In my haste to make a run for the bathroom, I almost fell flat on my face. I managed to untangle the bedsheet around me and within seconds, I was kneeling before the toilet bowl and puking my guts out.
"Mrs. Baldwin?" A gentle voice called.
"Almost done." I replied amidst vomits.
My maid, Lisa, waited until I was done. I flushed, then gently stood to go rinse my mouth and wash my hands by the sink.
"Yes, Lisa?" I turned to her when I was done.
"Your tea is ready, ma'am. It'll help calm your stomach." She said.
"Thank you. Where's my husband? Did he return home last night?" I was still weak but my stomach was stable a bit.
Christian had not been home last night. Due to my morning sickness and other pregnancy-induced factors, I had been unable to wait for him.
"I think he's in his room." She commented, following me obediently back into our matrimonial bedroom.
"In his room? You have no idea if he came into our room last night?"
That was new. Why was he in his room? We both had our separate rooms but we rarely used it. Every of our belongings were here in our bedroom.
"No, ma'am. Shall I go make breakfast?" She asked.
"Yes, thank you." I watched her walk out of the room.
His room? Since when? Maybe he had a long, tiring day. I took some of the tea. Waited for my stomach to calm before taking my morning bath.
Lisa was yet to serv breakfast, so I decided to go see my husband as he was yet to come see me. On reaching his door, I heard low noises.
Was he in there with someone? What was that noises? Was he watching TV? Then I heard giggles. What the hell?
I knocked. The sounds ceased but he did not open the door. I knocked again. "Christian?"
I heard shuffling of feet and he opened the door, but it was only half an inch. "Hi."
"Uhm...who are you with? I thought I heard voices." I frowned in perplexity. As though my heart knew something was not right, it began to beat fast.
"That was probably the TV." He replied.
"Why don't you just tell her the truth, Chris." A female voice spoke from inside the room.
"W-what... w-what..." I pushed past him and entered the room to see... "Your ex? What is going on here?" I was struggling not to tremble.
There must be some kind of logical explanation.
"Hello, Hailey." She waved at me from the bed, wrapping the sheets around her tighter.
"A-are y-you n-naked?" I just wanted to be sure. I didn't know.
They both chuckled. I turned to Christian.
"What's funny, Christian? What's happening?! Don't stand there and laugh!" I swallowed tears, blinked my eyes to keep from bawling.
"Because you keep acting dumb and asking stupid questions when it's all laid out for you." He smirked.
Properly observing him, I now noticed he was clad in just his undershorts.
"You're..." I pointed from him to the girl. "B-but you said she is your ex."
"Well, I lied. She was never my ex." He shrugged.
Pain squeezed tight. I rushed to him and began hitting him, I could not hold back the tears anymore. "Y-you...w-why would you do this to m-me? I'm your w-wife!"
He pushed me roughly, I fell to the ground, hitting my waist on the floor. A sharp pain spread in that area instantly, my wails only got louder.
"Did you remember you being married when you had a one night stand with a total stranger on our matrimonial bed?!" He yelled, anger spread his features.
"W-what? N-no. I...I thought you'd forgiven me. I...it was a mistake. I told you, p-please don't d-do this." I shook my head, crying profusely.
Pain rocked my system both emotionally and physically.
"Hear her, Denise. Forgive her." He directed to the girl on the bed, there was taunting in his voice.
"She must be delusional." Denise mocked, laughing.
I helped myself up with some difficulty because of the pain. "Why are you doing this, Christian?"
"You fucking cheated on me and got pregnant. Now you're refusing to abort it. You expect me to put up with you having another man's child and raise that bastard with you?!" He pointed at my stomach.
I was speechless. Tears could only fall. What was this? What had I done to myself? I could not defend myself. He had seen me in bed with another man.
I could not lose my marriage, I really loved him. I went on my knees. "I'm s-sorry, babe. P-please. I can not defend myself but p-please, forgive me..." I sniffled. "I... k-know you're still angry but p-please. I guess we're even now. You've paid me back, p-please let's just move on."
"Exactly. We should definitely move on." He walked away from me and went to join Denise on the bed.
