KAREN’S POVIt was finally D-day. Even though I had slept off late the previous night, I woke up the next day quite early. Both Tina and Lily were still asleep by the time I woke up and I didn't bother waking either of them up. It was too early to wake Tina and I couldn't wake Lily as it was the weekend. Recalling I still needed to sort out some computer work, I got right into it. When I finished, I selected the clothes I would be putting on. I settled for one of the few well tailored pantsuits I owned. I opted for the black closed-toe shoes and a black handbag. An envelope fell off as I was transferring my things from my bag I used the previous day to the new one. For several seconds, I stared down at the fallen envelope vividly remembering it's content. Jay's attitude was still so confusing. I just didn't understand why he was avoiding me. But I decided to think l was perhaps overthinking things.There were so many things I wanted to ask him and so many things I wanted to tell
TINA'S POV Even though I would have preferred to sleep in all day, I couldn't and for an important reason I had to go for the event–Jay would be there. The thought of it excited me. I wore a beige dress that stopped inches from my knees and clung to my body delicately. People had always complimented me each time I wore it. Men Especially. I just knew it was the perfect one to wear. The inbuilt brassier pad lifted my boobs and the slit revealed my cleavage showing morsel of flesh just enough to drive any man crazy at a close range. My phone beeped. I picked it up and saw it was a message from my mom. "Where are you? Why are you not coming home?"As I read it, I could almost hear her yelling at me for coming back without a man. Don't worry mum, I won't come back without a man this time around. Thank you for making me realize I deserve good things too. My aim that day was simply to meet Jay privately after the event. I had only two months. Two months to make him fall in love with
“I’m alright,” Jay said and ended the call. He felt his head throb and suppressed a grunt. What a way to ruin the rest of his day. If he had known it was Tina calling he would never have picked up. Jay hated that he was under the control of some woman he had only met for the first time. What on earth had he gotten himself into. He groaned and rubbed his eyes feeling the tension gathering around his jaw. He had to stop this. He had to stop her. The only way to stop all of this was to get the recording from Tina without creating a scene. But he knew he had to play carefully. He couldn't trigger her. If she sends the recording to the media as she threatened, his company would receive a lot of backlash and would be greatly affected. All these years he had managed to keep a clean slate on issues related to women. Now he couldn't afford to let one mistake ruin all that he had suffered to build over the years. For Tina to have the audacity to approach him with such a demand, she must h
KAREN'S POV Standing before Mrs Connie suddenly felt so choking and just like that, the entire recitation I had done in the elevator evaporated from my head. It reminded me of the first time I was employed and I tried to speak to Jay. Nerve wrecking. I was anxious as hell. To think I was even yet to stand before Jay whom I had come to see. I gathered myself. “Uhm,” I cleared my throat and looked up at her. She had not been entirely mean to me when I was her assistant but it still felt like a nerve wreck trying to speak to her. Or was it the thought of meeting Jay next that stirred my nerves. “Good morning Mrs Connie, I am here to see Chairman Jay,” I said and tried to sound as professional as ever. Just as she had taught me. Her sharp eyes stared past her glasses and landed on me. “Miss Karen Anderson,” she called me in her usual tone.“What business do you have with Chairman Jay? Do you have an appointment?”Before I could speak she already started looking through her jotter lis
KAREN'S POV I had gotten things wrong. I shouldn't have tried seducing Jay. That is If what I did passed off as seduction anyways. What we needed, me and him, was a genuine conversation. How was that even going to be possible when he wouldn't look at me nor be in the same space with me?“What exactly is wrong, Miss Karen?”I jolted. My nearest colleague was starring at me questioningly. “Huh?”“You have been sighing since you got back from your meeting. Is something wrong?”“Uh–nothing.” I smiled at him. He shrugged and dropped it. Not like if he pushed on I had anything to say was the reason for my deep sighing. The mistake I made was returning to my desk after I left Jay's office. It wasn't just useless but had yielded nothing. I saw love in his eyes. Very certain I did. Yet he wouldn't look at me. No matter how much I thought about it, I just couldn't get a grasp of the problem. I scanned around the office searching for the perfect person to pour out my heart to. Everyone see
KAREN'S POV As I struggled to free myself from Carlos Fowler’s grip, I continued to scream. Even though his hand covered my mouth it didn't stop me from using all of my strength to yell and struggle. He tried to open the door but I kicked it close. He snarled and smacked me hard across my face. I knew that at some point he would still overpower me but I wasn't going to let him do so easily. He shoved me hard against the car. My body throbbed in pain and at that point I knew it was only a matter of time before I gave in. I was already feeling my resistance wilting. He was far much stronger than I was. And there seemed to be no one in sight to help me. As if everyone suddenly decided to not pass the road that night. The breeze that used to be soothing became harsh and I felt myself yielding, my strength failing. Suddenly I heard a thud as if someone was running towards us. Before I would realise what was happening, a twat sounded and I heard Carlos Fowler grunt. His hold on me went
