22 CARLTON’S POV “Why is Dahlia here? Why was she in your company? Why did she came back? Since when have you been seeing each other?!” Mari-gold had been ranting the same thing right from when we were in the car driving back to the mansion and as soon as we gets in, she doesn’t waste time to attack me. She didn’t even give me room to breath. I throw my keys to the table collapse on on couch. “Answer me, Carlton,” “Get a grip Mari-gold!” I scoff, getting really irritated. “No, why is she here?,” she asks again, impatiently tapping her feet to the floor. “We are business partners. The man you saw beside her, that's Tristan Martinez, CEO of Tristan delight. Dahlia bought shares in my company through him. This partnership will get the company back on its feet and redeem our reputation.” “At least that's the plan…,” I add. “Terminate it.” I sharply turn to look at her in her akimbo stance. Hands placed on the waist, head held high. “What?” “You heard me,” she
Carlton’s pov “How could you do that?” The room is as still as ice as my Father paces back and forth. His eyes inflamed as they glared at me. Apparently, there are already rumours of my collaboration with Tristan Delights. People think I may be framing the company and that is where Marigold's father's speculations came from. “I am only trying to promote the company,” I quietly reply him. “Promote? Don't be a joker. You're destroying everything we have worked for. How could you make such a drastic decision, all on your own. You didn't deem it right to inform me, huh?” I nod my head, recalling our past argument on the company, and the numerous ones before that. When will he ever support my decision. To be frank, I am getting frustrated of all this back and forth. “Do you know how furious the Campbells are? They are partners and you didn't even inform them. How can you make such a reckless decision, Carlton?” The Campbells are Marigold's parents. Her Father has been cal
DAHLIA'S POV A feeling of satisfaction washes over me as I relish the dreadful news about Stewart's Foods Co. that I had seen on TV. As usual, the media arrived at so many conclusions as to why a company like ours would partner with a drowning company. As much as we are supposed to be helping them, alleviating the company's current state, I still enjoy seeing the hate speech on the news and social media about Stewart's Foods Co. I live for these moments. Our company is posing to be Stewart's Foods Co’s savior but the irony of it, is that deep down, we are thrilled about all the slander they are receiving. People even speculate they may have some dirt on us and that's why we are helping them. Although they know better than to expatiate on that rumor. Tristan will end it before it even starts. Lately, the news and social media has been endearing to me and I always anticipate the nasty articles posted on the downfall of a big company. A lot of reporters don't even bother
CARLTON'S POV It’s a relief that the doctor was able to revive Andre After I rushed him to the hospital. And it also took high level of discipline to not go wild on the teachers. Fuck sakes they knows Andre is a special kid, Aren’t they supposed to keep an eye on him? Once again, My whole days went into watching over Andre, neglecting piles of work I’ve to Fix at the office. I called and literally spammed marigold with Text messages, informing her of Audre condition so she could watch Andre while I return to the office. But who was I kidding? Marigold didn’t Take my calls or returned my Texts. Honestly, I’m getting fed up of Mari-gold! Audre got discharged few hours Ago and when we arrive home, I takes my time to prepare his Favourite for him. Spaghetti bolognese. Thankfully he didn’t stress me. He was extremely weak Anyways so he just complied. After feeding him, I got him to shower. I gave him his medicine and now he’s up in his room sleeping. I finally got some time to
DAHLIA'S POV I had just gotten off the phone with Tristen and to say I’m infuriated is an understatement. I’m boiling really hard right now. How could Tristian Agree for me to meet with Carlton Alone at some Restaurant to Discuss about the press conference? Yes, I know we would eventually get to discuss it but why a restaurant. Why not the office? It’s already bad enough that I’ve to stand the sight of that Face of the man I hate so much and now we’ve to meet in a restaurant like some couples on a date? The thought of that Alone is making me cringe right now. I need something to calm my system down right now. so I walk to the wine cabinet, pick out my favorite white wine and pour myself a glass. Circling the glass, before bringing it to my lip, I allow the taste of the wine to remain under my tongue before swallowing. I take in a deep breath to calm myself but Gavin barges into the kitchen in frantic motion. “What's wrong?,” I ask, reaching out for him but he flinches at
DAHLIA'S POV As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I recall how this has become a frequent action for me since commencing my revenge on Carlton. First the mask party, then the lunch meeting and now this. The press conference is set to begin soon yet I am here in front of a mirror unable to bring myself to move. We are going to be late, Tristan and I. But I can't care less, the though that occupies the bulk of my mind is, am I truly ready to see the faces of the people I despise the most in this world and actual converse with them. “Tristan is here,” Sunny announces as she quickly runs back to the kitchen to continue cooking. I take in a deep breath, and pat myself on the cheek. “You can do this, Dahlia.” Then I put on perfume and leave the room. *^^* The hall is rowdy as reporters and paparazzi are everywhere. I immediately spot familiar faces and my rage begins to build. Carlton's parents are seated at a corner and my parents are seated at a short distance fro