He kissed her cheek while I was still on my knees, I must look foolish and pathetic to them in that moment.
"What are you trying to say?" I was almost afraid to ask but I had to know.
"You should move on with your pregnancy, and I move on with my company and my new woman." I watched in despair as his hand rubbed her arm affectionately.
The sight was blurry. "What do you mean? The company is not yours, it's m-mine."
"You must be really dumb, Hailey. Remember you signed over the papers to me."
"O-only because you said the board would not respect your decision until they see proof you really are in charge."
"And you bought the lie, fortunately for me." He chuckled.
"For us, baby." Denise corrected, her lips widened in a victorious smile.
"Oh yes, for us. Sorry." He pecked her temple.
"B-b-b-bu..."
"Enough of your stuttering. It's beginning to get on my nerves. Pack your things and get out."
"Uh?" I could not believe this.
"Everything now belongs to us, Hailey. Wake up to reality. Now up you go and out." He climbed out of bed to come drag me out.
"N-no." I dodged his grip and went at Denise. I pounced on her despite the pain I was feeling around my waist. "L-leave m-my h-husband alone."
She screamed and tried to fight me off. I sank my teeth on her upper arm and pulled the skin.
"Stop it!" Christian came to drag me away.
He made sure I was outside the room before he closed. I went back to pound on the door. "Christian! P-please!" I wailed.
The door opened, he was dressed now. He dragged me, I tried to fight against him but I was no match for his strength.
"W-what are you d-doing?" He was pulling me roughly towards the gate.
It was an electric gate, it opened as soon as we were close. He threw me outside, I hit the ground again. He locked the gate so I would not be able to enter.
I stood there in the glare of the bright day, humiliated and hurt. And worst of all, felt a pain that made me want to curl up. Nausea gripped me, a throbbing came on.
I didn't have the strength to stand. So I sat there crying. He soon brought out my bags and threw my many purses along with them.
"Denise says she likes your stuff so she's keeping the rest. Don't come back. Go meet that stranger you cheated on me with."
Then he locked the gate again. For hours, I sat there, crying and fighting the urge to throw up.
It's been two days. Two days since I last saw my husband. I had no choice than to lodge in a hotel when I saw it was getting late.Thankfully, one of the purses he had thrown at me contained two of three of my credit cards. The third one was in my drawer.I had to get myself a new phone because my old one was on top of my bedside table when I left. I was hurt but I was also trying to understand that he was angry.He had seen me with another man and now, I was carrying another man's child. I tried calling him yesterday since I had his number off hand, he had picked at first but as soon as he heard my voice, he ended it and didn't pick again after that.I was now in a restaurant trying to eat. My baby needed food to survive. Even though I was not hungry, I was obligated to eat for my baby's sake.I did not like the hotel's food so I found this really nice restaurant close by. But after toying with the ravioli I ordered, I pushed it away. I lowered my head so no one would see the tears.
I walked back into the restaurant. I allowed my eyes roamed the place, I spotted where he was seated. I marched towards his table. He was with some men. There were glasses of wine before them and a bottle.There was the waitress who had served me coming towards me. "Ma'am, here's your bill. I..."I ignored her and focused on the table of these men. I randomly picked two glasses still filled with wine and emptied their contents on him, angry tears filling my eyes."I hope your conscience haunts you everyday of your life!" I took the other two wine glasses while he stared in shock and also poured them on him. "I hope you never find peace and may your marriage, if you have any, and life in general be ruined the same way you ruined mine." I wiped tears with the back of my hand. "I hope karma visits you and steal your happiness as you have stolen mine."I turned away from his table and, on heavy legs and with a despaired heart, walked to mine to get my bag. I opened it and brought my card
