MICHAEL'S POVIt's been three weeks since he had left the house and a week had passed since his episode that had landed him at the hospital.The only thing he had heard from her was the distress call she had put out to him a week ago when he was just coming out of the hospital. At first he had been worried and had tried to call back but he realized that her calling once must have meant that she might have pressed it by mistake.It was a cool summer afternoon.They were just coming out of the cold winter months when his phone buzzed on the table.It must have been his mother. He thought. Ignoring the first ring.Then subsequently, a ping followed. He opened his eyes to see a text message pop in. It was a video. It showed his wife laying naked in bed while his security guard smiled placing his lips on her lips.He felt his hand grip the phone hard as he zoomed in on the video, replaying the short second clip video looking for a clue that it wasn't what he thought was happening. He was re
ALINA'S POVThree months later...She was back to square one. Back to her roots and she was no better than she had been except for the huge sum currently sitting in her bank account as compensation for staying with him for the past one month and a few weeks. Athough the recent few weeks had seen them living separating but they were married and now they were not. She was divorced now.She had no idea what to do with herself now because she hadn't thought that far ahead in the probability of the contract being terminated so soon. She had not had the chance to explain herself because his mother had chosen to butt in everytime she wanted to.The past three months had been one of healing where she had not only nursed her wounds but had tried her best to get over the trauma of her being taken advantaged of by their security guard.Her mind drifted back to that day...She had dragged her battered and beaten body to the bathroom after he had left her. She had tried to wash away the stench of
MICHEAL'S POV"Hello?" He called into the receiver."Hey big brother" His sister, Agatha's voice sounded through the receiver."It must be because you need something, that's why you called me right?" He joked, leaning back into his chair, his ear still perched on the receiver."No" She stated firmly.He frowned in confusion.She sounded different, she wasn't sounding like her usual quirky self. He thought."Then why did you call?"He asked, a grin forming on his face unfazed by his sister's foul mood."I heard what happened between you and Alina." She stated. His grin faded to a deep frown. He hadn't heard that name for well over three months now.He had tried so hard not to remember her and his family members had done so well to not trigger any memories of her by saying her name. He still felt the sting of her betrayal from months ago and it gutted him anytime he thought about it.He had managed to keep their divorce under wraps away from the preying eyes of the media and paparazzi f
ALINA'S POVThe morning sickness was terrible. On most mornings, she had to drag her lethargic body just to go to work for the day. She had formed a routine for the past months almost like it was a broken record player.She would wake up, search mindlessly for her cellphone and pull open her email. Her shoulders slumped as the webpage fully loaded. She let out a tired sigh,covering her head in her hands. Today was disappointing, she had no new mail in her inbox.Taking a deep breath, she switched off the laptop and chose to shove the discouraging thoughts from her head.She had been trying to call her mother for the past few weeks and she had not been responding to any of the messages or voicemails she had sent. She was beginning to worry and over the length of the discussion she had not yet found out her mother's whereabouts.'What is happening?" she thought aloud as she took the few steps to her kitchen to heat up the leftover lasagna she had made the night before.She haven't been h
MICHEAL'S POVHe had stilled his breathing until he heard her melodious soft voice ring out from the receiver."Mr Wheeler?" She called formly.He frowned. He had never liked her calling him that,and even more now."Micheal is fine" He answered maintaining the cool in his voice. There a brief pause at the other end of the line before she finally spoke."Mr wheeler Is okay for me as well." She responded."Okay. Go ahead. What can I do for you?" He replied switching into business mode."Its about my mother." She started.He frowned in confusion."Yes, what about her?" He asked, as he tried to rein in his annoyance."She's not back yet. Two months ago, she had told me that her treatment would take two months and it's been a little over two months now, and she isn't back yet." She explained. A muscle ticked in his jaw."And what made you think I would know her whereabouts?" he asked sarcastically."Please Mr Wheeler, I just wanted to know where she is .Her phone isn't going through anym
ALINA'S POVThe news of their divorce was everywhere now.She sniffed as she shivered. She had been fired from her job at the bakery when the owner had found out that she was infamous because of her billionaire husband and even her friend had looked widely surprised by the revelation.The paparazzi had hounded her and she knew Micheal must have been suffering from the news as well.Headlines had gone into overdrive trying to get him to talk about their divorce and the cause of it.Her phone had been blaring with calls and she had not been bothered to check it.She ran towards her cubicle bathroom as a wave of morning sickness hit her.She had cleaned up then came out the door to find the towering figure standing tall in her tiny apartment.She yelled in fear.The figure turned around revealing his angry gaze.she froze in horror."Micheal?" She called out in disbelief,stepping closer to confirm that this wasn't a hallicination.He grimaced at her appearance."How could you live in this dump
