Chapter 004

Franklin Howard:

"Okay," Amelia replied, and we started eating the chicken pepper soup that the waiter had earlier served us.

We didn't speak to each other while eating, as the pepper soup was spicy. After we were through, we had a few drinks. I was beginning to feel a light headache, and I smiled at Amelia and told her,

"I have to go home now. How about we meet up tomorrow, Sunday, again? Do you go to church?"

"Um, yes, Frank. But I would like to have some time with you today. You know, just you and I," Amelia touched my hand, and I quickly withdrew it, understanding what she wanted.

"No. We cannot do anything silly right now. I'm still married to your sister, and my family isn't aware that I want to divorce her now," I told Amelia as I was beginning to sweat despite the air conditioning unit in the private parlor.

Amelia frowned and tried to touch me again as she said, "No one would know, Frank. I have always wanted you, and now that I'm back, we will be together, and you will send Natalie away."

I wanted to give in to the idea of what Amelia said. My parents didn't like Natalie either, and I only married her to hide our family shame, as my father wouldn't want the news to spread that I slept with a young woman in her father's house.

I had little memory of how Natalie and I had sex, and each time I tried to think about it, I would develop a headache.

"No." Rising up to my feet, I told Amelia, "We will get to do all that later. I promise you, I'm not sleeping with your sister. Ever since she set me up, I have been living next to her, and we haven't done anything intimate, like making love."

"Really?" Amelia's eyebrows shot up as she looked at me in shock.

"Yes. We have separate bedrooms, but sometimes we use the same room, and she knows not to cross boundaries with me."

"But you have seen her naked."

"No," I quickly waved off the topic of seeing my wife naked. It was something I did not like to see.

Natalie was more beautiful naked than in clothes. What do I expect from the daughter of a harlot? Thanks to the fact that she doesn't know how to dress and mostly wears loose-fitting clothes that aren't of good quality.

I wonder who advised her to learn fashion when she wasn't fashionable.

I would have preferred to open up a supermarket for Natalie, but what if she seduced her male customers and had them drugged?

She was still my wife, and I’m very famous in this part of the city. I wouldn't want my wife to drag my name through her wayward life, coupled with the fact that I hadn't touched her since we got married. So it was best that she stayed home.

Although I enjoyed Natalie's good cooking skills, I didn't want to acknowledge that I liked anything about her.

Once I divorce her, I would employ a chef to take care of my meals, as I don't like eating fast food. Also, I would hire a dry-cleaner to take care of my laundry.

That way, Natalie would be of no use to me.

"Come, let's go home. I will drop you off, as it's already getting late. Tomorrow, we will hang out again," I told Amelia as I saw her frown.

She stood up, hugged me, and told me, "I really want to spend my night with you."

"Don't worry, we will meet later." I carefully pulled Amelia from hugging me, as I was beginning to feel sick and sweaty.

"Waiter!" I called and soon cleared our bills with my debit card. Once we left the restaurant, I drove back home to the Jackson residence, knowing it was a short distance from my home.

I arrived at the front gate and parked my car while I unlocked it from within, unable to get down from my car and pull the door open.

"Frank, you promised that we would hang out together tomorrow?" Amelia asked once more, looking at me with her lovely eyes.

"Yes," I replied, and Amelia got out of the car.

"Take care, sweetie!" She waved at me as I watched her walk back to her father's house.

I locked the car door properly from within and was feeling an urge for intimacy at the moment.

"What's wrong with me? Was I drugged?" I wondered and quickly started the car engine, driving home.

For three years that I had been married to Natalie, I hadn't patronized a harlot. I didn't want to do that now, so I drove home thinking that once I got home, I would feel alright.

It was my habit of falling sick each time I ate outside, as I didn't like it.

I arrived home late, as I drove into my compound and parked my car.

I staggered, getting out of the car and dragging myself into the house. I didn't know what time it was, but I was certain that it was already late.

As I arrived at the front door, I knocked, but there was no response. I banged on the door, and when it finally opened, Natalie was standing there wearing a light green gown.

"Welcome back," she greeted me as she moved away from the door for me to enter.

I entered the room, and as she locked the door and turned to face me, I couldn't hold it back anymore. I grabbed her and yelled at her, "What did you do to me?"

"Huh! What did I do wrong?" She asked, her eyes welling up with tears.

I looked at her face and couldn't believe that I was beginning to find her attractive. As I tried to look away from her chest, my eyes kept going down to stare at her bosom.

"You drugged me again, didn't you? Why can't you accept that I don't love you and that our marriage is fake?" I yelled at her again, wanting to suppress my desire, but my body was overheating, and I didn't know how long I could endure this.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Aren't you the one who just left the house with Amelia? What did she do to you that you came back home accusing me?" Natalie sobbed, and I refused to believe that Amelia would drug me.

"Shut up. We have been at home since morning. I ate your food before going out with her. Was that why you refused Amelia from eating your food? Because you put a love potion in it?" I shouted, not wanting to believe that now I had finally made up my mind to divorce Natalie and she dared to use voodoo on me.

"No! I cannot do that! I know that you do not like me, but I cannot stoop so low as to drug you. I want us to end our marriage peacefully and go our separate ways. I will get the divorce papers ready by Monday," she said.

"And you want me to believe that? I have spoken to you several times about getting a divorce and for you to leave, and you refused. Now you have drugged me again just because you saw me laughing with your sister. Well, guess what? It worked, and I cannot help but desire to have you tonight."

"What??" Natalie struggled to break away from my grip on the door as she yelled at me, "No, Frank! I don't want you! Once you're awake tomorrow, you will lie to me that I used you. Let me go!"

I ignored Natalie's screams as I carried her up in my arms, not knowing where I got the strength from and took her back to our bedroom on the top floor.