Chapter 5

Ayla

The smell of coffee, sausages and baked bread wafted into my nose, making my stomach lurch. My eyes were still closed, but I was aware of my surroundings, including light steps towards the king size bed. I turned, then opened my eyes, coming face to face with Kaleb, with a tray of breakfast in his hands.

"Good morning Ayla, I hope I didn't wake you up." Kaleb placed the tray on the bedside table.

"I was," I paused, letting out a cough when my throat burned.

"I was already up. Good morning." I forced a smile at him as he opened a mini-fridge beside the bedside table. There was nothing good about the morning, just pain, my frail body, nausea and a saturated mind.

"Here, take this first." He opened a sealed bottle of cold water from the refrigerator, then handed it to me. I gladly chugged the water in large gulps, closing my eyes as the cold liquid soothed my parched throat.

"Thank you," I placed the bottle on the table.

"I didn't know what you'd love for breakfast so I made coffee, sausages and baked bread." He beckoned me to sit up.

"Thank you, but why doesn't Marise prepare your meals?" I asked. I had never seen Roman in the chicken, even for something as simple as getting a glass of water for himself. He always sent Marise or me to do everything for him, so to see Kaleb cooking was quite surprising for me.

"I love making my own food Ayla. Now please eat." He scooted further so that I'd be able to reach the tray.

The thought of eating sausages had my stomach lurching yet again, making me cover my mouth. A sick uncontrollable sound came from my throat, just as I felt my stomach contents forcefully rising up. I jumped out of bed, stumbling on my feet towards the bathroom where I emptied the contents. The gagging sounds I made, disgusted me, triggering my gag reflex again and again until my stomach became empty.

"Easy Ayla, easy," Kaleb soothed behind me, rubbing my back as I knelt down, my head over the toilet. When I was done I brushed my teeth, rinsed my mouth and washed my face.

"Are you coming down with something? We need to get you checked up by the family doctor." The concern in his voice no matter how much he tried covering it with a flat tone was still detectable.

"I'm not sick, trust me. I just need more sleep." I couldn't tell Kaleb that I was pregnant, not when he could tell his step-brother.

"Then eat to replace what you have lost." How was I going to tell him that the smell of sausages was the trigger without making him feel like I didn't want them? I thought, going back to his overly comfortable mine. Not even my own bed felt so good, perhaps it was Roman's presence that made it feel so plain.

"I don't mean to sound rude but, I just want bananas right now and a glass of yorghurt." I lowered my face, only to feel his fingers under my chin, after he sat on the bed beside me.

He lifted my face up gently, his eyes looking straight into mine. Unable to hold the contact, I lowered mine to his lips, then his Adam's apple as it bobbed up and down.

"You are not rude for asking for what you want, you have every right to make your own choice." If only Roman was half as understanding and patient as Kaleb was, then maybe he would have given us more time. He wouldn't have ended up betraying me with Danica, but the damage was already done.

"Okay," I whispered, letting my eyes roam around the room to avoid looking at him. It was the first time that I had really taken in the details on his face, his grey sexy eyes, a light neat stubble, and tempting juicy lips that I wanted so much to taste.

'That's your in-law, stop it.' I chastised myself internally for letting such thoughts about Kaleb occupy my mind for a moment.

"Did you hear me?" he asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I blinked rapidly.

"I'll call Marise to bring the bananas from the central wing because I don't have them in mine."

"What if she sees me?" I fidgeted on the bed, making his oversized shirt rise above the middle of my thighs. I could have sworn I heard him take in a shallow breath, but he covered it with a light cough.

"Are you scared she'll tell Roman?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," I admitted.

"Well what if she does. You were out at night alone, with no shoes on, no phone or any bank card on you. He should be grateful that I found you before criminals did." As he spoke, I dreaded seeing Roman again, with Danica in his arms, where I was supposed to be.

"You still haven't told me what happened to your face and why you wanted to get ran over," he continued, his words reminding me of Roman's nonchalant look as I was being dragged away.

"I fell down and hit my face," I lied, avoiding eye contact with him.

