I stared at the file with a million emotions raging inside me. Will I find answers to all my questions there? At least to a small one? A small but most important one.
Is Raphael involved?
I had a difficult time finding my voice or thinking coherently. Should I feel ashamed that my avenge took a back seat to this glaring uncertainty? My stomach churned, making me want to almost throw up my breakfast. Am I being selfish here? Thinking to guard my heart rather than seeking the culprit? Guilt is also playing a major role here. GUILT. Am I betraying Raphael by reading his family secrets? Is this considered as breaking trust? Could I meet his eye after reading this? Knowing I went behind his back, willingly digging skeletons from his family's closet? What will this do to our relationship? Will he ever forgive me, if he comes to know?
It's not like you are selling this information. It's like Google search. Nothing no one doesn't know. I give myself a prep talk burying
'I said, we can't find it from these clippings. Not, from this file', he grunted.'Oh...well, I do tend to jump. No worries. So, what's it?', I asked sheepishly.He rustled the papers in the file until he found what we were looking for. 'It was said that Edward was not happily overseeing the company. He was far from responsible. Drinks, parties, occasional drugs...whatnot. But Henry was desperate to set him straight. That was a bad move on Henry's part. Pushing Edward made him more rebellious rather than the other way out. He went into an incognito mode for 1 year on the company's dime. When he finally returned, he was a changed man. He took over the company's reins. Unfortunately, the company was already on its last leg. To save it, he married Diana. Viral company's daughter. Comes from a lot of money. It has appeased Henry a little bit. But, once again Edward accomplished ruffling his feathers when he brought a baby to his household''What? That's too rude. Wh
'Elizabeth Walton. The sole heir to Walton industries. The only one which is powerful enough to rival the Sinclair dynasty.''So? Why is she linked to this case? I don't get it''Henry married his rival's daughter. So did Edward. Now you get it?''Oh...oh', I get it, god, did I?'You mean to tell me that...Raphael Sinclair... will be ...marrying her?', I spattered each word out, jealousy raging its ugly head.'No. But it was decided in the family that she would be married into it or so the rumors say'.'No one... and I mean no one can tell Raphael Sinclair what to do. This I know. So, it would mean she must be for Nathaniel. She has a motive. She must have thought of Sophie was a threat to her position. It would be her. Don't you see it? She has the power and motive', I defended my case, making sure to target HER.'Erica... she may have done it. Or maybe not. But you, behaving like a jealous girlfriend, doesn't help.''I'm not.
'My ears must be rusty because I thought I heard you uttering a nasty word. Could you do the courtesy of repeating it Ms. Anderson?', he stalked towards me.'No... not exactly interesting', I took a step back shutting the door closed as he caged me in.'You sure about that?', he locked the door.'What... are we talking about?', I asked breathlessly.In answer, he kissed me. No not kissed. He devoured me. Consuming me until we both burst into flames. He claimed me. Making me his.'You Ms. Anderson, are totally, utterly, and completely mine. Mine to obey, mine to cherish and mine to honor', he whispered near my lips. My heart lurched at his whispered words.My inner diva perched herself forward on the desk, adjusting her imaginary spectacles said- Sounds like wedding vows. And I didn't even go dress shopping. He sure is stingy.As always, I ignored her. Because Raphael Sinclair saying this (other than obey) is rare. Finding Disneyland i
I woke up confused and disoriented, felt like I was immersed in year-long sleep inertia. I thought I heard something along the lines 'I wish it wasn't you'. Did I imagine it? I couldn't tell anymore. I checked for Raphael, but he isn't anywhere to be seen. Where is he? Did I scare him off? Is he waiting somewhere; For me to vacate his office? Was I too emotional? Too clingy? I mentally cringed thinking how it would have appeared to Rafa.What do you expect? You- Sleeping beauty and he- a prince, kneeling on the floor, waiting for you to wake up? Walking into the sunset, living happily ever after! Please!!That would have been the day earth stood still. I gave an internal sigh and thought of going back to the desk, behaving normally, but… I discarded that idea. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t face another day not knowing what’s going to happen to us. It’s time to tell Raphael Sinclair how I feel. It’s time he knows. It’s just&hell
My mouth dried up hearing the name of the mansion. I tried to keep a straight face, not letting him know how much this upsets me. Sinclair Mansion. The mansion that held all the answers to my questions. I have a feeling that this is going to be the place where my quest for revenge ends.‘Is that so? I would like to see that place’, I gave him a smile which for once did fool him.‘Really? You never mentioned it before’, he said nonchalantly.‘I wish to see the place where you grew up’, I shrugged my answer. It’s as I said is one of the reasons. I want to see the place where he was unwanted.‘As you wish’, he kissed me with a confidence that nothing in this world would stop him from getting what he wanted.‘I like it when you say that. My very own genie’, I matched his passion.I broke the kiss remembering something. ‘Before I forget, I have to tell you something’.
