Chapter seven - the great fall

     

One month later

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  Katrina had gotten used to staying in Eric's house. She has checked everywhere in the house and her favorite place in the house was the beautiful garden and the swimming pool.

 She spent most of her time there either reading a novel in the garden or sitting by the pool dipping her legs into it. She was not a good swimmer but she could try.

If she wasn't at the garden or by the poolside, she was always with Alvin. The both of them became very close as time went by.

  Her relationship with Eric, her boss, was still bad but he was starting to become less harsh to her.

  Katrina sat with Alvin at his duty post chatting. He rarely leaves his post so Katrina was always the one going to meet him.

"So tell me do you have someone you like? " She said, starting a conversation.

"I once had. I don't have someone I like now " Alvin replied.

"What happened to the girl you liked? " She asked.

"She jilted me. She left for a rich guy. I had to leave the country to come here because everything there reminds me of her" he replied.

"Oh, sorry about that, " Kat said.

"It's okay. I'm over her now " he said.

"That's great, " she replied.

"What about you, are you in love with someone? " he asked.

"No" Kat replied and frowned at the idea. Love was the last thing on her mind right now. She had seen what love did to her sister and other people, she had seen the harm it caused.

"You've never experienced love? " he asked.

  Katrina laughed out loud.

"No, not that. I dated a guy in high school. I was in love with him then but he was just playing me. I'm not surprised though, you guys take girls' feelings for granted " she said.

"Not all," he replied.

"Well, I can't say, " she said. She truly can't say.

"You rarely leave here, how are you going to see a woman you like from here? " Kat asked him teasingly.

"I'm too shy to go on dates or ask a lady out. I'm sure my boss would allow me to go on dates if I request but I don't just want to go, " he replied.

"He would allow you? " Kat asked surprised.

"Yes, he has been urging me to get a woman for myself and teasing me for my shyness, " he said and smiled.

"Oh wow, so what are you waiting for?" Katrina teased again.

"I'm just too shy. I'm not the social type" he replied laughing.

"I still can't believe Boss asked you to go on dates," Kat said.

"Why not?He's a nice person," he replied.

"Are you kidding me??.. Boss is nice?? He's been very harsh to me" Katrina said, still laughing.

"I'm serious here. He's really nice, forget his arrogant character and all. It's just a mask, deep down he's really nice, a real gentleman, caring and emotional. He's just acting that way among ladies because he knows that most of them are after his money. He's trying to scare them off but those ladies keep flocking around him and he has no choice but to use them as he likes. He sees all ladies as the same. He does call them Gold diggers, " Alvin explained.

"Wow, " Kat said.

 She was really speechless, all these while she misunderstood him and thought he was arrogant and bossy.

"You need to see him with his mom. He acts like a baby around her, his mom is lovely and funny " he said.

"She's still alive? " Kat asked.

"Yes. Both parents are still alive but his mom visits here often " Alvin replied.

"Ooh, okay.. That's nice " Kat said and wondered what his mom looked like. She wondered if she was proud and sassy as most rich women are.

"Yeah, " he replied.

 They kept on chatting, going from topics to topics. Alvin was really a nice and friendly guy, he's good looking too, so she felt very comfortable with him.

She started feeling sleepy so she excused herself to go to bed. She went inside the house and climbed the stairs to her room.

On her way to her room, a door caught her attention. She has never seen it before. This was her first time noticing it and she also noticed that It was the last door in the hallway.

Out of curiosity, she walked towards it and opened the door, it opened without any resistance. She walked through it and saw stairs leading to wherever. She didn't know where the stairs led to.

She followed the stairs, out of curiosity and didn't see the broken chandelier in front of her. Before she could see it, it was too late.It had hit her hard on the face. She missed her steps and fell to the ground in pain. She managed to scream help before going unconscious.

Minutes later, she felt someone carry her then she blacked out completely.

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  Eric was through with every business he had with clients. There's nothing else for him to do at the office anymore, he would have stayed back but he was not feeling okay so he decided to go home early.

He picked up the office phone and put a call through his secretary, Melinda.

She came in minutes later.

"Sir, you called me" she said.

"Yes I did. I'm going home now " he replied.

"Why Sir, it's too early. Is anything wrong? " she asked.

"No Melinda. I just wish to go home now. In case anyone asks me, tell them I'm not around at the moment. You could attend to them if the issue is not a serious one. Call Mr Dakota and tell him I would see him tomorrow " Eric said, giving out instructions.

"Okay Sir " she replied.

"You can go now, " he said, dismissing her.

She bowed and left. Eric stood up, picked up his briefcase, arranged his clothes and left his office.

His workers stared at him as he passed by. It was unusual for him to leave for home when it's just 3:00pm so they were surprised.

Some waved at him and he gave a slight nod. He entered his car and drove out of his company.

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 On getting home, Eric blared his car horn and Alvin came out to open the gate.

He drove into the compound, parked his car in the garage and came down. Alvin was beside him to collect his briefcase but Eric waved him off.

"Boss, you're back early today, " Alvin said.

"Yeah" Eric replied and walked into the main house.

  He looked around for Katrina. He was used to her presence already in the house. He loves her cooking, loves how neat she's and her personality but he restrained himself from showing it. She has been washing his clothes ever since that day.

"Where was she??" He asked himself.

"Maybe she's up in her room sleeping," he said.

But she's supposed to have cooked lunch by now.

" Well, why does he bother?" He said and started climbing the stairs to his room. He was about to open his room when he saw a door opened at the end of the hallway.

That's the door to the attic and why's it open?.. he asked himself.

  Eric opened the door to his room and dropped his briefcase on the bed before walking towards the open door.

He climbed the stairs leading to the attic and felt something block his way and he almost stumbled.

Looking down he saw it was a body laying on the floor. He ran back in fright.

"What's a body doing there, is it dead?? " He asked himself.

On a second thought, he went back to the body. His movements were slow and gentle, he was frightened till he recognized Katrina's clothes.

"Katrina " he called.

No response, he bent down and turned her face. She's really the one.

What was she doing here??

And why's she lying unconscious on the floor??