Chapter six

Stephanie lazily opened her eyes, wincing as the harsh light in the room scorched her eyes. She was trying to remember where she was , what she doing here and more importantly, why she felt so weak.

“Steph?”

A familiar voice called out and she wrinkled her face in confusion. It was her boss. What was he doing here??.

She fully opened her eyes to see her boss looking at her with —concern?.

Was that really concern etched on his face? She blinked.

“Can you hear me?” an unfamiliar voice said and she realized it was a doctor, she didn’t see him before.

Her eyes widened almost instantly when she realized what had happened. She had fainted!!!.

Her throat suddenly felt parched and everything came rushing back, her mind only on one thing, her pregnancy.

“M.mmy…my bb..bbab..bab..y” she croaked out hoarsely.

“Stephanie, listen to me. The baby’s going to be fine and you are going to be too!” Paul stated pulling her hands into his and squeezing it lightly, his eyes reflecting reassurance.

she sighed and opened her mouth to speak when Paul quickly interrupted her, “Shhhh, you're going to be fine, just get some rest, you’ve been extremely stressed out”.

With that, he went out of the room,discussing things she couldn’t hear with the doctor.

Paul had felt his heart shatter when he carried an unconscious Stephanie to the hospital. He didn’t care about the baby anymore, but She had to survive, she must at all costs.

He had been worried, that the doctor noticed and told him that bleeding and fainting during pregnancy wasn’t unlikely and that hers was caused by fatigue.

That was when he realized that the stress he was going through because of the matter was little compared to what she would be going through.

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Paul had gone to the building which was Costa incorporations headquarters and called his secretary who was already worried about Stephanie’s constant absence.

“Make an announcement, we have a vacancy for the role of a personal assistant,” he said and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. He came later than usual and now this?, she was indeed surprised.

“Sir?” She couldn’t quite believe what she heard. Did Stephanie retire without telling her or has she been dismissed??

“You heard me Natalie,” he said, looking livid. and she nodded rapidly before scurrying out of the office.

He would find someone to take her position until she was better. He knew she’d be hurt but it was for the better, he thought.

He went through the day missing Stephanie and wondered how he’d cope in the office without her, he hoped that the new personal assistant would be just as perfect as her, but even as he thought so, he knew it was impossible, Stephanie was too perfect.

He even found himself calling her desk line before realizing that she wasn’t there to take the call.

Six years ago when he had first met her, she looked nervous and frightened, he had reviewed her résumé and was surprised that someone with such talent would choose to be a personal assistant and when she had been questioned, she said, “I believe that there are lots of things to learn by working as an assistant to a successful man as yourself” he knew she wasn’t truthful, she just wasn’t lucky to get a job and looking at her grades, she would be a valuable asset to the company, she was just what he was looking for.

After hiring her, he thought he had made a mistake. She was clumsy, she dressed very terribly and kept making mistakes. It took three months before she became a true personal assistant and years before she became so perfect and an invaluable asset to Costa incorporation that other people had told him that he was so lucky to have her.

The shrill ringtone of his phone brought Paul’s mind back to the present and he groaned in annoyance as he saw the caller ID. It was Victoria!.

He hissed in annoyance and ended her call, deciding to just leave her a text stating that he was busy.

He stormed out of the office a few minutes later and Natalie kept wondering what was going on in the company.

Stephanie was surprised and couldn’t help but wonder why her boss had been acting the way he had towards her lately.

The doctor had placed her on bed rest for two weeks. She was moved to a VIP room and a nanny was hired to take care of her in the hospital.

Of course, it was all thanks to her boss and she decided that he was doing all that just for the sake of the unborn baby. He always came to visit her every day and asked how she was faring. Sometimes, he’d come with flowers, sometimes with snacks which she liked. He was,—sweet?,she wondered.

Ciara had visited and gushed at how beautiful the VIP room looked and felt. She even stated that “being in this room alone will take away all your sickness!”.

Paul came that evening and she smiled, he was wearing a black tailored suit and a red tie. He was holding daises!,her favorite flower.

“Were you bored?” He asked as he plopped himself onto the sofa in the room.

“Not at all” she had replied with a small smile

“About my offer..” he began, bringing out a document from his briefcase. Stephanie paled.

Was that why he had been so kind toward her? Why had she been so foolish and hopeful?!, she should've known better,she thought.

But, there was no point in fighting him, it was like fighting in a battle that was going to be lost. So she said something she’d probably regret for a long time.

“I’ll sign”.

Paul was surprised that he immediately turned to stare at her.

“There’s no point in fighting a lost battle,” she said as she took a pen and signed the document.

“Good!, I already moved your things,” he said firmly and she looked at him in confusion.

“Moved my things?” She questioned puzzled. Why would he move her things?…or did he get a new apartment for her? Was that in the contract, why didn’t she read it? She mentally face palmed and sighed.

“Yes Steph, it's in the contract and it's for your own good, now I can't let you carry my child in a filthy environment,” he said firmly and she swallowed hard upon hearing her apartment being called a filth.

“Let me even have a look at that contract!” She said after being silent for a while as if looking at the contract would change the fact that she already signed.

“This is ridiculous!!” She suddenly screamed out. “Move into your home? quit my job?,what on earth is wrong with you!!” She yelled out.

“I didn’t force you into signing it, you did it yourself and if you think about it, it's for your own good,” he said and Stephanie stared at him in horror.

“There is nothing normal about this!!. You tricked me! You've been so kind to me all these times just so I could sign this! You knew I would never fight you after all you did for me this week!,how could I have been so stupid!!” She yelled out in pain.

“You signed it already and what did you think? that i was being so caring because I liked you?” He scoffed, “Stephanie wake the fuck up!,!. I just want the child and nothing else” he bit out firmly.

Stephanie was in pain listening to him. What really had she been thinking? She sobbed as she stared at the contract. She had literally sold herself to her boss. She would live with him until she gave birth, she would quit her job, she would speak to no one about the pregnancy and who was responsible, she would never appear in front of the child after it was born and she would take much care not to do anything that will affect the child, including working anywhere else.

Breaching any terms of the contract will make her pay 50 million dollars. But adherence to the contract clauses will make her earn 50 million dollars.

Throughout the drive to Paul’s house, Stephanie sat,fiddling with her fingers as she gazed blankly through the windows, wishing she hadn’t gone out that night. Missing her old life and the independence she thought she had.

She had decided to stop crying as tears would do nothing but bring her headaches and not solve any of the problems

They got to the house, she wasn’t surprised about how it looked. Big and beautiful with palm trees lining the entrance and daises sitting between each palm.

She had been to the house several times when they were working on a project. The project that made her overwork. Which took her to the club to relieve all the stress which brought all this mess.

The feeling that she had entered an unwelcome chapter in her life overwhelmed her.

“Welcome home Stephanie,” he said opening the door for her. She sighed, muttering,

“More like welcome to hell."