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Final night of bliss
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The Bargain Are you lying to me?
“I have a surprise for you back at the villa,” Steffan said.Racheal looked at him. And looked away. She suspected he was just trying to cheer her up. Or maybe he really had a surprise for her. But she did not get any excitement from the thought. They were driving back home in the morning light. The sun was positioned in a way that it seemed they were riding into it. It bathed both their faces in light.She turned to look at him. He looked like a strong, Greek god, as he gripped the steering wheel.She wondered when next she would be able to have a peaceful drive with just him like this, without chauffeurs, bodyguards and nosy journalists.Just the both of them.She looked away, reminiscing back on the last few days, and all the fun they had despite the few hiccups. Why could their life not just be like that?Why did life with him have to be difficult?She knew the answer to her own question though. It was because people like his parents, her father, Thalia, Zuri, Delbert and all
The Bargain Let's not fight
Racheal looked out of the window to the familiar buildings of the city. She could not say why, but the city felt different from when she had left it. There were also more cops on the road, questioning drivers and pedestrians. Had it always been like this, and she had not just not noticed it? She glanced at Steffan. He was still quiet. She sighed and looked away. At least he no longer looked like he was in mental pain. She suddenly felt his hand on her’s. He raised it up to his lips, and kissed it.She turned to him, and his eyes were a plea. She felt herself melt within even though she did not want to. She relaxed and watched him kiss her hand again and again, before he lowered it to his thigh and held it there.She tried to stop herself from explaining away his behaviour, but she couldn’t.Maybe he had dirty secrets he was hiding. But now? He had only good intentions. He had told her he was trying to redeem himself. He was seeking redemption. He had to feel remorse at his pa
The Bargain A visit from the first lady
“You must be tired. You will see the rest of the house later, come rest.” Steffan said, releasing Racheal from his embrace.He was looking at her a little bit suspiciously, and it scared her a little. If she was going to avoid his questions, she had to act in a way that was not suspicious. If he even had any idea that she was keeping something back, that would make him furious.They went up the stairs, and she looked at the doors in the hallway that led to other rooms, as they strode to the door at the end, which she suspected was the masters bedroom.Like the rest of the house, this room was twice the size of her former room.But she could not admire the beauty or size of it just yet.She thought about the best way to get Steffan out of the room so she could check the closet in private.“Wait here, I won’t be long.” Steffan said. She nodded and gratefully watched him leave the room. She waited till she heard his heavy footsteps descending the stairs.She dove for the closet, and
The Bargain It will be safer with me
Racheal froze in Danna Sherrod’s arms, unsure how to react.Mother? When she first got here, the woman had warned her severely never to call her that.Danna Sherrod released her, still smiling. Racheal watched the intimidatingly beautiful First Lady. Could she really call this woman mother after all the horrible things she had done to her?She had not treated her like a daughter-in-law at all.“I got you something.” Danna Sherrod said, picking a paper bag from a nearby couch. Racheal watched the bag suspiciously even as the woman stretched it out for her to take. She hesitated a little, but accepted the bag so she would not appear impolite.She bowed to the woman. She could not possibly come kill her in her own home with Steffan a few rooms away, could she?“Take a look at it.” Racheal opened the bag, and peeped in. She saw a beautifully designed cosmetic product inside. Curiously, she pulled the box out, to take a better look at it.“I had it specially made for you. It is a tr
The Bargain There will be consequences
“What’s that?” Steffan asked, gesturing to the bag in Racheal's hand. She looked down, remembering the bag in her hand. She locked eyes with Steffan, and handed it to him. Danna Sherrod was all smiles.“It’s a healing cream for her scars.” Danna Sherrod said. Racheal watched her. The woman was far from the confident authoritative woman she was used to seeing. Her voice, posture and whole attitude was patronising, and it was almost ugly to look at, especially if you knew her before as the strong tough woman she was.Danna Sherrod was watching Steffan like he was God’s gift to man. It was again clear that he was the favourite child.She was ready to soothe, and even embarrass herself to gain his affection, especially now that she knew he was no longer eating out her palms.Racheal almost pitied her. She turned her attention back to Steffan who was staring at the cosmetic product with a frown. ‘Where is this from?’ He frowned at his mother.A scientist in the UK.” Danna Sherrod r
The Bargain You are getting too comfortable
Against her better judgement, Racheal left the villa without telling Steffan. She knew he believed that she was simply going to take her father’s call, and was even now arranging for her meal. But she feared he would stop her or insist on going with her if she told him. She also did not want to pull him into any of this till she was sure about her next course of action.At least she went with her guards. And she was sure Isaac who was sitting in front, would tell him she had headed out.The butler at the Dalloz mansion welcomed her warmly and directed her to the informal living room she had been in the last time she visited.“Hello.” Racheal bowed to the old lady who sat peering into her tablet, in a solid set of reading glasses. Madame Dalloz set the tablet aside, and smiled up brightly at her,“My dear.” She said, standing up. “This is such a pleasant surprise.” She said, and hugged her close.Racheal hugged the woman, and smiled at her when she finally let go.“You look well.”
The Bargain The person at the stadium
Racheal walked into the dimly lit room, careful not to misstep or hit her legs anywhere.Even in the faint light, she could see the outline of a person on the big bed in the middle of the room. She squinted to get a better look without moving any closer. So there was truly someone here like she had vaguely suspected. Then the light came on, it was so bright she was forced to shut her eyes for a minute.Then she opened them again. At first, the light made her eyes water, causing her vision to blur. But as her eyes adjusted to the room, she saw the person on the bed clearly.She gasped.“I saw him at the stadium, what happened to him.” She asked, turning to madame Dalloz. And why did the man look so much thinner?“You’re sure you saw him?” Madame Dalloz asked with a casual smile. “I did. That was the first time I saw your husband, he was with Delbert too at the President’s resort later that day for the meeting with my father.” Racheal explained, looking from the frail looking fram
The Bargain Prove it!
Racheal bowed to Madame Dalloz, that was enough for one day.She glanced one last time at the frame of the man on the bed, memorising his features. Features that when she looked at them now, she could see the familiarities between him and Steffan.She shook the thoughts out of her mind, and turned away to walk out.She felt her whole body shaking as she walked out. Outside, she saw Isaac waiting beside her car door anxiously. He opened the door as soon as he saw her.She pressed her lips tightly. She would not cry. And she would not let herself think of all she just learned. She was close to the car when she saw broad shoulders appear before her line of vision. She stopped, then looked up, and found herself staring up at Delbert.“Racheal. You visited. I have been trying to reach you.”She said nothing, just continued looking at him.“I am sorry about the ball. Not sorry about what I said, but how I said it.” He apologised, looking worriedly into his eyes.She saw Isaac watching t
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