skills to win his heart so he'd love and appreciate me, he wouldn't.

Franklin would only remind me that he'd provided the money for the food and that he didn't owe me any gratitude for cooking.

Franklin was mean to me, but I kept enduring him, believing he'd change and grow to love me.

I didn't want to leave my marriage or be referred to as a woman who couldn't stay in hers.

Some referred to my mother as a prostitute. I'd seen her once after I married Franklin.

My mother came asking me for money, telling me my husband was rich, so it was right that I take care of her.

I couldn't believe my real mother would say that to me. But I tried explaining that Franklin and I weren't in love or a real couple. I told her he didn't give me money for anything.

She advised me to report him to the police human rights department and said my husband ought to take care of me and give me money to care for my family too.

I informed my mother how Amelia had set me up with Franklin, and she wasn't happy about it. She advised me to divorce Franklin, telling me I was pretty enough to win any serious bachelor in the city to marry me. Well, I didn't want to.

Franklin was my husband. Even though he glared at me at the altar of God and refused to say, "I do," I happily told him, "I do."

After our marriage, I fell in love with Franklin and wanted to be with him. But he doesn't trust me and believes I was the one who'd drugged him that night.

Franklin positioned himself above me. His thick length pressed against my wet entrance, and he gained access into me. He didn't take it gently tonight. He kept thrusting into me, pounding me, and moaning, and I groaned.

I couldn't remember that night three years ago when we were caught on my bed, but I remember this.

Franklin made love with me until he found his release. His body shuddered against mine, and he moved away and laid down next to me and fell asleep.

My body was aching from the impact with which Franklin had handled me. I was supposed to be mad at him, but I wasn't.

After catching my breath, I carefully crawled out of bed to take a quick bath.

Ever since Franklin and I married, we hadn't had sex. I couldn't remember that night because of what Amelia gave us. But tonight was different. I clearly remembered everything, and I knew Franklin wouldn't remember.

What was Amelia's target? She wanted my husband to sleep with her. Couldn't she be patient enough and wait until Franklin and I got divorced before she drugged him?

Amelia drugged Franklin and let me suffer the consequences of her actions. I'd always suffered Amelia's wrath, and I wanted to get my revenge on her.

I picked up my phone from the shelf, managing to stand as my legs continued shaking. I saw it was already midnight.

Franklin got home late at ten p.m., and now it was midnight. He'd lasted two hours nonstop making love with me.

I wanted to message Amelia, but I was so enraged that I called her instead.

"You bìtch! What did you do to my husband??" My anger was evident as I yelled at Amelia over the phone.

"What nonsense are you talking about, Natalie?! You shameless slut and bastard! What did you do to Frankie?" Amelia barked at me, pretending not to know.

"Don't pretend you didn't know what you did to Franklin. He went out with you tonight, and now he came home drunk and acting under the influence of whatever you gave him. Don't think Franklin won't find out about this. I'll have you arrested tomorrow!" I shouted, and Amelia laughed.

"Hahaha! If anyone should be arrested, it's you, Natalie, who drugged Franklin. You know what you gave him before I came to your house. So stop asking me nonsense!" Amelia hissed and ended the call, and my brows furrowed.

I knew Franklin would accuse me of drugging him once he woke up the next morning, and I feared what his anger would lead to.

Franklin had never beaten me up before, but he'd slapped me just because I refused to let Amelia eat my food.

Franklin showed his angry side to me for the first time since our marriage, and this had never happened before.

I blinked my tears away and went into the bathroom to wash myself as my body ached.

Although I loved how Franklin made love with me—his moans and grunts echoing in my ears—I wished he'd done it with clear eyes, not under the influence of whatever Amelia had given him.

Exhausted, I finished my bath, walked out of the bathroom, and went to the closet to pick a white nightgown to wear. I donned it and went back to the vast bed to sleep.

The master bedroom wasn't mine, since Franklin didn't give me any specific room in this house.

Two years ago, Franklin bought this mansion and offered to leave his family house. His father insisted he take me alone, and when we got here, Franklin told me the main room was his own, and I was only temporarily using it until he asked me to leave his house.

We shared the closet, but he hadn't mistakenly slept with me once. He sometimes used the next room on the top floor that was furnished too, whenever he wanted to avoid me.

But most times, I lied to him that I was scared of sleeping alone and having nightmares, just so I could climb into the same bed as him, but he hadn't taken advantage of me.

As I laid on the bed, I fell asleep, already exhausted.

The next morning, I awoke as rays of sunlight seeped through the windows and filled the room, but Franklin was still sleeping on the bed.

Concerned, I gently touched his chest to know if he was alright. But his body was hot.

"What did Amelia give to my husband?" I panicked and sprang from the bed, wondering if anything went wrong with him, I'd be in serious trouble. But I couldn't leave him at this point or flee his house.

I stepped down from the bed, rushed to the bathroom, and brought a half bucket of cold water and a small hand towel to wipe his forehead and chest, but he wouldn't wake up.

Afraid, I laid my head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat, but he wasn't breathing stably.

"My God!" I rushed out of our room to call the family doctor and ask if I should take Franklin to the hospital or not.