DAHLIA’S POV I look around warily my eyes searching the room for a tall and muscular man. There aren’t many in the room so this should be easy, besides Tristan stands out wherever he goes. But the more I look, the more the appearance of even his silhouette seems vague. Where the hell could he be? I don’t want to spend one more minute than I have to here. I take out my phone from my Hermes bag which every female that passed by me stared at. Tristan’s phone number is the first on my call log since I speak to him on a regular basis. I dial in the number and it goes straight to voice mail. I impatiently stuff the phone back in my bag as my eyes dart around the room again. Still no sign of him. I have to find him, I can’t leave without him, besides we came in his car. As much as I don’t want to speak to anybody here, I’d have to if I intend to find Tristan quickly. The room is getting less crowded as people make their way out. Maybe he’s already outside waiting for me, and like
DAHLIA’S POV‘What…what is it?’Tristan asks, looking around to find out why I gasped. ‘Your…your knuckles,’ I pointed to his hands on the wheel, as my finger trembled slightly.‘Oh,’ his face falls, as he stares at his bloody knuckles. ‘It’s nothing.’My brows shoot up, ‘what do you mean it’s nothing, that doesn’t look like nothing, what happened?’ He sighs, taking his hands off the wheel as he stares out the window. I can tell something is bothering him, ever since his supposed bathroom disappearance, he has been off. Actually, ever since we stepped foot inside the hall, his mood changed. I could feel the rage burning through him as he stared at Carlton’s father. Could that have something to do with his bloody knuckles?My damn lawyer skills always make me jump into rash conclusions.I look at him, with deep concern and he sighs, succumbing to my silent request for an explanation. ‘I punched a mirror.’‘What?’ ‘It’s not a big deal. I’m fine, my hands are fine. I’ll just clean
Dahlia's POV“ I have no idea how it ended up this way but there is something going on out there. A woman approached me and told me you're in distress, needing help. I rushed here as soon as I could!” Carlton lamented.I sighed on hearing this, as I was also still trying to unlock the door. “As soon as I stepped in, the door was shut and she locked it afterwards, why would she do such a thing!” Carlton said, with a frustrated tone.“Did you say she's one of Marigold's friends, Perhaps they're playing a prank on you or something? That is the only thing I can make of this situation.” I questioned. “This does not seem like a prank to me. She would never get herself involved with something like this..” Carlton replied.Having struggled with the door for about ten minutes, it was finally growing weak and the lock was close to opening. I can't continue trying to unlock it from here, perhaps a kick would send it flying open.I moved back a bit and got ready to break open the door. “Hey, ca
Marigold's POV “Madam, Are you okay?” A voice asked. I raised my head to see a man. “Yes, I'm fine. Just having a stomach upset..” I lied. This weird feeling had nothing to do with a stomach upset but I also couldn't tell what it was. I resorted to sitting on an empty table and it kind of eased down a bit. Oh that worked, Did I drink too much at one point? What is going on with my body?Dahlia had taken off to search for her daughter, but might definitely not find her anytime soon. She went the wrong way Afterall! Everything seems to be going on so smoothly, I had bought sexual arousing pills and spiked Dahlia's drink with it. Then my friends helped out with tricking Carlton into an abandoned compartment. Now, he is trapped and no one would probably hear him scream too. The trick they used to lure him there was to lie that Dahlia was stuck in the compartment and Carlton, unaware of the danger, rushed to save her. He successfully walked into the obvious trap and will remain th
“Is there a problem?” Panic from no where sinks into me. On impulse, I think of my kids which I left in his watch. “Not really, he just…” “Mummy,” Tiny voices interrupts Chloe and we turn to see four kids walking towards our direction. Andre and my three boys. Gianna isn’t with them and noting the frantic look on they faces, my pulse increase. “Mummy, It’s… it’s Gianna. We can’t find her.” “What?!” Between my heart and me, I don’t know which one leaps first. “What happened?” I ask as I’m flying up from the seat. “I don’t know, some lady came to us after uncle Carlton excused himself from where we were all gathered. She said you demanded for us except for Gianna. We left Gianna behind and followed the lady but at some point the lady walked too fast and missed up in the crowd. We went back to the table and we couldn’t find Gianna anymore. We had been searching for Gianna and luckily we found you here. Mommy I’m scared.” Gavin my eldest son narrates everything in one brea
