chapter 3

Chapter 3

‘Twas around 2:30am that Janette and her parents got home. Everyone seemed exhausted already, and Janette retired to bed. She wanted asking her dad the question that has been gnawing her mind but she could barely keep her eyes open. The moment she got to her room, she pulled out her phone and looked at the screen; three twelve missed calls from Sol and eighteen missed calls from Margaret. With the hope of calling them later, Janette drew her heavy weight on the bed. Her eyes burn and her eyelids seemed heavy; Janette willingly closed her eyes shut and oblige to her eyes demand.

Sandra fidgeted the entire night. She was worried, worried sick for her daughter at the hospital and Johnson insisted that she tell Janette about Jackson in the morning and how important they need the money for her sister’s treatment. There were so many things running in her minds and sleep was the last thing on her mind.

At exactly 5:00am Sandra climbed out of bed and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast before going back to the hospital. Her eyes were heavy and her body ache but Sandra didn’t mind. She was determined to see her daughter at the hospital.

“Good morning mum,” Janette greeted and shuffled her way to the freezer.

“Morning dear, ya slept well, I s’pose.” Janette shook her head and said; “can’t sleep.” Sandra nodded in understanding.

“Beastly, I need you to open the restaurant. I’ll be going to the hospital to see your sister immediately after breakfast.”

“Where’s dad?” She asked.

“He went out to see a business partner.” Sandra said as she opened the steaming pot on the cooking gas.

“He seemed to have a lot of friends this day.” She said almost above a whisper, then moved to stand beside her mother. “Mum, can I ask you something?” Sandra tilted her head, glancing at her, then continued what she was doing. “I heard ya and dad talking about signing papers at the hospital. What papers do ya want me to sign and why is it important to us?” Sandra breathes heavily and turned to face her;

“Well, Janette, I want ya to know that anything your dad and I did is for your own good and the good of this family.” Janette seemed to know where the conversation was leading to but remained quiet and listened. “Y-your father got an offer from Jackson Davidson popularly know as JD, a very wealthy man from the neighboring town.” She explained;

“What kind of offer?” She looked at her mother in anticipation;

“H-he offered to establish a business for your dad, open a bigger restaurant for me, and take care of you and your sister’s education.”

“He wants something in return, I s’pose?” Sandra slowly nodded her head and looked down at her fidgeted hands and then back to Janette. Janette's eyes immediately glistened. There was no no for further explanation. Her parents sold her out like a commodity because they’re poor.

“H-he said he w-want you as a wife.” There was a moment of awkward and tense silent between the two women in the kitchen. Janette felt a flutter of sadness, anger and betrayal. The world came grumbling on her, and there seemed to be no redemption for her. What will she tell Sol? She loves Sol wholeheartedly. He makes her happy, and that’s what matters to her.

“I-I can’t marry him.” Janette whispered, but enough for mum to hear.

“Jan dear, marrying Jackson is for your own good and for our family. Do you enjoy seeing your dad and I suffer just to pay your fees and that of your sister? We can’t even afford to pay the house and the shop rent. Look at your sister now in the hospital. She needs urgent surgery in two months’ time or she dies, no money to pay the doctor for her treatment.” Tears had swiftly encompassed Sandra’s eyes as she tried to encourage Janette to marry the billionaire. But Janette refused mildly and dashed out of the kitchen and out of the front door. She strolled down the street with tears running down her burning eyes. Her thoughts lingered on everything her mother said to her in the kitchen, then she thought of Sol. With a jumble of emotions Janette slight down beside the road crying with her shoulders shaking vigorously. She never thought a day would come when her parent will exchange her for money, to marry a man she knows nothing about and has no feelings for; such a tragedy.

Few minutes later Janette found herself at Sol’s door. She raped at the door and the door fleet open after a few knocks. A shirtless Sol appeared at the door with one of his sly grin but quickly sober up seeing Janette’s swollen eyes.

“Jan, are you alright?” He asked with a flutter of concern and ushered her into the house. Janette opened her mouth to speak but decided on the latter. Fresh tears run down her cheeks; surprised, Sol moved closer to her and held her face in his hands, staring at her with great concern.

“Ya are scaring me Jan, please talk to me,” his voice was tender; “I’ve been calling you since yesterday, but ya weren’t picking. Something happened?” Nodding her head, she wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffing. “Come, seat.” Sol led her to the double couch and watched her seat; “do you want me to get you water?”

“Yes, perhaps water will help.” She muttered. Sol exhaled deeply and a faint smile passed his face; he was happy to hear her voice. He shuffled his way to the kitchen and returned a few minutes with a glass of water.

“Here ya go.” Janette reached for the water and send him an appreciative smile. He patiently watched her as she drank the water. The moment she pulled the cup from her died lips, Sol reached for the glass cup, dropping it on the small coffee table. “Jan, what happened?” He retorted, wrapping his right arm around her shoulder.

“Michelle was rushed to the hospital yesterday.” Sol said nothing for a few seconds. He finally understood why Janette was being emotional and sad.

“W-what happened to her?”

“She slumped at the restaurant and was rushed to the hospital; t-the doctor said s-she has kidney f-failure.” She said between sob and turned to hug Sol, perhaps it would reduce the pain in her heart.

“H-how comes, Michelle is too young to have kidney failure.” He shuttered hugging her back.

