CHAPTER FOUR.

“What did you just say?” Rebecca shot out of bed as she heard what her mother had to say. How could she talk about marriage so casually like it was nothing?

“Yes darling” the old lady retorted again, “maybe if you get married, you will feel better. You haven’t been yourself and i don’t like it”

“I don’t need to get married mum” Rebecca blurted after a while, “I am perfectly fine and I don’t need any man to take care of me. I am just stressed about the party and that’s all, I will be fine after taking some rest so stop talking about getting married now, mum. I am actually not thinking about that, that is obviously the last thing on my mind”

The thought of what Hardin did to her became fresh in her memory, how could she get married now? How could she get married when men were all the same? The last man she loved with her life showed her that she shouldn’t have loved him. Getting married to another man was not something she was even thinking about, not in her life.

“Are you scared of getting married, baby?” Her mother asked again, “all ladies are always happy to get married. Don’t you see your cousin and his wife?” 

At the mention of them, the look on her face changed. If only this woman in front of her knew the kind of person Hardin and his wife were.

“Look mum, can we talk about this later?” Rebecca asked, “i want to take some rest before the stylist comes for the makeup and all that, please”

Mrs Sanchez heaved a sigh as she  stood up from the bed, her eyes lingering on her daughter full of love and concern.

“We will have this conversation when your father is back, Rebecca” she said before making her way out of the room.

The moment she was out of the room, Rebecca slumped back on the bed as different thoughts began to cloud her memory. The fact that Hardin was her cousin now was what amazed her the most. What game was fate trying to play on her? How did she end up in this web of lies? One thing was for certain, whatever was happening was happening for a reason.

“Hardin '' his name rolled out of her lips and she bawled her hands into a fist, he was a devil and the bane of her existence.

Her mobile began to buzz cutting into her train of thoughts and when she saw the caller ID, she felt like putting her head over a hangman and ending her life. How could Melisa even pretend to be a good person now when she was the devil in human form.

Clenching down on her teeth, Rebecca picked up the phone and pressed it against her ears.

“Hello” she spoke into the receiver, “we literally just met an hour ago and you are already calling me, Melisa”

“The designer is with me” Melisa said from the other end, “apparently your assistant sent her the wrong address and she came to my house”

“Oh” Becca rolled her eyes, “just send her here. It is almost time for me to get ready”

“Yes, she will soon be with you”

Melisa was still talking when Becca pressed the end button and slammed the phone on the bed, she hated to even think of talking to her.

Slumping back on the bed, she closed her eyes and her mind drifted off to Hardin again.

******

The car pulled up in front of the red carpet and camera shutters began to click as the Maybach door opened and Rebecca slowly alighted from it.

She was dressed in a blue sequin gown that clung onto her body accentuating her hourglass figure and her hair was pulled back in neat ponytail and the mild makeup on her face made her look more natural and beautiful.

The shimmering of her gown gave a good accompaniment to her appearance and she couldn’t help but feel thankful towards the designer.

Becca heaved a sigh before making her way down the red carpet again, it has been years since she was in the limelight and everything felt unusual. 

After being disowned by her family, she decided to just be a housewife loving her husband only for him to betray her in the worst ways possible. The thought of it made her almost giddy with anger and embarrassment.

“Miss Rebecca Sanchez, can we ask a few questions?” One of the reporters asked and she flashed them a smile before coming to a halt in front of them.

Luckily she was surrounded by her bodyguards and none of them could get as close to her as they wanted.

“The event is about to start” Becca retorted, “we should make this quick”

“How do you feel as one of the major sponsors of this event?” Another reporter asked almost immediately.

Before she could open her mouth to answer, another car pulled up in front of the red carpet again and a familiar figure alighted from the car.

The moment their eyes came in contact, rabecca felt like going crazy. She was not expecting to see her here, how could she even be here? 

Her mind wandered off to that particular night and the call Hardin had made that night and the anger she had been struggling to contain came bursting out of her.

This was the same woman she called mother but yet she was responsible for what happened to her.

“Tell us, Miss Becca, how does it feel to be in this big project with the Hernandez group of companies?” Another reporter asked again, cutting into her reverie of thoughts.

“What should I say? Becca responded, “i should have known earlier”

“What do you mean about this statement, ma’am?” Another inquired but instead of answering, she turned around and walked away into the party room.

She couldn’t stand looking at the murderer for more than she already had.

When each step she took into the room, Becca became sure of one thing. Whatever the universe was throwing at her now was to make her make things right. She was not sure why all this was happening but one thing was for certain, it was not as easy as she thought.

After entering the hall, one of the ushers led her to her VIP seat and she was surprised to see Hardin already seated and his lips curled into a smile as he saw her.

Her blood was already boiling with anger when her eyes came in contact with him, she felt like putting a bullet through his head and killing him. How could he smile at her like that when he was responsible for her death five years ago? She hated him with everything she had got.

“You finally came, sis” Hardin spoke up and she felt herself insides churn with anger, “i almost gave  aunty a call as you didn’t come”

“You must enjoy doing this, right?” She asked through gritted teeth and his forehead creased into a slight frown.

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean?” Becca scoffed while lowering herself on her chair, “you will know what I mean soon enough” 

The frown on his face intensified and he made to touch  her but she immediately shoved his hand off of her.

“Stop touching me with those filthy hands, Hardin” she hissed angrily and his brows furrowed.

It was at this point she suddenly realized what she was doing and she heaved a sigh, acting like this was going to give her up even before she could understand what was happening.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something again, a hand tapped her gently and she turned to see the woman she called mother and the same woman who ordered her death five years ago.