“So, what do you care for? Brandy? Whiskey? Champagne?!” Marigold ask hyper energetically as we are walking through different guest heading to wherever marigold is leading me to. “Or wait… I know what you like. Whiskey” She squeals energetically like the marigold I used to know from kids. “Well, I don’t…” “Hello Blenda,” marigold sudden hollering cuts me off as we stops before a Lady looking glam. “Meet my sister Dahlia.” She says. “And dahlia, this is blenda one of our business partners. You know her?” I don’t know if it’s just me, but everything marigold does looks so much like a game to me and I’m very sure that the Brenda lady saw through her facade, because she reacts to marigold with a frown. “Well, I don’t think…I know her.” I replies marigold dryly and turns to Brenda feigning a smile as I’m not in the mood. “… But it’s nice to meet you Brenda. You look great. I love your necklace.” “Yeah, nice. Thank you Barrister dahlia.” Brenda replies with a slur, looking from
“So, what do you care for? Brandy? Whiskey? Champagne?!” Marigold ask hyper energetically as we are walking through different guest heading to wherever marigold is leading me to.“Or wait… I know what you like. Whiskey” She squeals energetically like the marigold I used to know from kids. “Well, I don’t…” “Hello Blenda,” marigold sudden hollering cuts me off as we stops before a Lady looking glam. “Meet my sister Dahlia.” She says. “And dahlia, this is blenda one of our business partners. You know her?” I don’t know if it’s just me, but everything marigold does looks so much like a game to me and I’m very sure that the Brenda lady saw through her facade, because she reacts to marigold with a frown. “Well, I don’t think…I know her.” I replies marigold dryly and turns to Brenda feigning a smile as I’m not in the mood. “… But it’s nice to meet you Brenda. You look great. I love your necklace.”“Yeah, nice. Thank you Barrister dahlia.” Brenda replies with a slur, looking from me to
Warning: Unedited Dahlia pov, It isn’t just marigold who seems to be up to something. My parents too has their backing because few hours ago, After I and the kids arrived home I received friendly Text messages from them inviting me the party too. It would has been a different thing it was just some general broadcast invitation but it was personal invite with claims about wanting to make peace and meet my kids. I would never really want to get my kids involved in this game but marigold cunningly did in a way I wouldn’t object. She had insisted on following me and Carlton to go pick the kids from school and on our way back she played the charade of being a sweet Aunt and she invited them to the party because she wanted Andre and Carlton to be there. Right now, it’s already evening and about an hour to the party. I’m staring at myself in the full length mirror checking out my outfit. My eyes roving about to see what’s missing. My Raven dark hair is perfectly styled up in high pony and
Dahlia’s Pov, From the moment the ward’s door open, The lively atmosphere morphs into Tension immediately because of the person that just walked in. She halt right at the door, freezing as if she’s seeing a ghost. And I’m the ghost, because her gaze is piercing right through me and unlike actually seeing a ghost, her expression isn’t horrid but that of undiluted rage. Me, I’m simply baffled about her appearance here. I mean she has no reason to be here. And there’s no doubt that everyone else in the ward is also having same thoughts. However, the silence doesn’t last any longer before Mr. Stewart’s high grating voice breaks it. “And what the hell are you doing here?” He asks Marigold angrily. “Such A way to speak to your daughter in law whom you had forcefully accused of a crime she didn’t commit. I should be getting some apology here.” Is marigold’s sarcastic response as she rolls her eyes walking fully into the ward. “Anyways I just came to visit my mother-in-law who h
Marigold’s POV, Hanging out with my crazy friends is such a therapy. It’s like all I needed After the hell I went through in that sick cell! They had been a whole vibe and energy. Right now, the all four of us are in a SPA getting different SPA treatments.“That Father In-Law of yours is such a psychopath.” Annabel snaps, reading news magazine as a pedicurist is tending to her feet. The SPA room has been buzzing with my friends talking non-stop. More like throwing insults to Mr. Stewart which he very much deserves. And the other occupants in the room are diligently focused on their job just as they should. “I mean if he hated you that much, he could just man up and ask you to leave his son. Accusing you wrongly was such a dumb move.” Cynthia chips in Angrily. She’s laid on the bed beside me getting her facials done just like me. “I wish I got to see his face now that the truth is out. Your parents should consider suing that man you know.” I huff. With my intense hatred for
DAHLIAThe night air bites at my skin, sharp and unforgiving. I wrap my jacket tighter around my body to ward off the cold. Carlton walks behind me with his hands shoved into his pockets. The shoot drained us but the silence of the streets and the distant glow of a coffee shop make it bearable at least. Out of nowhere, Carlton stops walking. “Thanks,” he says when I turn to look at him. “For everything. Helping me the fix the mess at he company.” “Don't mention it.” A smile warms my cheeks. “I mean it.” His expression turns serious, his breath fogging in the cold air. “I don't know what I would've done without your intervention.”“You figured it out eventually, I guess.”“I highly doubt that.” A smirk tugs at his lips and we resume walking again. We push into the warmth of the café. The scent of roasted coffee beans drapes itself around me like a cloak and I exhale, savoring it. We find a booth by the window, and I blow into my hands to keep them warm. “You going to the kids’ bo