‘If it’s any consolation, I never discussed who is more handsome- you or your brother. Because for a fact I know you are more…you know… handsome’, I tried to butter him up, my cheeks burning from embarrassing myself before Vivian.My persuasion tactics must have worked on him because he asked Vivian to leave. Good. At least there would be no audience.‘Why were you asking outsiders about my family M. Anderson?’, he asked solemnly.‘Because you never discuss anything about them. You never say anything personal about yourself. I know we are still very new in our relationship, but I have a right to know about you. At the very least about your family. God, I didn’t even know you had a brother until Nathaniel Sinclair turned up at the office. How would you know how it made me feel? I was not asking about your bank details or some company secrets. I was just inquiring about your family, which can be learned by an
I zeroed in on her cabin, searching everywhere for her. Here kitty kitty…I could almost hear my inner diva calling with mock sweetness. I asked one of her possums her whereabouts. Something must have given away from my expression because she pointed her location to me without any fuss.My inner self rubbed her hands in anticipation. I opened the washroom door with a bang and ordered everyone inside to get out with a hand gesture. Everyone scrambled except for Vivian, who must have lost her brain cells along the way. She gave a pose any model would be proud of, relaxed and nonchalant.‘Oh, look what the cat dragged here? Lost your way sweetheart? Shall I show you the way to the exit? It would be my pleasure’, she drawled in her leisurely pose checking her lipstick.Rather than give a reply to her, I turned and locked the door. Some of her brain cells must be still working properly I guess because for the first time she noticed her situation.
There is not even a chance of me trying to behave like I didn’t hear him. I was stuck like a deer caught in headlights. Coming face to face with a potential murderer is not how I pictured my lunch break going to be.‘I…uh…I’, that’s it, my mind took a bag and went on a vacation. What will someone say to their sister’s murderer? Rage boiled inside me. I want to plummet him to the ground with my blows. Alas, I shall not do it. I shook myself clearing any emotions and lingered and pasted a smile on my face.I tried again with my pretension. ‘Oh, Mr. Sinclair, I was just going to have some lunch. You must be busy. Here, please don’t let me keep you from whatever work you were doing’, I slide out from the elevator, giving him a wide berth for him to enter.‘Oh no. How can I work when I can have a chance to have lunch with such a pretty face!’, he tried to flatter me.Lunch? with him? I i
He extended his hand, before everyone important to us, to join him. I searched for Kade. Understanding what I’m asking, Kade appeared beside me, to walk me through the aisle.When I reached Raphael, he joined our hands together and turned us to the pastor. We both looked into each other’s eyes ignoring the pastor, until the time he asked Raphael, ‘do you Raphael Jacob Sinclair take Erica Anderson as your wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?’Raphael said ‘I do’ while looking into my eyes.Then the pastor turned towards me and asked ‘Do you Erica Anderson, take Raphael Jacob Sinclair, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health, to love, honor and obey, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him fo
Two days have passed since I cut our ties.Despite telling him no, I was suffering from a lassitude, a vagueness, that prevented me from doing anything more energetic and profitable than wandering the streets of New York listlessly. A strenuous exercise may help, but my body was not obeying my commands. What I need is, I decided fretfully, something to take my mind off Raphael Sinclair.Remind me why are we doing this again? Asked my inner diva.Self-respect, I gritted out.It must be nice sleeping with that self-respect, my inner self said sarcasm dripping from her voice.Decide which side you are before sprouting your nonsense.Can I say, peace? My inner b queried.There was nothing dramatically changing in my life once I said no. No light pointed out whether I have done the right thing or not. No mini-Raphael’s asking, ‘Why did you leave daddy, mommy?’ In the dreams. All the same, I felt lonely. Sometimes I questi
‘That’s the point. You never considered how I may feel! Normally, when a girlfriend says she is pregnant, her boyfriend asks-how does she feel? Is she happy? Does she want this baby?... you know the basic things. But do not place surveillance on her as if she is a fugitive. Who does that? You always canter to what I may want without consulting me, yet never wait and think what I may need, Raphael?’‘You are being unreasonable Erica. I explained to you the circumstances and the delicacy the situation warranted’‘No! You had your turn, now you listen to me. This relationship’, I swallowed the lump that formed on what I was about to say, ‘this...whatever we are having is not how a relationship works. There must be a give and take. There must be dates, talking...not soulful silences, sharing each other’s feelings, emotions, fear’s, hobbies, musical tastes, not to forget the past(like have any more surprise family
