006

Chapter 6

“I should have sent Tony. You've lost your touch, Dahlia. How could you mess this up? You know how much this means to me. You lost a deal that could change our lives, Dahlia….fuck!” Desmond complained, taking a step away from me.

My heart wrenched, the harsh reality hitting me so hard, that I almost lost my balance. I held onto the sofa, gripping it so hard, and gnashing my teeth, afraid I’d reveal my true emotions.

“You know how much I was looking forward to this deal, Dahl. I sent you because I thought you’d get it, but you flopped it. The business deal was meant to change our whole life, Dahlia. How could you?” he kept complaining, walking around the house and nearly ripping his hair off.

His act was so convincing that I almost found myself kneeling to apologize. But then, the fact that everything was playing out exactly the same way Sophia said it would, made me hold back.

This man has changed a lot. He isn’t the man I helped up from the slums. He isn’t the man that I’ve loved for years. The man before me was an enemy, perpetrating against me and planning to take charge of my hard work.

“I'm going to bed,” I mumbled, not caring to know whether he heard me. I picked up my handbag and headed into the room, not sparing him a glance.

I couldn't shower, I was just too exhausted, too disappointed and shocked by the unexpected revelation. This was the last thing I expected. In fact, if anyone had told me Desmond would suddenly turn against me one day, I'd probably call the person a mad man.

Lying there on the bed, Sophia's words about Desmond being a chronic womanizer flashed my mind. This time I didn't doubt it. Right there and then, I made a resolution.

When morning came, I woke up with Desmond's arms around me. Disgusted would be an understatement of the feelings that rushed through me. This man whose entire family depends on me, I send his parents monthly allowances to keep them going, I pay his siblings’ tuition fees and now what? He chose to betray me in the worst way.

“You're finally awake,” Desmond smiled down at me.

His smile annoyed and pissed me off so much that I instinctively moved away from him and got off the bed.

He paused and gazed at me

“I'm sorry about how I reacted last night. I just never expected you to fail to get the deal,” he apologized, then tried to pull me into his arms.

“You don't have to apologize, Desmond. Everything you said last night was simply the truth. I’ve lost my touch. I’ve lost myself.” I pulled my arms away from him.

“I'll be returning to the company on Monday….” I was still speaking, when he cut me off.

“I've already apologized, Dahl. There is no reason for you to get back to work,” Desmond instantly protested.

I paused, then stared at him.

“I…I…” he stammered.

“Don't get me wrong. I'm just worried you'd overwork again. You're still trying to get pregnant, Dahl. I don't think it's wise for you to return now,” he stood up, walked over to where I stood and held my hand.

“I only have your best interest in mind. I love you, Dahl. I want the best for you. I know how much you long to have a child of your own, Dahl. Returning to the company will mean more responsibilities, it will mean stressing yourself out again. I don’t want you to go through that again,” he continued, looking at me with so much care in his eyes that I almost found myself falling for it.

“I've made up my mind. I'll return to work on Monday. Don't worry, I won't overwork myself and will take everything very easy,” I calmly assured him even though a storm was brewing within me.

I was going to start work, find out what happened to my employees, find his mistress, disgrace them both and claim back what was mine.

“But, Dahl, you….” Desmond tried protesting again

“It seems like you don't want me at the company….Are you hiding anything from me?” I confronted him.

For a moment, guilt and surprise flashed in his eyes. But then they disappeared like they never appeared in the first place.

“What could I possibly be hiding from you!” He got defensive.

“I was just worried about you. You know what, I'll just prepare a place for you in the office. You can come back to work…”

“That's more like it,” I thought, finally walking out the door. But just before I walked out the door, I paused and turned to look at him.

“I want Tony's position.”

“What!” He let out before he could stop himself.

This would be the first time Desmond would raise his voice at me.

I paused, looking at him. His face held anger and he stared at me, his eyes blazing.

“I can't fire Tony,” he said, shutting his eyes, probably to subdue his annoyance.

“I'm not asking you to fire him. I want Tony's position. You can give him his previous position…”

“There is someone else occupying that position now, Dahlia. You can't expect me to suddenly fire them….”

The more he spoke, the more annoyed I became.

“I don't care how you do it, Desmond. I want Tony's position. Once I step foot into the company on Monday, I'm taking his office…” I declared, then walked away, not caring to know what he had to say.

I walked into the living room with my fist clenched.

I was beyond disappointed, annoyed and frustrated.

Just then, the sound of keys rattling sounded from the bedroom. The car keys I left in my handbag instantly came to mind.

“I can't let Desmond know about Sophia's proposal until I figure out this entire madness…”

With this thought in mind, I instantly raced to the bedroom, but then just outside the door, I heard Desmond talking to someone on the phone.

“Did Dahlia see you at the Knights yesterday?” He asked.

I halted and hid myself in a corner listening to his conversation with the person.

I couldn't hear what the person said and then Desmond spoke again.

“Something's off, she is acting out. Meet me at our usual spot in ten minutes.”

The sound of his footsteps approaching the door, made me quietly hurry back to the living room. I sat there looking down at my phone lock screen, lost in thought.

“I have an urgent meeting right now, Dahl. I'll be back soon,” Desmond suddenly approached me and announced.

“It's the weekend, Desmond. What sort of client wants to meet over the weekend?” I spewed before I could stop myself.

He seemed taken aback by my words. He paused for a few seconds, staring at me and trying to read the expression on my face. But then, I refused to let my face reflect my rage.

“Dahlia, are you still suspicious about me? Do you still think I'm cheating on you?” He asked, his head bowed.

I didn't utter a word.

“You know what. You can come with me, then you'd know I'm really meeting a client,” he declared.

My eyes widened in surprise. I didn't expect him to pull this move.

“Go meet your client, Desmond. I'll just stay here,” I sighed, looking away.

“I love you, Dahlia. You're the only woman in my heart, never doubt or forget that.” He approached me, kissed my cheeks and walked away.

The moment he walked out the door, I hurried to the bedroom, got my car keys. Thankfully, I was still in my work clothes from yesterday, so I stood by the window and watched him drive off, then I hurried over to the garage.

“Tony and Sophia were the two people at Knights Corporations yesterday. I have to get to the root of this.”