Chapter Eight

‘You don’t own me!’,she yelled back at him.

Stephanie had entered the house and was about to head straight to her room when Paul stopped her and asked her why she spent such a long time outside the house.

‘no!,but I own the baby in your stomach,so it could be said that I own you too!. He fired back and soon the house became filled with their yellings as Paul’s voice reverberated.

‘I regret seeing you that night’,she spat out bitterly,remembering the night that led to these chain of events.

‘same!,’he replied. Out of hundreds of women in the club that night,why didn’t he pick any of them instead of his personal assistant!Why did he even go there that night!!,he mentally questioned himself. Women like Stephanie were only meant to be for fun,not carrying his child!.

Stephanie was about to say something when the door opened,followed by a very familiar voice.

‘What is going on here?’

All eyes turned to the blonde woman that stood at the door,arms folded and with a raised brow.

Stephanie swallowed hard as she recognized who the woman was.

VICTORIA ROSS!

She lowered her head in shame as Victoria looked at her from head to toe,giving her an unpleasant once over.

‘Paul?’,she called,now looking at him,awaiting an answer.

A thought suddenly came to Stephanie . What if it wasn’t business that brought her to the office the other day?,what if they were seeing each other?. But as she thought of it,she knew it was unlikely,Victoria was infamous for her escapades,and Paul couldn’t be stupid enough to date her.

‘Stephanie excuse us for a minute’,he said and turned to Victoria,ushering her to the couch .

Stephanie sighed heavily as she left. She did not like the way Victoria looked at her and she hoped this would make Paul change his mind and have her leave. She didn’t want problems from rich bitches added to her current problem.

‘What is your personal assistant doing in your house at this time of the night?’,she questioned.

It was the calmness of her voice as she spoke that bothered Paul,he would rather have her yell at him,asking why his personal assistant was in his house this late.

Paul rubbed his temples. ‘you’re not going to like what I have to say’ he warned.

‘Are you having an affair with her?’ she questioned and chuckled bitterly.

‘No…but’

‘what is it Paul?’ she questioned again.

Paul sighed,thinking of a way to make the situation more subtle.

‘She's carrying my child’ he said coolly and she gasped in shock.

‘Your child?’ she laughed bitterly and before he could say anything,she held a knife to her throat.

‘what....’he stared in horror,unable to comprehend what was going on. He knew she would be angry,but he wasn’t expecting this.

‘How could you do this to me,with her?’ a tear fell and he wondered where the knife had come from. "I will end her life and mine too.if I can’t be with you,I’ll die”,she said in between sobs as Paul made to collect the knife from her,wondering where the knife came from and why she had to do this.

‘You can't marry her’ she said firmly as the knife was removed from her hand.

‘I don’t intend to’.he replied softly.

‘How are you even sure that the child she's carrying is yours!? And she doesn’t even have to stay here!’ she exclaimed.

Paul sighed,explaining to her would be difficult,he thought.

‘The child is mine and I brought her here so that I can keep an eye on the baby. you can just view her as a surrogate,she already signed a contract,so the child belongs to us,you and I Vicky” he said,hoping that was able to convince her.

He didn't want to lose Victoria as losing her equals losing Costa incorporations to his cousin. Aside from the fact that he had to marry someone of an equally higher status as him,marrying Victoria would ensure a merger between costa inc and ross inc,and a merger of two giant conglomerates will further strengthen Costa incorporations and give him an advantage over his cousin. He cannot dare lose the company that his parents had worked so hard for,to someone undeserving.

'What will people say about me when they find out that the man i'm to marry has another woman who is carrying his child and who lives with him?,they'll see me as a laughing stock, as someone who accommodated your mistress!' she spat out tearfully.

Paul sighed,wondering how he even got into this mess. The woman he must marry and the one carrying his child.

'My Daddy won't be happy about this’ she said after a while and paul almost scoffed. with all the rumors about her,her father should be happy that someone like him was even marrying her.

'We’ll figure that out when the time comes',he said with a tone of finality.

'Fine’ she said after a long silence and Paul looked at her in surprise. ‘I love you' she said almost immediately and quickly that Paul didn't detect the threat laced in her voice.

=================

Theresa Costa dropped her bag on the chair as soon as she heard the phone ringing in the kitchen.she walked briskly to the direction. She was a beautiful woman that even at her old age,features of her beauty were still visible.

At 65,she viewed herself as an accomplished woman. She had given her husband a healthy son who will carry on his legacy and the only thing left for her to do was to find a woman who is fit to become the next Mrs. Costa. She smiled at that thought as she remembered the Ross’s and their daughter.

She had heard the rumors about Victoria,but rumors were just rumors. Victoria is befitting of the title of Mrs. Costa,she thought. And besides,that merger was everything!.

'Hello Mrs. Costa’ a cheerful voice came from the other side of the line,it was Victoria.

'Victoria darling!,its Theresa,you know you’re going to become Mrs. Costa pretty soon'.

Victoria smiled at that.

'I just wanted to ask if you would be attending my family's fundraising event next week?' she asked.

'Of course!I cancelled my trip to Tokyo just for that. I will be there' Theresa said excitedly.

'Perfect!,I think Paul’s going to propose that day ,but don’t tell him i told you’

'Oh my!That's wonderful to hear,I will definitely be there darling' she said,the excitement in her voice,very obvious.

Victoria grinned on the other end,her plan was working perfectly!.she was going to make that bitch regret crossing her. 'nobody takes what's mine' she said,smiling mischievously as she took a sip from the glass of wine she had poured for herself recently.

She had told Paul that she was fine with Stephanie living in the house but had told him that she too will have to move in and he had agreed. He got her a room close to Stephanie’s and she complained,deciding to instead stay in a room close to his.

She noticed that he was avoiding her,even when she came unto him in an attempt to arouse him,he pushed her away,she was hurt and he noticed as he came back,apologizing for not being in the mood. She knew his apology didn’t come from his heart and believed that it was because of stephanie.

She knew he would be at work,but still called him anyway.

'Victoria’ he called out from the other end of the line and she closed her eyes,his deep smooth voice awakening her desires.

'About my family’s fundraising event,I want us to go with Stephanie,' she said after a short while of trying to compose her voice.

'No!' his voice came out firmly

'Why?,it's not like you don't go to these types of event with her. She's your personal assistant!' she informed him.

'Incase you haven't noticed,she doesn't work for me anymore'

'pleasee' she pleaded softly.

'Why do you want her there?' he questioned waringly.

'I just think it’ll be a good idea and it’ll help us bond too”

'No!'

'Come on! Paul!' she almost pleaded

'Fine,she can go' he said,suddenly feeling exhausted and not in the mood to argue with her.

'great..' She didn't have time to complete her sentence as Paul disconnected the call,oblivious to the danger of his approval.