She is not a ghost

Amber’s pov

  Today marked thirty days since that encounter with the mysterious man in the hotel room. I had never met someone so empathetic before. When I confessed that what I was about to do was against my will, he responded with unwavering authority.

  "Who has forced you into this?" he asked.

His question made me question his sincerity, but then it dawned on me that he must be one of Morgan's sons, acting on his behalf in this arrangement and he doesn’t know much about it.

  "If you hadn't pressured the person, I wouldn't be here," I replied.

  “Give me your phone number and go inside and get dressed, no woman should be subjected to such circumstances,” he replied.

  In response, I quickly provided him with a false number. Besides, what purpose would there be in keeping contact with him after today? As I emerged from the bathroom, fully clothed, I discovered that he had already left.

  Whenever I reflect on my encounter with that man, I find myself chuckling. I never anticipated that my plan would unfold in such a manner. If it were some other men, they might have been enticed by the mention of my virginity. My plan was simple: I didn't want to see any man other than my husband on top of me. But the truth is, am I truly a virgin? It has been six months since Dave last touched me, and for the past thirty days, making it a total of seven months, he hasn't laid a hand on me. Was it because I was furious and refused to speak to him for several days after returning from the hotel? Does he expect me to be pleased for complying with his request, even though no one didn't sleep with me? I didn't want him to know that the man hadn't touched me. He might assume that I intentionally angered or disrespected the man, which is why he refrained. How could any sane man resist the allure of my captivating face, enticing curves, and alluring breasts? I pretended and told Dave that the stranger had touched me and I expressed my genuine grievances, as it went against my will.

  Just as Dave had predicted, the very next day, he received a life-changing phone call. Though it will take time for him to fully regain control of his company, he now has almost complete authority over his company.

  We went from living in a cramped one-bedroom apartment to residing in a luxurious mansion. All our vehicles and properties were restored to us, except for my temporary loss of ownership in my pharmaceutical company. But I wasn't overly concerned. Dave will soon trigger the clause, and my company will be returned to me.

  To this day, I still ponder why Dave immediately hired Gwen, my best friend, without informing me until after she was employed. I held my anger and simply smiled. I didn't want it to seem like my husband needed my approval for every decision in his company, especially since it was my actions that transformed our lives. Nonetheless, Gwen should have been honest with me about what she was doing behind my back, just as my husband told me that he couldn't employ me at the moment because he didn't yet have full control of the company. If he doesn't want to employ me, then he should trigger the clause, allowing me to reclaim my inheritance.

  It was in the morning and I was dressing up in front of a bigger mirror and a rose oil fragrance filled the room. This was opposite of what we had at the one bedroom apartment and even my thought while dressing up in front of the mirror was quite different. But the only thing that mimicked my former life was the lengthening thought in front of the mirror and the switch between my husband and I. In the past six months, I would leave for work in the morning while my husband took care of household chores. Now, it was my husband who ventured out to work, while I attended to the household tasks. Just then, my husband's voice broke through my thoughts.

  "Sweetheart, where are you heading this morning?" he asked.

  "I received a call from my grandmother, and she asked me to visit her this morning," I replied.

  "Ah, your grandmother from your mother's side?" he inquired.

  "Yes, it's been a while since I last saw her," I responded.

  "Why not spend a longer time with her, perhaps a few days? She must be missing you," he suggested.

  "That's very thoughtful of you." I walked up to him and embraced him for showing such kindness to my grandma.

  "Just a reminder, please keep me informed about your plans and when to come back," he said, and I nodded before returning to the mirror to finish getting ready.

  Almost simultaneously, Dave and I left the house. He headed west, towards the city center, while I made my way east, towards my grandmother's house. An hour later, I stood before my grandmother's door and knocked.

  "Grandma!"

A few minutes later, my frail grandmother opened the door, using a walking aid for the first time.

  "What happened to you?" I exclaimed, wide-eyed. She remained silent, and I helped her back to her bed, supporting her with my arm around her neck. As soon as we sat down, I shared the news.

  "Grandma, we've moved back to our old house. We're no longer in the one-bedroom apartment. You should have told me about your condition, and I would have brought you to our new home."

  "I wasn't aware," she said softly.

  "I'm sorry, Grandma. If I don't take care of you, who will I care for? There's no time to waste. Let me take you to the hospital."

  "I was there yesterday," she turned her head towards the headboard and handed me her medical diagnosis. Before I could read it, she spoke again.

  "The doctor said I need three hundred thousand dollars for my treatment and surgery," she paused, clutching her stomach in pain and furrowing her wrinkled brow while her gaze fell to the floor.

  "I'm sorry, Grandma," I comforted her, gently soothing her back. 

  "Amber, the reason I called you here is this. Please, I know the medical expenses are substantial. Please, I know your parents left you their company. Can you take a loan against your inheritance to cover my operation? The pain is unbearable, as you can see. My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, and I don't think I can endure the pain any longer."

  "Grandma, in that case, let me rush to my husband's office. I assure you, tomorrow, your operation will happen."

******************

Adrian’s pov

  I find myself standing by the window in my office, hands tucked in my pockets, gazing downward from the nineteenth floor. My eyes are fixed on the bustling crowd of people, each going their own way. Lately, this act of standing and looking downward has been deliberate, as I haven't been able to reconnect with the lady I met at the hotel again.

  It has been two weeks since I told my father to stop searching for a woman for me. I had already found the woman of my dreams, and I fell in love with her the moment I laid eyes on her, captivated by her allure and undeniable beauty. Until that encounter, women were like garments to me—something you wear and discard, replacing them with someone new. But after meeting that lady at the hotel, my interest in other women vanished.

  Thirty days have passed, yet the phone number she gave me remains unreachable; It's quite astonishing to admit that, for a solid thirty days, the mere thought of a certain woman has left me utterly restless. Did I make a mistake while dialing it on my phone? I didn't even ask for her name, foolishly believing that having her number was all I needed.

  I retrieve my phone from my desk, and I can't recall how many times I've dialed that number, only to hear the same response: it's not connecting. Among all the women I've encountered, she was the one who captured my heart and left me unsettled. Is this what it feels like to be in love? I've never experienced such emotions before. If only I had known, I would have dialed her number right away when she gave it to me.

  Hold on a moment! This lady isn't a ghost. My investigation reveals that she entered the picture because Mr. Dave owed a substantial debt to my father. My dad had informed Dave that if he introduced the most beautiful lady to me, and if I fell in love with her, he would reconsider the debt. That's precisely what Dave did. So how is it possible that Dave is now claiming ignorance about her whereabouts?