Both seated inside a different restaurant from last night, Ben watched Belle devour the dish in front of her. He couldn't stop smiling because it had been so long since he sat with someone, a woman who was willing to be as free as belle was as she ate the spaghetti she ordered.She didn't even remember he was there with her, the food was delicious and she was hungry, that was all she knew as she ate on. She sucked in a strand of spaghetti into her mouth even though her lips were pressed together. Some spaghetti sauce stained her lips when she did that so she reached for the table napkins at the middle of the set table and that was when she remembered Ben was sitting with her.Her right hand on the napkins like she was frozen, she looked up slowly and he was smiling, that genuine smile that she had noticed was rare and scarce to the public. She became grateful that there was no one else sharing the part of the restaurant where they sat with them, it was a reserved spot.Her eyes still
"You are beautiful Belle, very, very beautiful and I can't get my mind off you even when I try, many would mistake that for love but not me Belle because I know it's not love, it's not, I don't love you, I'm just sexually attracted to you, if love is a true thing then I am in love with your body." He said in what he thought was the simplest way he could explain his attraction to her. Belle just stared at him as he went on, she didn't believe he would actually say what he was saying. She had seen it coming, she had read all about him and his dislike for the topic of love. She knew he would say what he just said before now. He had told her during her interview with him that he wasn't a romantic. "Okay." She just said and picked up her glass of water in front of her, taking a sip from it. "Okay? Is that what you are going to say?" He had to admit, he was surprised at her response. "Mhmmn." She nodded, dropping the glass and looking at him. "Really?" "What do you want me to say?" She
"I like the way you are now, uncaring that I don't love you, we are better like this. Let's just have sex whenever we want too but let's do so with no strings attached.""Okay, I get it, no strings attached." Belle said again. She could listen to this man holding her, talk all day and agree with whatever he said."Alright then, let's go shopping." He held her and they headed out.The were still in the driving car, both in their own thoughts when Belle's phone started to vibrate in her purse. Ben looked at her to try and know why she wasn't picking up her phone as it rang on.He realized that her mind was lost, so he called her back;"Belle.""Hmmn?" She turned to him sharply, disengaging from her far thoughts."Your phone seems to be ringing.""Oh." She open her purse to get the phone out but it had stopped ringing.She checked on her notification block and saw who it was, calling her. It was Brie, her own cousin who had called her for the twenty seventh time. Belle's phone has been
Are you okay?" Ben thought he should ask her because she looked distressed about the call she just had."Yeah." She nodded before putting her phone back in her purse."You are such a horrible liar, if you should know." He said and she looked up from her purse at him.He was right, she wasn't okay, she was worried and he could fish that out."You should have just said; I am not okay but I also don't want to talk about it." He said again before looking away from her."You don't have to tell me what the problem is, I mean you are not obligated to, we are not a couple now, are we. Just let me know if I can help."After that, the car became silent till they got to a boutique. As she was used to him doing since she met him, he got down first and came for her.His hand around her tiny waist, he walked into the boutique with her and she couldn't help but wonder what this man wanted. He had just told her earlier, back at the restaurant that he didn't love her and that he couldn't but here he wa
"Ma'am, please try this." The man who had been helping her took out one of the packaged dresses in a bag and showed it to her. "My size?" She asked because she couldn't tell while it was still in the bag. "I think so, ma'am." The man replied so she took it and went to changing room to try it on. "It is my size." She confirmed as she walked out wearing the dress. It was a red short sleeveless dress and it accentuated her toned shoulders and her slender neck. The man thought the dress was made specially for her considering how much it fitted her and matched her beauty. "Are you taking it, should I add it to the list of things you want?" "Yes, it's look great, I love it." "So, ma'am, I think you should try this one next, it will certainly look good on you, just like the others did." The man said, taking out another bag(packaged with a jumpsuit). "No, that's enough. I don't want to try anymore clothes, just this ones are okay, I think." "Just these?" Belle heard Ben and turned to
"Who is he?" Brie asked when she finally noticed the man standing behind Belle with his hands full. "I will explain after his gone, just let him through so he could drop these off, his boss needs him to drive him somewhere and it's important." "His boss? Who is his boss?" "Brie just make way so he could keep these then I will tell you everything." "Okay okay." Brie said making way like Belle requested by opening the door wider and watching the man walk into their apartment. At least it wasn't the man with the scar, she wouldn't have let him in if it were him standing behind Belle. Randy didn't look scary at all to her. "Where do I keep them, ma'am?" Randy asked standing and waiting for her to let him know where to keep the bags. "Uhmmm....on the couch?" Belle said looking at Brie to know if that was okay. "What are they?" Brie asked Belle. "Clothes." Belle replied and Brie nodded. "Okay, keep them on the couch please." Belle told Randy and he carefully out the bags down on the