JAREDA knocked sounded on my door, I was very much in a bad place and would so like to order that person away but this was a business place.I had to be careful, it could be an important client. "Who is that?"The door opened and whoever it was walked in. "What gave you the right to walk in, Miss Bordeaux?" My head was still bent over paperwork.No client would walk into my office without being invited. "Have you read the news, Jared?" I whipped my head up. "Uncle Pete. Good morning.""Morning, Jared. Here." The man who looked so much like my father, he was his twin actually, slid his phone across to me and took one of the chairs opposite mine."What's happening on the news?" Perplexity could be heard in my voice as I took his phone and read what he was trying to show me.Anger tightened. "You know this is not me, uncle."He observed me. "Who is that girl? She seem to be pretty certain of knowing you.""She's a lunatic. Who even allowed this to be posted?! I should shut down that
"Where are you taking me to?" I asked, taking note of the different route he was driving.He had come to bail me few minutes ago. I had spent thirty six hours in a holding cell. I'd had my morning sickness just this morning and it was a kind female cop that had helped me with a bucket.I was itchy and unkempt but I didn't care about my physical looks, not when my heart was bruised. This emotional turmoil was too much for me."Is that the apology you should be rendering?" His tone was as I'd heard it the last time — unfriendly and hard."You want me to apologize to you after what you've done to me?" My voice shook badly with sadness and disbelief.I blinked back tears. "Take me to my husband, let's go talk to him. You're the only one who can clear this air! You had sex with me.""Shut up!" He bellowed.His deep angry voice had me flinching as though he'd slapped me. "Someone — who was definitely not me — had sex with you and you didn't even know?! What are you? A child? How can a full
"How dare you?! The audacity!" She raged as Uncle Pete pulled her away from me. "Let go of me, Pete. Let me teach this gold digger a lesson!""Don't touch her, Martha. What is wrong with you?! How could you hit a pregnant girl?" Uncle Pete was not at all happy with how she'd behaved.Me, on the other hand, could only cry and hold my cheeks. The events of the past two days bore down heavily on me and had me wailing like a baby before everyone."Stop that crocodile tears of yours and get out of this house!" Jared's mother, Martha bellowed angrily. "You gold digger! You think I don't know your type. You're out to ruin my son. To ruin his reputation. You want to marry into money, is that it?! I'll teach you never to try to humiliate my son! Do you know who the Johnson family is, you stupid whore?!""Enough, Martha! Enough!" Uncle Pete was angry and yelled at her.I sank back into the chair in pain and despair. When I raised my head to meet Jared's gaze, he was quiet. I could not decipher
The click of heels coming from the foyer subdued every conversation. Only Martha was exclaiming in anger. "What the hell, Pete?!"A girl came into view. To say she was beautiful, was understating it. She looked like a goddess and even walked like one. But something told me she was going to be one evil goddess.I might be wrong."Hey babe." She squealed as soon as she saw Jared and ran to him."Hey, baby." Jared was happy to see her as well. He stood and hugged her. They exchanged a brief kiss. I should not be watching them display their affection so openly but I couldn't help it. Someone cleared their throat, I jerked my eyes away to meet Martha's hateful one. She had seen me moping hopelessly at them like some pervert.Ashamed, I brought my head down. I couldn't even look at Uncle Pete to know if he had seen or not. "So who is marrying who?" She asked again, taking in everyone's faces. She stopped when she got to mine, a small frown appeared. "Who is she?"Pulling her close to him
It's been two days. I had been to another hell and back. I'd visited Christian at the company but he had ordered no one to let me in. Uncle Pete had gone with me for support. I had tried the house my father built with his hard earned money, same mean treatment. Even his ex-girlfriend — now girlfriend — Denise Kellers, had treated me worse. She's splashed cold water on me before I saw it coming. I was currently in the car with Uncle Pete crying my eyes out. "He doesn't want me anymore, uncle Pete. What have I done to deserve this? I didn't plan for this to happen.""I'm sorry you're going through this. But at a point, you have to make a choice." He comforted me.I wiped my tears and stared at him. "You do not expect me to marry Jared, do you uncle Pete? He doesn't even like me. Did you not see how he and his mother and girlfriend treated me?""Martha has never been an easy woman. Jared is short tempered and sometimes too stoic for his own good but that doesn't make him a bad person."
