MADELYN “ Hi, Madelyn. It's nice to see you again.”He made sure to stress on the ‘ again’, his face lit up with smiles that didn't reach his eyes. “ Hi Xavier, we met yesterday. Can't be that long already, or is it?” It definitely can't be. I'm talking to him, but my gaze is focused on the bandage on his nose. He noticed it, and quickly covered it up. “ This? I happened to have been in an unfriendly duel with a friend. But, I'm alright. You don't have to bother about it, Maddie.” And who said I was bothered about it? I had two things in mind. Firstly, I'm sure the bandage on his nose is as a result of the “ pleasant visit” my husband paid him. Secondly, I'm beginning to think he's CEO Nicholas. But there's only one way to find out. “ I think I happened to see you at the graveyard earlier today, about three hours ago.” I laid the bait, and watched him become uneasy. His body language gave him away immediately, but he wasn't going
NATASHA. It's Monday. I'm packing the last set of clothes as my flight leaves in an hour. My vacation has come to an end. I have never really enjoyed a vacation without having to run back to the city when one or two comes up. As for my company, I only visit there like twice in a week. The GM sees to it that everything is running smoothly. Unlike Jason, I'm not a workaholic. My phone rang for the tenth time. I saw the caller ID. Xavier!! In the last one hour, Xavier has called a thousand times, and I'm not even kidding. “ What is it!” Is he calling to make sure that I get on the next available plane, or calling to know if I'm still alive? With the turn things are taking, even if I was dead, Xavier would ask that my dead body be brought to him. Alive or not, our meeting would hold. “ Woah, calm down girl. I'm only calling to see if you have boarded the plane. Can't I just look out for a friend?” “ You have called me several times in the last o
CARA. I got a call this morning from Nicholas. It's a Monday morning, and I'm not particularly interested in doing anything. I'm going through an old album of family photos. Actually I'm picking out suitable ones which could be used for our funerals. I'm gearing up for it already. There's no way I'm going to make Madelyn his by Saturday, so I might as well spend my remaining days on earth eating burgers and paying last visits to friends and relatives. “ What are you doing, Cara? Isn't that the album filled with all family pictures?” Craig inquired the moment he walks into the living room. “ It is,” I respond. I'm relishing the taste of the burger I had ordered earlier. If I had few days on earth, I might as well eat burgers till I die. “ But why are you going through it? We haven't opened that since mom's death,” he retorted. Yes, they're old photos of us, but I happen to find them more appealing. Besides, I couldn't find a more befitting one for Cra
JASON It's a Monday morning, and my employees are shocked to see me resume work. I just got married on Friday, and I was back so soon? What happened to taking a few weeks off to probably enjoy our honeymoon? Sadly, there's no honeymoon. Only real couples get to experience that. “ What... what are you doing here Jason??” I was hoping to sneak into my office without being caught. How do I explain this? “ Hi Zoe. Didn't notice you were there.. you are here so early, what's the occasion?” Divert her attention, successfully change the topic and that's all. But, it doesn't work with Zoe. “ I'm always here early! Now, what are you doing here, Mr. Jason?” That's a pretty difficult question to answer. What does she mean by what am I doing here? It's my company, where else am I supposed to be if not here? “ I'm sorry boss, am I fired? The General Manager didn't send any letter to my desk.” We had a good laugh about it, but her fac
MADELYN I don't ever want to think about how Jason had to put up with Natasha while they were growing up. She looks impossible to handle. I personally won't be seen with such a person. The nerves she has got! Whoever is going to end up with her needs to learn how to tolerate certain excesses. “ I'm sure Natasha hates you more now. You just earned yourself a death ticket.” Jason noted when we got back to his office. The kids resumed school today, I dropped them off by 7, before heading to the company. “ Your little girlfriend doesn't scare me, Jason. She would need to level up her game five times before I would be afraid of her.” “ How many times do I have to say this! She's not my girlfriend. She's my sister!!” His eyes popped out when he realized the mistake he had made. He literally just said Natasha was his sister. “ She is?” If she's his sister, then why is she bent on having her brother as her lover? “ No, she's not. I mean technic
MADELYN Side by side, we rest our arms on the concrete ledge looking out over the city. “ It's beautiful,” I whisper.He's quiet. Every now and then, he would cup his hands and splash water on my face. I'd do same and we would end up cracking up like teenage lovers. We watch the city in silence for what seems like forever. It was beautiful staring down at the entire city, but having Jason by my side made it more euphoric. “ Getting cold?” he broke the silence, and patted my already saturated hair which can't absorb another drop of water. “ No, I'm doing just fine,” I return..I know he's watching me, but I don't turn to ask why. Five minutes now, and all Jason has eyes for, is me. “ You might as well tell me what's running through that mind of yours, rather than staring at me in that manner.” He doesn't waste any more time, seems like I grant him the permit to. “ I'm wondering how your lips would taste in mine right now, wife.”
NATASHA “ What is wrong with you??” his voice was harsh and nothing unlike the usual melodious baritone that usually fills the air with a soulful melody when he spoke. He lost his calm, and let his fury loose on me. I whimpered and my teeth chattered in fear. I was not frightened nor was I afraid What I felt at the moment was beyond such mere nouns. Jason looked like he would snap my neck and push my lifeless body into the pool. His chest rose and fell in a faster pace. Terror washed over me, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. Was he going to hurt me? I wasn't going to hang around any longer to find that out, cause he looked so annoyed. “ I'm... I'm sorry, Jason. I didn't mean to..” my heart was throbbing in my ears, loud and irregular, but I barely heard it, for I was clouded with fear. Suddenly I forgot how to say a sentence without stumbling over the words. “ You didn't mean to what??? Were you in a trance when you walked in here with a
MADELYN I'm at mom's tomb crying my eyes out, when I hear footsteps approaching. I'm on my knees, and my back is turned to the gate, so whoever comes in wouldn't see my face until I turn around. “ Is that her?” I heard a loud voice ask. From what I'm thinking, they're more than two people who walked into the graveyard. At first I thought it was just people who came to visit their loved ones, but the next statement of them makes leaves me disturbed. “ Yes. The old lady who doesn't know when to shut her mouth. She ratted Boss out on Saturday.” It wasn't me they came for. It was Hattie. But who were they? Who did she snitch on? I turn slightly without making a noise, and I was able to see who it was. Three muscular men who wore dark sunshades. They stood there and silently watch Hattie trim the flowers close by. She was in danger! “ Do we take her now, or we wait for Boss?” the first man asks. He scans the environment, and so far, I'm the onl