"Belle, what is it, did he say he is interested?" She asked her. Belle went silent when she was asked that. This was why she didn't want to let them know about it in the first place but she couldn't keep up with lying about her whereabouts and leaving them worried whenever she went with Ben. At least, noe they would know she is with Ben and wouldn't get worried over nothing, she was going to tell them about the unusual sex pact she was planning on embarking with him. "This is where it gets a little weird." She told them, scratching the back of her neck."He wants me to keep on sleeping with him...." "What?" They both chorused before she could explain the situation further. "Just listen, he says he doesn't believe in love and therefore he doesn't plan on starting anything serious with me but...." She stopped when they were both giving her a non-acquiescent look, their arms folded across their chests. "Come on, hear me out first," She didn't like that they weren't all in on what she
Belle closed the door behind her and leaned against it, breathing in slowly before going to the vanity in the bedroom to take a look at herself after keeping the purse in her hand. She went to the bed to sit and take her heels off.‘I shouldn't have told them.’ She thought to herself. Now she had to rethink her already made decision. She really wanted to do what Ben proposed but now that Brie said it, she thought her cousin sister was right;What if Ben just wanted to use her? What if he only saw her as a sex toy just like Brie said and not as a sex partner that she wanted to agree to being."Urghh!" She groaned, falling back on the bed and dragging her body up to where the pillows were set. LooShe just laid there, facing the ceiling still thinking when her phone rang in her purse, she rolled her eyes with a sigh because now she had to get up to go take her purse from the vanity stand."Hi, Mrs Johnson." Belle greeted when she picked the call, she hoped her boss wasn't mad about her
"Are you okay?" Jenna asked her when she noticed she was acting somewhat different."Yeah, it's just..." Belle stopped and sighed. "Can I tell you something?""Yes girl, I'm all ears.""Well, you see..." Belle sighed once more after sitting next to her on the sofa in the living room."I thought and thought but couldn't get Ben a good gift. He got me those cars outside and all I could get him was tickets to go see a movie with me. I realized that I couldn't even go out to see a movie with him because he's him, you know. I feel bad but I'm trying not to because he was so excited gifting me the cars.""You got him tickets?" Jenna laughed after listening to her say all she had."Yeah?""Three of his houses in city S have private cinemas in them." Jenna couldn't stop laughing."Awwww, that makes me feel worse." Belle almost sobbed."I'm sorry. It's just funny but don't stress about it. I used to feel that way years back but then I realized he really didn't care what it was I bought, he only
Back in city S.Belle woke up and didn't see Ben by her side so she got out of bed and went to the bathroom to check for him but when she didn't see him, she decided to just do her morning routine of brushing her teeth and cleansing her face.After that, she decided to go to the balcony to check if he was there because lately, he was there using his laptop whenever she woke up late.She got there and didn't see him but she saw something surprising. There were seven cars parked downstairs. She turned around to go look for him but saw him just there, he had been behind her while she counted the cars."Good morning, my queen," he told her with a smile."Good morning," she held his face and kissed his right cheek."And happy birthday," she got on her tippy toes and hugged him and felt his arms go round her waist."You're finally awake, I've been waiting and my excitement almost died while waiting." He laughed after the hug."The cars?" She didn't know how to react though he was laughing."T
Larkson mansion.I"Aww, she has such a pretty face." Mrs Larkson said after some silent minutes of admiration.Belle looked up from her dish and smiled at the woman sitting opposite to her on the dining table. Things were great since she came by unlike all she assumed. Mrs Larkson didn't ask the many questions she assumed she had to prepare for so things were alright till she said:"My grandchildren will be so cute, I can already imagine." Belle almost choked on what she was about to swallow when Mrs Larkson blurted that out.Ben stood and filled a glass of water, rubbing Belle's back slowly while bending to speak to her as she had her head down."Water?" He proposed and she took the glass from him and took a big sip. While Belle was drinking water, Ben took the chance to give his mother a questioning look about what she just said.Belle returned the glass to him and he kept it on the table and sat back down. Mrs Larkson didn't say anything else; she didn't mean to make Belle uncomfor