My phone rang while I was in the room. I had been given a room in the Johnson's mansion but Jared and his Martha were mad at me for not agreeing to the marriage yet.That was after I'd changed my initial yes to a solid no. They would not understand. I had everything to lose and they would just enjoy the proceeds of this marriage into the Johnson family.Uncle Pete was the only one who was patient with me and he was also asking Jared to be patient with me too. Excitement and nerves bloomed in the pit of my stomach when I saw the caller ID. Christian.Had he changed his mind? Was this going to work for me after all?Eager to find out, I picked. "Hello.""Hey. Uhmm...I need to see you." He said.I gauged his tone. It was calm. There was none of the meanness or bitterness when he talked to me. It was as if we were back to how we used to be. "Okay, where?" This was too real to be true but I had to believe that Dad's advice was saving my marriage.Maybe he was ready to talk. Maybe he was
"What the hell is she saying, Peter?" The President who was currently pacing his office, looking sleep-deprived and angry, faced uncle Pete."Calm down and listen to what she has to say. There's sense in it." Uncle Pete was trying to calm him. "What sense is in there, Peter?! She's asking me to make a fool of myself out there!" He looked like he was about to pummel someone. "If denouncing your support for Jared and pulling him out of the race is what makes you a fool, then be a fool to save your daughter!" I retorted, getting worked up by his own anger. I was trying to save his daughter's life but he was proving stubborn all for some keeping a clean record and an unblemished career. "It's your fault she's kidnapped! I told you this was a dangerous game but you thought blackmailing me with a secret daughter from my past will solve everything. Now look at where it has landed me! Damn it! I can not believe I let myself be toyed by you! A woman!" He all but spat at me. I leaned close
"What?" They chorused in puzzlement. "She did a play on words there. I can't feel my lip. I need a pill to help me relax. Get it? Feel-lip Pill-ax." "Oh, good gracious! That girl's smart as hell." Uncle Pete said. "Exactly!" I concurred excitedly."And Hailey is just brilliant enough to figure it out." Pride shone in Jared's eyes. Jared and uncle Pete looked impressed. "I do my best." I cleared my throat, carelessly ignoring the fluttering in my stomach. "Philip Pillax is behind this?" Uncle Pete looked from me to Jared. "I'd always known that guy to be shady and dangerous. But he must have some guts kidnapping the President's daughter.""And some help." I put in. The men looked at me. "The President's aide, a creepy guy named Rashford. I suspect he's the one giving information out to Philip from the White House.""How do you know this?" This was from Jared. "I noticed how he was lingering at the door the day I went to visit the President. Plus, I talked to Nina who confirmed he
"How's she, doctor?" I wiped the remaining tears from my eyes. Now was not the time for tears.I'd heard uncle Pete's conversation with Catherine and had bring both angry and sad hearing her confess to Derek having a hand in my father's death.It was all part of the plan though. Jared and I had stayed hidden to take pictures and videos of her.I should have him and Denise locked up but not yet. Something told me that was not the whole story and I would want to know it before having the police take over. "The bleeding has stopped, her system is stabilized but she's still weak and sleeping." The doctor said. "I'll be back to check up on her.""Thank you, doctor." I shook hands with him and he left.I couldn't wait to hear Denise's story on how she had ended up on the side of the road, almost bleeding to death until I and Jared drove past.Jared came in just then, uncle Pete and his lover, Miss Nancy, as well.Zion rubbed his eyes, he was feeling sleepy. But he smiled when he finally s
"Yes, it is Noah." She whirled around to see who had spoken. She sneered when she spotted me with Jared standing beside me. Her eyes blazed with fury as she turned to Uncle Pete. "What is the meaning of this, Peter? What is my child doing in here? In your estate?""You should thank Hailey for taking your son away from Phillip Pillax. You should also be grateful she didn't, out of anger and vengeance, kill your son the same way you murdered her daughter." Uncle Pete spoke with hate in his eyes. "So, this is what? Some kind of revenge or what? Luring me here to kill me instead?" She was displaced and lost and angry all at once.It was thrilling to watch. Jared and I had followed them but carefully so she wouldn't see us. We'd been listening to their conversation from the moment she stepped feet into the house."You sound like you prefer Noah to die in your place." I pointed out. She glared at me. "Shut up, bitch! You know what, having Zaya die is the best news. When Peter here told m