“What?” Jay spun around almost knocking off the fancy lamp on the table. His brows furrowed. “Why didn't you tell me?” “She asked me not to—”His head tilted back and he stared unbelievably at Hugo.”When did you begin to do everything Karen asks you to do? And when did you begin to obey her orders? You know how dangerous Carlos Fowler is and you are just telling me. What—”Exhaling in frustration, he disregarded the rest of his complaints which he knew wouldn't change anything that moment and quickly finished wearing his neck tie. Ignoring the coat Hugo was extending to him, he dashed out. Inside the car he glanced at his wristwatch. It was past 7: 30 am. Karen was most probably going to still be at home. He groaned hoping he wouldn't miss her. He was upset with himself. Usually the business trip was supposed to not last more than three days. However he was happy to finally be away and in a bid to get Tina and Jessica off his tail much longer, he had stayed longer than planned. An
Jay nodded and flashed a smile towards Mrs Connie and then hummed into his office. Jessica wasn't at her desk as he passed. He had a feeling he would be having a great day. He took off his coat and hung it in the rack. Then settled into his seat and delved into work. Being away for one week took him away from some troubles but gathered more work for him. He sighed. There just seemed to be no rest for him. But then a smile curled up in his mouth. True no rest for me but then he didn't mind no rest in the arms of Karen.“Hello Jay. Good morning. Did you sleep well?” Jay looked up to see Jessica unaware of when she had entered. “You won't pick up my calls. Well, I have news. I am pregnant.”“What?”“You heard me. I am pregnant. I am carrying your child.”Jay slowly sat up in his seat. His head whirled. After a moment he stood up. “What the hell are you saying? Look, Jessica, stop messing with my head. I already told you nothing can happen between us again.”“Oh well, this isn't my fau
KAREN'S POV Arriving at Denva after one month of being away felt like I had been away for so long. Like I was stepping in a new place. Maybe it was just that part of me that was feeling a bit refreshed. I got out of the long bus dragging my echolac along. One of the things I wanted to do the moment I returned to Denva was visit Jessica. Glad she was being punished for her crimes. I also heard about Collins Morgan. Maybe at one point, I thought he was cute but not until I learned the other side of him. After I read the things he did to women, I could never see him in a pure light again. He was in jail too. He got what he deserved. As I sat in the visitor seat waiting for them to bring Jessica out, I imagined me being the one on the other side. I mean, it was almost me if not for Tina “I didn't expect to see you here. What is it?” Jessica slurred as she settled down. “Me neither.”“So? Are you here to gloat?”“Why did you do it?”“Why I did it? Because I hate it when bitches like
A MONTH LATERJay pulled up in the empty space of Anderson ‘s front yard which had turned to become his personal parking space in the last month. He had just opened the car door to step down when the frontage of the house opened and both Lily and Mr Anderson poked their heads out. He didn't need them to speak to see the magnitude of disappointment in their eyes. Of course he knew they would rather have Karen be the one appearing in front of the house and not him. And he also knew they always ran out to check each time a car pulled up in front of the house in the hope that it was Karen. They might likely not know because he never showed it but he missed her more than he could describe. He sighed and his teeth grinded in his mouth as he finally stepped down. “Hello, Mr Anderson,” he greeted wearing the smile he had learned to wear in the last month. Mr Anderson, like he always had done, took his hand into a firm shake and welcomed him inside. Mr Anderson offered him his usual kol
WRITER'S POV“You…how…what are you doing here?” Margaret waved a hand as she walked in majestically. “Hello fiancé.” Collins gaped in shock. slowly everything began to make sense. “What did you do to me?” He snarled. “Oh, come on, shouldn’t you say Hi to your fiance first?”“What did you fuvking do to me!”Detective Defoe ordered that Zach and Hunter be taken away from the room leaving only Collins and Margaret. Collins was still clenching and fuming. “You have been spiking my drinks…you are the cause of all this…”“Like how you and your friends have been doing to those innocent girls? Oh, common' you don't think I can stoop to that level now do you.”No matter how much Collins reasoned it, there was no other explanation as to how drugs were detected in his blood. Either detective Defoe tampered with the original results or it was the devil before him. “What exactly did I do to you? Why are you out to get me? Why! Why! No matter how I think about it, I have not offended you in any