‘Before I speak any further, why don’t you go change while I order something for you?’ He pointed towards his wardrobe that has his second set of clothes.‘Are you going to charge this one too?’ I joked, reminiscing his demand to pay for the clothes he bought.‘Consider this my investment’, he countered.Once I changed into his shirt and ate a sandwich that no doubt one of his possums provided, I asked relaxing on the couch, ‘so, what do you want to talk about?’‘Do you love me?’‘Just go to the jugular, why don’t you? You don’t have the right to ask that question. I’m not here to listen to this’, I tried to get up.‘Sit down Erica. Trust me, I will explain later. Just answer my question’I snorted at him demanding my trust. ‘Why?’‘Because I want to know how you feel about me before I say anything&rsquo
It didn’t help to improve my mood either when I stepped outside the subway to encounter the rain. The way my life is going I really ought to have known better than to think the weather would cooperate. A wry glance at the dense cloud-packed sky confirmed that the rain wasn't likely to let up. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I had no alternative but to get soaked in the rain as I walked. By the time I reached my former office, I’m drenched wet to the bone, my cream shirt and black skirt, no doubt liberally splattered with dirty rainwater spots. I don’t know what I’m going to accomplish once I meet Raphael, however, in my current mindset I would probably stab him with his pen that’s always neatly placed on his desk.Once I entered his floor, my eyes landed on none other than the woman who was cast alongside Raphael in the picture. She was lounging casually on the couch outside his office, doing her touch-up. Why, oh why? Can this day get any
All I’m saying is he is human... treat him as such. Don’t condemn him without listening to his side, Raphael’s new friend aka my inner b advised me.That’s not true. We talked about what happened, I mulled.No, you dissected, and he listened patiently, my inner b was on a roll.Yet, not once did he object, I countered.At this, my inner diva started counting his virtues while pacing the imaginary floor. ‘Did you give him the chance? You were the one to build an impossible castle of dreams on an insecure foundation. You were the one to abandon a relationship that has leavening magic which lacked in this generation. You may reason yourself with whatever you think is right, but just think... he was the guy who held you when you cried. He was the guy who listened to your blabbering and didn’t blanch at your imagination. He was the guy who rescued you when you are in danger, not once but twice. He was the guy who wanted to a
‘I... but doctor, how is that possible?’‘Are you asking me the basics Ms. Anderson?’, he asked playfully.‘What? Of course not. What I mean is... doctor it’s... it’s actually only been a month since I entered a relationship. You see what I’m getting at?’, I asked hopefully with my cheeks blushing red, hinting at a probable malfunction in the scanning report.‘My dear, if I can be blunt, all it takes is only one time done at the right moment. And you are six weeks pregnant from what I can see in the reports’‘But... how? Six weeks?’Please ask again, I want to have a nice laugh, my inner d said sarcastically.‘Well, many new would-be mothers’ get confused the first time. The counting starts from your last period, not from the date the sperm enters your body’.‘Oh...ok’, I mentally cringed, visualizing the scientific side.
‘No!!’, my scream was joined by another male one. Rose looked surprised at the blood coming from her. The bullet was lodged near her heart. I could feel her life force slipping. What a waste! A Life is driven by greed and envy. Though I didn’t agree with her choices, I didn’t want this for her. I wanted justice, yes, but this feels... cheated.I looked at the guy who was the cause of this mess and was shocked to see his facial characteristics. He is by no doubt Raphael’s half-brother. His jawline... his nose...his hair... They look like Raphael, only younger. How could Diana sleep with him, knowing he resembles Raphael? That was one twisted mind I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.He knelt beside Rose, gingerly holding his hand, ‘Oh Rose, I’m sorry’, silent tears can be seen leaking from his eyes.‘I knew... you were always ...a poor...shot’, Rose joked with her last breath.Even though
‘Stop your riddles and say clearly Rose’, I spat the words.‘Erica...Erica...Erica, you always had a problem with power. First, Raphael when he made you a workhorse, now, me for not spilling my guts faster. It’s ok though, as this will be your last conversation... I will tell you. You know, as a friend’, she said sarcastically before continuing to reply to my questions, ‘so, where was I? Oh, yes, children. Me and my brother. Where does Sophie fit into this?’, she tapped her finger on the Chin and said, ‘right in the middle of it. We are... the three musketeers’‘I won’t believe you’, I said, not wanting to see the image she is projecting.‘Whatever! Believe it or not. Just because you closed your eyes doesn’t mean it’s dark outside. However, I agree she was not part of the plan in the beginning. It all started four years ago. My mother’s bedtime story on her deathbed,