CATHERINE"So he asked you to use the children as bait to release his own daughter?" He was surprised."Yes. Then he kidnapped my son and asked me to find and bring anything incriminating to use against you. I couldn't.""Oh. I'm sorry you had to go through that." He removed his hand from beneath mine and placed it atop, patting it as though he was comforting me. "It's okay." I shrugged, smiling a little. Peter was too good for me and that was just my luck. He had the money, had the looks and was the man I had feelings for. Nah, Derek didn't come close on any of this aforementioned three. "You're better than Derek." I said. "Ah, how so?" He was smiling as well."At least, the nature of your job is legit and I still love you." I mentioned."Oh, nature of his job you say? What kind of job does he do?" "He sells drugs, weapon and everything illegal. He has big clients, wealthy ones. He does this business with Philip Pillax, they are partners..." "Is that so?" He lifted a brow, sip
CATHERINEMy life was going to change forever. My relationship with Peter had only gotten better. Though I still received money from Derek but nothing was going to happen between us, no future was in the cards for us.Collecting his money was my right and I was going to keep getting it, after all, I had a child for him. My son. Noah.Philip had stopped picking my calls, I guess he no longer wanted me to work for him. Maybe he'd gotten someone else which didn't bother me, really.I just wanted to know where my son was. When I moved into Peter's new mansion, I'd have the power and the wealth to search for my son. I was yet to let Peter know and I didn't know how he would react if he ever found out."We're here, ma'am." The cab driver's voice drew me out of my thoughts and had me focused back on reality. "Oh. Here." I gave him a hundred just 'cause I was in a good mood. "Keep the change.""Thanks, ma'am." He tipped his baseball cap at me, feeling happy at the huge tip. Well, I was go
"I don't want you to think much of it anymore, Jared. One conflict at a time." I reassured him.We were driving home from the bar he had asked me to meet him at. He was quite drunk, it was a struggle getting him to stop drinking and come home with me.His car was left in the care of the valet who I'd paid well to keep it safe till tomorrow, we were riding home in mine. "How can I not think of it? A lot of things are going wrong and there seem to be no solution for any. Zaya died, no one could save her. There was a scandal, you saved me but now there's an even bigger price to pay for that, which brings us to Nina. The President and his family are going through rough patches and I just discovered my secretary is the President's daughter, though illegitimate. Jerome is back in the picture and has taken my hard work of ten years, if not more. I..." He swallowed, his eyes dry but hard and red."I know and soon we'll get things sorted. Let's just do it one after the other. Let's try to fin
"Why did you want to see me?" I was all stern and business the moment I spotted him sitting at a lonely spot in the gardens of that hotel I'd had the mistake of meeting him. I wondered why kept wanting us to see here."Have a seat first, babe." He rose to help me draw out my chair. I smacked his hand away. "I can draw my own chair, thank you. And don't ever call me babe. I'm not your babe.""I'm sorry." He began. "Is that what I'm here for? A stupid apology over a past you made happen with your friend Jerome?" I quirked a brow, trying not to show my annoyance. "I can not be sorry for that enough. I was young and foolish." "It was six years ago, idiot. Not sixteen years ago. How young could you be when you already were a married man?" I sneered. "Six years ago is such a long time, babe..." I shot him a warning glare. "Sorry, Hailey. I have grown over the years and realized my folly.""Only because Denise dumped your sorry ass. You loved her more than you ever loved me and while i
JAREDI noticed something was wrong the moment I stepped feet into Johnson Investment company headquarters in New York. Staff were all present at work but there was this tension and fear clouding all of their gloomy faces. As soon as they saw me, they began to move away, avoid looking me in the eye. This was not right. My brows furrowed as I made my way to the receptionist desk. She gulped. "S-sir, do you need anything?""Why are you acting like this? What is wrong?" I'd never seen any of my staff be this scared to see me. "S-sir?" She was obviously perplexed by my question as though she wasn't expecting me to ask that and her fear increased because she probably had no idea what to reply me. "What is wrong?" I asked again."S-sir, y-you came in this m-morning..." She swallowed the rest of her words. "But I didn't..." I mouthed the word 'fuck' as realization dawned on me. I headed for my private elevator, nerves knotting tight alongside anger squeezing dry my heart. The elevator