"But—" the sound of the door being forcefully pushed open stopped him mid-sentence. Roman barged in, his eyes looking at his step-brother before they landed on me. His lips were set into a hard line with chest pushed forward.

"How dare you barge into my room like that?" Kaleb hissed, getting up from the bed.

"My own wife? Have you no shame Kaleb?" Roman spat, his eyes warping into a miserable black.

"Wait," Kaleb held his hand in the air, then let out a chuckle.

"Don't tell me you think that I fucked her," he spoke, shaking his head.

"You have always wanted to fuck her, do you think I didn't see you eyeing her before you left the city?" Roman stepped forward, daring his step-brother.

"So now the thought of Kaleb sleeping with me is infuriating you?" I chimed in, sizing him up and down.

"Shut the fuck up!" he retaliated, pointing at me.

"Or what? You got my best friend pregnant and as if that wasn't enough you brought her to our home, but when it's my turn to do the same is where you draw the line, right?" I draped my feet over the edge of the bed, looking as he squinted his eyes.

"You cheated on Ayla with Danica? Jesus Roman what the hell is wrong with you?" Kaleb pulled his head back, looking at his brother with an eyebrow pulled up.

"In case you forgot you are still my wife." The audacity had my insides boiling.

"And in case you forgot you slapped me and kicked me out in the cold, at night with nothing but a hundred dollars. Wasn't I your wife when you did that? Did you forget that I was your fucking wife when you went after Danica?" With every word my voice arose, as I walked towards him, my nostrils flaring incessantly.

"So that's why you were standing in the middle of the road to get run over." Kaleb stated in realization, as I closed my eyes, trying to push down the burning feeling inside of me.

"What are you talking about?" Roman asked, looking at Kaleb then at me.

"You heard me you dimwit, Ayla wanted to end it all yesterday because of your selfishness. How could you throw her out like that?" It was the first time since my parents perished in a grisly road accident that someone was defending me against Roman.

"She was hurt and alone, so I had to bring her back," Kaleb added.

"B-ut," Roman stammered, brushing his hand over his gelled hair.

"I am glad Kaleb saved me because it would have been so stupid of me to end my life carelessly because of your selfishness." I breathed, feeling a familiar throb in my temples begin to brew.

"You and Danica have a child on the way, you have what you have always wanted. I want a divorce," I deadpanned, raising my face and pushing my chest forward.

"How about no?" That voice, so commanding and ice cold. Catarina, Roman's mother and Kaleb's mother walked in gracefully, sizing me up and down from my head to my toes.

"Mom?" Both men called, their eyes widening simultaneously.

"Imagine my shock when Marise directs me here immediately after my arrival from my wonderful vacation?" She was always a pain in my ass, reminding me everyday that I was useless without her family.

"Is it true that Danica is carrying your child son?" She pulled Roman down for a hug, tapping his back twice.

"Yes mom," he answered, making her lips stretch into a smile.

"I knew she wouldn't disappoint unlike this good for nothing barren woman here." Her words had a lump growing in my throat. So she knew all along that Roman was cheating on me with my best friend and was okay with it.

"You two are nothing but conniving evil people," Kaleb spat, moving near me. There was always a wedge between him and his mom and an even bigger one between him and Roman.

"Conniving for wanting a grandchild?" His mother faked hurt, placing her manicured hand on her chest.

"Oh what do you know about having a child when all you do is fuck around?" she added, making Kaleb's upper lip twitch, while Roman smirked victoriously.

"And you." She pointed at me.

"My son will not give you any divorce until you repay every cent we spent on your wedding. I knew from the start that you were a gold-digger and so I tricked you into signing an agreement after the wedding." I remembered she had requested my signature for a document she had said was about the family estate. A proof of my addition into the Miller's.

"Oh my god," I whispered, placing my hands above my head.

"That's right Ayla. From today, you will be working as a maid in this mansion for one year without any pay, as a repayment for the money we have spent on you." Her words had me feeling numb all over.

"If you don't, you will be arrested as per the agreement. So the choice is yours; work as a maid, or spent time behind bars."