Morning, the next day."Did you think about it?" Ben leaned against the wall with both his hands in the trouser pockets as he watched Belle arrange her hair."Think about what," she dropped her hairbrush and turned to him."Please tell me you gave a thought to what I told you last night.""Be direct, we talked about quite a lot yesterday," she started to put lipstick on her lips while facing the mirror again."..." Ben scratched the back of his neck and bit his lips because he knew that she remembered what he was talking about."Alright, I'm ready." She stood up from the chair in front of the mirror."Will you drop me off at my sister's or will someone else take me?" She asked, walking past him after picking her purse and hoping he followed like she wanted but he didn't. Ben pulled her back by her waist and he did it so easily, it made her wonder if to do a weight gain diet so he couldn't do that anymore."Please?" Be didn't let her go after bringing her back to himself. His arms around
"Hey man, come take a look." Belle watched as one of the men assigned to be with her called to the other after collecting her ring from her ring finger."Is it original diamond?" The man who was called asked."What do you think? Of course, it is, can't you see?" The first man held it up to the light."She's wearing a ring that's probably worth an amount I've never touched in my entire life.""Are we going to sell it?" The second man asked."We? Did you just say we? I'm the one who noticed it on her finger first...""Guys," someone came in while panting loudly."Yeah?" "I was upstairs..." The man stopped to pant for some seconds."I was upstairs, and I saw these vehicles...""Is the boss back?" The first man asked, putting the ring in his jacket pocket."I don't think so, he usually comes alone. When I said that I saw cars, I meant that there were at least seven of them.""Seven?" The second man asked."Yeah," the informant nodded."I would be far off if I had started to run when I saw th
Richard was now being tied up in her living room while she watched alongside Ben. She was excited at first, that Ben came to her rescue then realized sooner that he came solely for Richard."What did he do?" She asked Ben but didn't get a reply. "Search for it," she heard him order instead. The men started up her stairs."Search for what?" She asked again but got no reply. She saw Ben go over to one of the sofas opposite to where Richard was tied up to take a seat. She saw a look on Ben's face that she saw the day he came by and injected her with an overdose of the drug that landed her at the hospital. It was a masked look because he seemed calm but she knew he was angry and unhappy at the same time.When she got a chance, she moved to where Richard was and decided to ask him what she asked Ben earlier, hoping for a response."What did you do, Richie?" She asked and got a glare from him that made her move back."Where is she?" Richard's eyes turned from Alex to Ben when he heard the q
Alex was starting to get scared of Richard's presence when they heard her doorbell ring downstairs."Are you expecting someone?" He asked her."N...yes!" She lied and left him for downstairs before he could hold her back. Happily opening the door to at least be free from him, she saw Randy."Ma'am, I was sent by Mr Larkson..." Randy saw that she was in a towel and looked away immediately."Randy, thank goodness it's you." She pushed him outside and followed, closing the door behind her."Ma'am I...""Shhhh. I need you to help me okay? There's someone in there whom I am currently not very comfortable with," she started and when she saw that he was listening, she continued."I want you to act like we planned to leave together and that you came to pick me up. Can you?""I was actually sent by Mr Larkson to...""Aren't you listening to me?!" She whispered shakily."I need your help, someone broke into my house.""I'm not the police, ma'am." Randy remained polite though he didn't believe what
11:49 pm Cherry returned from the restroom and saw Brie seated on the bed, not sleeping. She lay on her side of the bed and pulled the blanket over herself to go back to sleep but couldn't, not when Brie was awake."You are overthinking shit again, aren't you?" She sat and joined Brie."I just have a bad feeling. It's been two days since Belle went to that wedding, I find it weird that she hasn't called or come over to tell us about what happened that day. You know how excited she gets, she should have come by to see us, you know.""Urggh, Brie, really? Is that why you are not sleeping?""Is it not a good enough reason?""No, it isn't. Get some sleep, Belle is FINE. She's probably cuddling in bed with him right now and you're here, worrying your ass over nothing.""I'll call her tomorrow morning, please remind me?""Yeah, sure. Can we return to sleeping now?""Okay." Brie rested her head on the pillows."Oh wow, that was actually easier than usual, you agree to go back to sleep. Good
Weeks later.Late night.Alex's heels made some noise as she walked into the quiet house. It woke Richard up; he had been sitting and waiting for her till he fell asleep."You're finally back, I've been waiting for you. Why didn't you pick up your calls? The least you could have done is answer the goddamn call and let me know if you're busy, you fucking left me worried.""You didn't see my text?" Alex raised a brow."I didn't.""Well, I sent you a text to let you know that I would be visiting Doctor Dan to fix an appointment for my abortion.""What? I thought we talked about that, we're keeping the baby, aren't we?""I changed my mind," she shrugged."You changed your mind? Seriously? Tell me you're joking, Alex.""Do you see me laughing right now? Look, Richie, I'll be honest with you. I went out with my friends after seeing the doctor and I'm as hell as I speak so please let me just go have a good shower so I can get some sleep." She started to walk towards the stairs."You can't mak