Chapter 5

Eric's POV

I adjusted my jacket as I strode briskly across the large living room with my leather briefcase in my hand and a permanent scowl etched on her face.

"Eric, darling. Are you off to work?"

My mother rushed over to me, placing her two hands on my arms as she tried to get me to slow down.

"But-We have not even talked about the wedding preparations," she argued, pulling me to a seat.

I sighed.

A wedding. That has been all that has been on her mind since Emily left. It made a splitting headache break out in my head.

Lola could not have been happier when I had been made to propose to her and introduce her to the family.

Her wish was finally granted, but it felt like my hopes had just been dashed.

Any hope of being free from my mother's controlling grip would be dashed when I get married to Lola, who seemed to be under her spell. Any hope of finding and reuniting with Emily would be dashed, and the thought of that alone made my facial expression harden.

I could not take it.

"I have to work, mum. I don't think I need to do any hands-on thing as regards the wedding. My business can not suffer because of it", I snapped, pulling away from her hold slowly. I pulled her hands down from my arms.

She wore a pathetic expression.

"Eric, why don't you want to get married? Why do you want to break my heart over and over again?", she accused.

Her eyes got teary as she tried to make me change my mind, and I sighed.

I was getting weary of her manipulative tricks. I scrunched my brows, placing my hands on her shoulder.

"It's my wedding, mum. I will definitely attend it. I just have to work because I have a life after the wedding. If my business suffers because I'm getting getting, how will I take care of my wife and children?", I pacified her with a sad expression to make her happy.

The words I said irritated me, but it was what she wanted to hear.

A grin broke out on her face, and she hugged me.

"Of course, son. I just want you to be actively involved"

"I will be, mum", I assured, taking a glance at my watch. "I have to leave now"

****

As I sat calmly behind my huge desk, my mind was a tornado of thoughts and frustrations.

I massaged my temples with a groan.

It was unbelievable that I was getting married to Lola. I did love her, but getting married to her had never crossed my mind because I always had Emily.

My Emily.

I just wanted her back. It had been five horrible years of me returning home to meet it empty and cold without her presence.

Regret surged through my mind as the way I had treated her played out in my mind.

'God! Eric, you really messed up!'

If I had stuck up for her and not been such a prick, she would still be with me, and I would not have to get married to Lola.

As if on cue, my phone rang.

It was Lola.

I groaned.

There were times I wanted to hear her voice so much, but presently, considering all that was going on, I just wanted a break from her; a long break one.

I watched it ring, and she called again.

Frustration weighed down on me as I picked up her call.

"Hello, darling," her chirping voice came from the other end of the line.

I rubbed my head. "Hello.."

"Why do you sound tired? Have you been working all day again? Oh, Eric-boo, you should not wear yourself out. You need to be strong for our wedding.

"I will be", I replied with a hard voice.

I hated hearing about the wedding.

"Okay. So I was wondering if you would like for us to go shopping today. I'm planning to buy some jewellery and I want you to come along and choose some for me and for yourself. "

What she said made my mouth turn sour on displeasure.

"I have to work, Lola."

She sulked on the other end of the line. "But that's all all ever do. Work! When will you ever have time for me? You used to be more caring than this! What did I do wrong to you? Why are you so passive towards our wedding"

My head ached with her screeching voice. I was about to respond to her when my best friend Max walked into my office.

"I have to go now, Lola. I'll talk to you later. Take care of yourself, dear", I said in a rush and ended the call before I could hear her voice again.

Max laughed at how quickly I ended the call, but I just ignored him and took large gulps of water.

"You used to love her so much, man", he reminded me with a grin.

"I still do", I replied blankly, turning to my laptop.

"Then why don't you take the wedding as seriously as you should? Don't tell me you're still thinking of your dumb exwife? It's been what? Five years?"

"Shut up, man", I snapped at him, feeling a strange rage brew in my chest.

"Okay, sorry. I'm just trying to say that she's gone now and you should focus on the present"

"I'll find her", I unconsciously muttered under my breath.

Max sighed.

"You've been looking for her for five years, and you said it yourself that you think she might have disappeared from the surface of the earth. You should stop holding yourself down with your thoughts of her. Let it go"

I banged my fist on my desk.

"I won't! Okay?"

"Fine", he gave up with his hands raised.

"Good!"

*****

I returned home later in the day after work filled with disappointment again.

The private investigator i had hired to find Emily had again brought me the same report.

"We could not find her. We did our best"

How could someone just disappear from the surface of the earth? I refused to believe that crap.

Emily had to be somewhere, and I would fine her, whether anyone said it was possible or not.

I stormed into my room, ignoring my mother, who was giving orders to the servants about dinner.

The sight irritated me. It reminded me of how she had treated Emily as one of those servants while she lived with us.

I banged my door with a loud thud once I r4ached my room.

As I pulled off my jacket and my shirt, my eyes caught the figure of a lady on my bed and my eyes narrowed in shock.

Lola.

"Hey, darling," she purred in a sultry voice, her hands running over her half-naked body.

I suddenly felt blood pump loudly in my ears at the sight.

Maybe five years ago, I would have been aroused by the sight, but presently, all I felt was irritation.

"What. are. you. doing. here?", I demanded, but she just grinned and walked over to me, taking slow and sauntering steps.

"I just thought to help you relax. You must have had a long day at work. See. You look so tense", her voice was as soft as music as she ran a hand across my tense muscles in a rhythmic motion.

I felt myself almost relax at her touch, but I blinked away the feeling.

"Who let you into my room?", I snapped.

The edge in my voice caused her to suddenly stand straight.

"Baby-"

Her eyes were teary as she stared at me

"I asked you a question, Lola. Who let you into my room?"

I-I just wanted to surprise my fiancé", she cried, pulling onher silk robe that lay on my bed. "I guess he does not love me as he claims. He provably never did"

I groaned as I realised what she was doing. She was trying to make me feel guilty with her words, and quite frankly, she was doing just that.

It made me feel more guilty to realise that I had led her on, and I would be throwing her away because of my selfishness.

"No, dear. I just wanted us to postpone this until our wedding night. We will have all the time in the world and I will be with you both spirit, soul and body"

Her eyes were teary.

"It doesn't matter of we do it then or now. You look very tired and I can help you relax", she pressed on, running her hands across my chest.

I suppressed my irritation and gently pulled her hands down.

"Babe, let's take things slow", I insisted, holding her hands. "How about the shopping? Can we go tomorrow?"

I had to take her mind off what she wanted presently because it was not an option for me.

She realised what I was doing and she scoffed.

She tightened the belt of her robe into a knot.

"Whatever. I blame myself for coming here anyway!"

Just like that, shutting the door with a loud bang, she was out of my room

I did not dare stop her.

Why start what I would not finish?!