MICHEAL'S POV He grimaced at the images laid out in front of him.There were pictures of Alina walking to work,working at a club and then there were pictures of her beat-up apartment. The building looked dilapidated and for a good few minutes he had felt guilty for letting her go.He had assumed that she would have been overjoyed by the lump sum of money he had given her for the divorce agreement."Sir would you like to go see her?"He looked up to see the expectant face of his assistant Donald,who had been standing there for a while."I just need to talk about her lover and the mess she had put me in "All throughout that week since the news had hit the streets,all newspaper publications have been obsessed with getting details about their divorce and her whereabouts.They swarm around him like vultures waiting for their next meal.He had been hounded on his way to work that morning and was on the verge of shutting down whatever news company the stalker was from but had thought against
ALINA'S POV "Please turn this car around"she interjected firmly."No."He answered sternly. "What?"She grimaced in pain."Until I know for sure that that baby in your belly isn't mine,I cannot let you subject an innocent child to those terrible conditions"She gasped in surprise."Excuse me.I decide how I live and where I live.This is kidnapping!"She retorted in a pathetic attempt to reason with him.He scoffed and swerved the wheel towards the other side of the road pulling up on the gravel road leading up to the estate."Micheal,I don't want to live with you!"She cried."Well,unfortunately for you,you have no choice."he addressed,pulling up in front of his gate.Frantic and alarmed,she struggled to open the car door but it was locked."Don't be dramatic Alina.I know you're just pretending to act tough but you truly want to live in my mansion.Besides I took care of you better than any lover that you had "He commented,pressing the button that automatically pulled the gates open.She
ALINA'S POVWhen she opened her eyes she felt her eyes sting at the brightness of the over head light. She raised a hand to shield her eyes."Alina" She heard Micheal whisper breathlessly.He let out a sigh of relief.She turned to see her mother and her fiance on the couch seated, holding hands with worried looks on their faces. Her hand instincitivley came up to her belly. "The baby is doing okay" he told her, reading her mind. He gave her a wide smile."My beautiful daughter,how are you feeling?" her mother said, sniffing.She was by her side in an instant."Water" She croaked out.She stretched to get her a glass which she drank generously like she had been in a desert."Mum, what are you doing here?" She asked once she was satisfied."Don't you want me here?" Her mother questioned."No, no, that's not the reason. I just thought that you shouldn't have been so worried " She said weakly."I almost didn't. I came to your house and found that it was empty. I had to call Micheal who
ALINA'S POV"Ma'am, don't you want to see Micheal? he has been downstairs all night waiting to talk to you" Martha said as she walked in holding a tray of breakfast for her.She took the tray from her, forcing a smile."Thank you Martha, that will be all." She said dismissively.Martha stood for a few more seconds, about to say something but reluctantly walked away without saying a word.She let out a tired sigh as soon as the door shut behind Martha. She buried her face in her palms and cried like she had done all night. She felt the embalming of a headache reminding her of last night's cry.Her mind wandered to the confident way the woman, Paulina had told her about the baby.***FLASHBACK***"You can't be serious" She chuckled."Do I look like am joking?" Paulina said, sneering back at her."That can't be. When did this happen?" She questioned.Paulina puffed her chest,digging into her purse with a triumphant smile playing on her lips. Almost as if, she had been waiting to hear tha
MICHAEL'S POVWhen he returned home that day he was extremely tired. He dragged his feet across the flight of stairs with a backward glance at the clock to see it read 10:09am.He paused in his tracks.It was too eerily quiet.He frowned in confusion. It was never this quiet. Usually, whenever he got back she was always perched on the couch munching on whatever she craved at that moment.He spun around at the foot of the stairs, his eyes darting around the room in search of anything, even though he didn't know what exactly to be looking for . Right on cue, Martha walked in from the kitchen pantry holding a bowl of chips and guacamole decorated beautifully in a flower patterned tray. "Hello sir "She greeted with a sad smile on her face as she hurriedly walked past him .His frown deepened.His arms stretched out reaching out to still her actions."Are those for Alina?" He asked.She stared up at him questionably for a while before nodding in response.His eyes widened in fear."Is som