“I thought so too until the doctor confirms it... that’s not all Sol.” She remembered her mother’s words again and tears fall freely from her eyes.

“What again?” He asked good-naturedly,

“M-my parents want to s-sell me out.” Shocked, Sol stared at her for a moment.

“How do ya mean?” She reached for his hand and looked at him tenderly.

“Sol, how much do ya love me?”

Confused, Sol stared back at her and replied; “I love you so much, Jan, enough to spend the rest of my life with you.” Janette sat for a moment with a faraway look. “What’s bothering you, my love?”

Sighing, she turned to him again; “my parents want me to marry Jackson Davidson.”

“Who’s Jackson Davidson?”

“The famous billionaire, popularly known as JD.” The room suddenly grew silent. Sol seemed to lack words to say to her. Janette could see the grim and sad look on his face and it broke her. It broke her to see the love of her life hurting.

When he finally summoned courage to speak, he asked; “w-what was your respond?”

She sniffed and blew her nose, “I don’t mum that I can’t marry him.”

“And what did she say?”

“T-that is for m-my own good and the family. We need money to pay for Michelle's surgery.” Sol tipped his chin and looked at the blank TV thoughtfully. “Sol please, can we not talk about these issues again?” He tilted his head and looked at her. He could see pain and exhaustion in her eyes; Sol felt for her and he wished there was something he can do to take the pains away.

“Yes dear. Anything ya want.”

Janette moved closer to him and pulled his head. She moaned with pleasure the moment their lips met. She kissed him hungrily, with her hands running down his naked back; the kissed was getting hitter and Sol remembered how vulnerable Janette was at the moment and then he slowly nuzzled away from her.

“Why d-did ya stop?” She asked, hyperventilating.

“Because now isn’t the right time Jan. I don’t want to take advantage of you.” Janette pouted her lips.

“Ya are not taking advantage of me Sol, you are my boyfriend and I want you.” She pulled his head again, caressing his chest. Before Sol could object, Janette had already pulled off her top, revealing her red lace bra. She stood half naked before him with a slutty grin on her face. Sol swallowed hard and tried hard not to look, but shit, her body was hard to resist.

Janette moaned loudly as Sol pleasure her. She has never experienced something like this; the pleasure was too much. “Do ya want me to stop?” Sol asked meekly, looking down at her. She quickly shook her head and encouraged him to continue with her hand between his legs. He kept her breathless and Janette was loving it. Every touch and every kissed was magical to Janette. Few minutes later Janette lay under the duvet breathless. Sol looked at her and she blushed, covering her face with the duvet.

“Thank you, my love.” He muttered, kissing her forehead.

“Thank y-you too, ya are amazing. Wish to be in your arms like this for the rest of the day,” she told him truthfully, holding his hand;

“You can, if ya want.” Janette sighed, looking at him.

“Oh my God, oh my God,” Janette swiftly climbed out of bed, looking for her dress on the floor.

“What is it?”

“My mum gonna kill me. She asked me to open the restaurant, and I forgot.”

“Shit, ya are in a hell of a trouble.” Janette rolled her eyes, picking her bra from the ground.

“Thanks for making me feel better, Sol.”

“Well, ya are welcome, my love. Don’t worry, I’ll help you at the restaurant since am doing nothing for the day.”

“That’s why I love.” She ran to him, placing kisses on his cheeks.

At the shop Janette was attending to customers when a Hennessey Venom GT and SSC Tuatara packed at the outside, Sol Jew dropped as he stood close to Janette by the door. Janette nodded her head and said; “I know right, this was exactly my reaction the first time I saw it too.”

“Oh my cheese, do ya have any idea how much this cars cost? These three cars are the ten top cars in the world.” He pointed to the hennessey venom GT and said. “This one has a speed of 435.31 kmh/270.8 mph 2.4 seconds, f**k it my dream car.” He said dreamily; Janette barely heard anything he said. Her gazed lingered on Jackson Davidson. One of the bodyguards opened the door for him and he gracefully climbed down. He looked at his surrounding for a moment before making his way to the restaurant.

“My goodness, he looks so good and . . . published; now I see the reason why your parents want you to marry him.” He whispered it in Janette's ear.

“Who do we have here? My naïve wife and her...” He looked at Sol from his ragged Jean to his red plain T-shirt, “little toy.” The frown on Janette deepened.

“Hey don’t call my boyfriend that.” She said, being unforgivably bold. Jackson smiled wickedly, eyeing Sol;

“Well, I didn’t come here for chitchat. I brought some papers for ya to sign. I believe your parents told you everything you need to know.” Janette glared at him, hissed and strode back into the restaurant, with Sol following sedately behind her. Jackson encourage his bodyguards to stay by the door and trudged into the restaurant. He slowed down and scrutinized the restaurant. “Here are the papers sweetheart, I give ya three days to sign them.” He told her, dropping the brown envelope on the counter.

“And if I don’t?” She dared him. Sol stood beside Janette, observing them.

“Ha-ha, I know you’ll sign it dear; ya don’t have a choice or do you?” He reached for Janette's cheek, rubbing it softly with his fingers. Janette pushed his hand away, looking at him furiously; “well seem we understood ourselves. See ya in three days, Jan.” He glanced at Sol again before walking out of the restaurant.