WRITER'S POV Jay spoke to the lawyer in charge of Karen's case. What the lawyer told him worried him. Karen risked being detained in the holding cell after twenty four hours. He had already hired a private investigator to investigate the case. His eyes appeared weary. He had not had a moment of rest ever since Karen was taken in. Adams group needed him but Karen needed him too. Against Hugo's wishes, he had opted to stay back in the police station while he let him hold the forte back at the company. Even though Karen sent him away, he had refused to leave. He knew she was upset at him and he completely understood. All he wanted more than anything was to get her out of here. Later he spoke to the officer to let him speak to Karen again. To his relief, Karen permitted. “I spoke to your lawyer,” he said when they were given privacy. “What did he say?”“It's more difficult than we thought. The hitman maintains you sent him. We need solid evidence to disprove his claim and I asked t
WRITER'S POV “Your hands at the back of your head!”Zach's gleeful laughter was booming in the room when the door burst open and a team of policemen barged in. Instantly it seized. Pistols aimed at their faces.Alarmed, Collins sat up. Hunter and Zach frightfully pushed away the girl who looked half dead from the drugs she had been made to shove down. “Who called the cops?” Collins gritted, shooting glares at Zach and Hunter. “We should be asking you that!” Zach slammed back.“Your hands at the back of your head!” The officer repeated his warning. Collins could feel his shirt soak with sudden perspiration as he looked around in utmost disbelief and fear inside. He had been arrested for a lot of things but had never been caught right in the act and why in this place of all places. “Shit!”Detective Defoe stepped forward, a victorious smirk lingering in his lip. “Is there a need for us to read your Miranda rights…this wouldn't be your first rodeo,” he said and pressed the cuff firml
WRITER'S POV A FEW HOURS AGO BEFORE KAREN'S ARREST “What!” Jessica's yelp and her palm finding Craig's face happened in quick succession. “Say it again. What did you just say?”Craig’s jaw grinded. It pained him how he had been foolish to want to accept the challenge of tolerating a spoiled brat. Now he was too deep into the shit to take a step back. “It was Miss Tina that was shot. The hit man mistook her for miss Karen as she saw her coming out of Miss Karen's house.”“Simple job! Just a simple thing to do. Useless people! Can't get anything done right.” Then she spun at Craig, “You brought that idiot to me. You told me he was skilled. What happened? He couldn't take care of one person, just one person! He has been caught and he shot the wrong person. Who did you fuvking bring to me!”She stalked to the wine rack to grab a drink, each step she took fueled by barely contained fury. She had to do something before the man said a word to the police. She had to do something. She had
KAREN'S POV From learning that my friend got shot to hearing the worst news of my life. My friend of many years had wanted me dead because she wanted my man. I couldn't move in my seat. I couldn't, even if I wanted to. I shut my eyes hoping to wake up and find out that everything was all a nightmare until I felt my hand being grabbed and the cold metals clasping my wrist. Maybe it was because I was already numb of any feelings at all that I didn’t feel a pain as the thing locked my arms together. As I was being cuffed, I heard Jay try to speak to one of the officers. Didn't make out his exact words nor the officer’s response but soon they started to take me away. Down the hallway, the pitiful and judgemental gazes of people washed me head to toes. I followed humbly as they led me outside. “I'm coming to the station with her,” I heard Jay say to the officers as they pushed me into the hilux. “No. You don't need to. Officers let's go,” I refused. The last thing I wanted was to wa
WRITER'S POV“What’s wrong?”Jay asked frozen Karen. Karen didn't move. Her hand dropped lifelessly beside her. Every bit of colour was drained from her face as she struggled to process what she had just heard.“I’m sorry, but I have to leave now,” she mumbled absentmindedly and her legs broke into a run. “Wait, Karen!” Jay rushed and grabbed her arm.“You are going the wrong way,” he said. Karen looked and saw she was heading towards the back of the building. She let out a shuddering breath. “I have to go…”“Please, tell me. What's wrong?” Jay demanded softly. “Tina was shot in front of my house,” Karen murmured. “Shot? How…”“I need to leave now. I need to go to her…Tina needs me…” Maybe this was the answer she needed. Tina was more than a best friend. She was her family and she would not have to be made to either choose her or not in order to be with a man. If there was one person who had always been by her side and she would never want to lose, it was Tina. “Jay, about what y
KAREN'S POV It was one of the fewest times I ever wished twenty four hours didn't have to end so quickly. After the exhilarating night, it would have been exhausting if I had to wake up early the next day for work or anything at all. It was already mid day by the time my eyes saw daylight. It was the warm light rays that woke me up. The window, although still closed, allowed a generous trail of sun rays trickling inside. Jay was nowhere to be found. Thinking he would be somewhere in the suite, I called out to him but no response.Something in me kicked. I had seen a similar scenario. Like those times when a man brought his lover for a vacation only for the woman to learn it was actually supposed to be their last time together. Stepping outside the suite and I was welcomed by the workers going about their duties with the nice smell of food and fresheners. I walked up to one of them. “Hello. Excuse me…have you seen a man…”“Yes. He is somewhere around. How about you sit in the wa