MICHAEL'S POV"What happened?!"He shouted."I have no idea! One minute she was with me,trying to start a fight with me.Mind you,she insulted me. And the next thing I know,She's on the floor." She stated."That's not possible mum!" He retorted."It cannot be just an accident! And who the hell is this woman?!" He shouted."She was just helping me out when Alina was busy insulting me.She was defending my honour. We should be grateful to her son. Come on,say Hi to her."His mother urged.He glared straight at the blushing woman and looked away as soon as she smiled shyly at him."Mum please leave "He instructed.His mother gasped in disbelief."What? Why?!" She cried."Is it because of that thing?"She said with her face scrunched up in a wealth of disgust, pointing in the direction of the emergency room behind her.Micheal paced the length of the waiting room, taking deep breaths as he turned to still his laboured breathing."Son, you cannot possibly be worried. After all ,the baby isn't y
ALINA'S POVWaking up that morning had been relatively quiet and peaceful,apart from the fact that Micehal had to rush out that morning without even a passing greeting even while she had called for him from the kitchen. Her belly was growing bigger and her waist line had grown thicker as she felt the weight of her baby while parading around the house in comfy sweatpants before settling on the couch.Her mother was supposed to come help her out today. And her gynecologist had said she was doing extremely well taking care of herself and the baby.She let out a frustrated sigh as a repeat episode of her favourite series came on.The house was relatively lonely and quiet on most days just like they were now.The only solace she had was either reading to her baby or watching a tv show and whenever her mother was less busy she would come over to keep her company.She smiled at the sound of the doorbell and without hesitation padded briskly towards the door without looking at the intercom, un
MICHAEL'S POV.His bag slipped and fell from his hand as he froze in shock.She had on a sly smile."What?" he asked in disbelief."You heard me." She replied, giving him a sly smile."Yes we made a baby that night you came over at my place." She explained.Micheal padded towards the living to see Alina seated in the couch flickering across the TV channels smiling distractedly.He breathed out a sigh of relief. She was out of earshot and thankfully was so engrossed in the TV program that she couldn't have heard anything that had been said a few minutes ago.His hand reached out to clutch her arm and dragged her upwards towards his study. Giving Alina a forced smile when she sent a worried glance their way.Paulina protested all the way till they were safely in his office. "Why are you acting suspiciously?" She said wryly. "It's not like she had any say to what happens in this house, you're the head of the house." She stated matter of fact."What was the meaning of the rubbish stunt
ALINA'S POVShe had been shaken up after his mother's visit. But the past three months have been quiet and distant.Micheal had seemed more distant than normal. He had chosen to spend his days at work and he was rarely at home. Even when he was home he was distant, he only spent silent hours eating and once dinner was over he was leaving without so much as a word. She wished he would at least open up and let her know what was bothering him but he was sworn to silence. Everything had relatively stayed normal except her mother visited more often.She had chosen to come to terms with the fact that Alina was pregnant and there was nothing that could be done now.She still didn't like Micheal but she was careful not to be present whenever he got back from work.She was nestled on the couch watching a rerun of the show "housewives of Johannersburg" When the knock sounded on the door.She paused the show and headed to the intercom to see who was knocking.It was a unfamiliar face.She frowne
MICHEAL'S POVA FEW DAYS BEFORE..."Paulina what are you doing here? In my bed?" He asked panicked as he looked under the covers to find that she was wearing nothing underneath.He quickly closed it,wrapping the bedsheets around him sarong style as he jumped out of the bed trying to get some distance away from her. She had on a satisfied smile and he could clearly recognize that smile from all the times they had made love in the past. He chastised himself inwardly for being unable to erase that part of his past and memory."You're the one in my bed " She clarified.His eyes darted around the room and his eyes widened in recognition."How did I get here?" He asked in disbelief."I brought you here. You needed a place to sleep because you were drunk and I couldn't let you drive home like that. So I offered to bring you to my room, and it's a small apartment, I don't have a guest room at the moment. "She stated sitting up and letting the duvet slid down her breasts without the least bit
ALINA'S POV"No! No! Please, somebody help me! Please! "She cried as she fought and scratched whenever she had the opportunity to. But she wasn't strong enough. She felt powerless and helpless. "Felix stop! Please am begging you" she pleaded, her eyes streaming down with a pool of tears. She felt her body loose all its energy as he inserted himself into her. She was numb to the pain now as he begun to move. She was at the brink of giving up when she heard a voice. His voice guiding her back."Alina, am here. No one is going to hurt you,I promise. Am here now" She heard him speak softly as he shook her slightly until the scene before her had begun to change. The disgusting smile of Felix atop her slowly disappeared and she found herself lying on the bare ground staring into nothingness.She finally opened her eyes to find Micheal's face towering over hers. His forehead were creased in worry as he stared intensely into her eyes. He gave her a warm smile and lifted her up in his arms