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On Monday, Dane drove to work with Raine beside him in the car. He would have taken her to the gymnasium but their class session doesn't start until 9am and he needs to be at one of his patients an hour earlier. The old woman recovering from stroke paralyses.
So, Raine decided to be the one to do the escorting. They talked as they normally do inside the car, laughing and teasing each other until Dane pulled to the driveway of the old woman's house.
At the front of the door, he knocked patiently. Within minutes, the door opened but it wasn't the housekeeper who opened the door. It was a beautiful young woman who was still in her pajamas. Her hair was ruffled like she just got out of bed.
"How can I help you?" She asked, reluctantly, and she wasn't smiling.
"I'm the madame's doctor." Dane introduced.
The woman's face relaxed into a smile. "Oh. You're her doctor? Please come on in." she said, walking away fro
After the day's sessions, Raine decided that it's a good day as any to go and learn how to cook that delicious food she ate at Dane's neighbor's.So, she drove to Dane's place and parked her car at his place. Then, she walked to the neighbor's place and knocked at their door.The door slid open and Raine entered. She couldn't see anybody at the house as she walked further. "Vivian?" She called.No answer.Raine kept walking through the house until she entered a room she felt certain was master's bedroom. She heard sniffling. That was before she found Vivian curled up on the floor and crying."Vivian? Why...." She cut off the question when the woman turned into her and started sobbing. Raine was shocked and sad. What could make this woman cry?"What's the problem, Vivian? Please stop crying...every problem has a solution. Wh
CHAPTER 12.That evening, Raymond got back home. He was surprised to hear music as he walked into the house. It's been a long time since he'd heard any form of loud music in his house."Honey, I'm home!" He called out, dropping his suitcase on the couch and removing the jacket he was wearing.He stood shocked when his wife came out of their room. She was dressed up in a simple gown, with a light makeup on her face and her hair well-styled. There was a light in her eyes that has not been there in a long time and she was wearing a smile....a smile that reached her eyes. One he hasn't seen in her face for a long time.Her eyes were slightly puffy under the makeup and Raymond realised that she must have cried again today. The knowledge never ceases to make him wince. But, the difference today was that his wife looks happy for the first time in a long time.She
CHAPTER 13That evening, Dane and Raine sat with Vivian and her husband in their house, they were eating Dinner. It was a soup, as Vivian had told them. The only problem is that he and Raine hasn't be able to pronounce the name of the soup."It's called Egwusi soup." The woman repeated again with an amused expression.Raine and Dane looked at each other again and back at the woman. Raine opened her mouth and closed it subsequently. "Egg-sy soup?" Raine tried hopefully.Raymond had burst out laughing. "Egwusi!" His wife chided Raine softly.Raine had given up in trying to pronounce anything and gone back to eating. The food was pretty delicious and of course after eating, Raine had gotten Vivian to fix a date for her to teach the food to Raine. Although Vivian had started work again and barely has anytime anymore, she'd agreed to make out time to teach Rain
CHAPTER 14.Dane felt restless when he allowed Raine to leave. He knew that he couldn't stop her from going to her girlfriend even though he wants to. “It’s really late. Call me when you get home, okay?”"Of course." She replied as she walked to her car.Dane's eyes followed her car until she drove out of side before he turned back into his house.Raine pulled into her driveway and saw Serena seated at her front porch even before she stepped down from the car. She made her way to where Serena was seating."You weren't at home this time of the night? Where were you?" Serena asked softly, not with anger but with curiosity.Raine snorted, "As if you had to ask? I was at Dane's, of course."Serena pretended like the answer wasn't making her boil inside. Dane. Of-fucking-course.Ra
CHAPTER 15.It was well past midnight and Raine still couldn't sleep. She felt restless. She's been rolling around in the bed she laid with her girlfriend trying to go to sleep but sleep keeps eluding her.She and Serena laid in Dane's guestroom. Her girlfriend has gone to sleep hours ago but Raine had been unable to go into slumber. She's always had a bad case of Insomnia, she'd taken sleeping pills just to be able to go to sleep. She'd almost became dependent on those pills.But years ago, she stopped carrying those pills around and stopped taking them too, because she had no need for them especially when she's sleeping beside Dane or in his arms. Raine swiveled her head to her sleeping girlfriend and tried her best to go back to sleep again.Minutes later, she gave up and got up. She could feel the tell tale signs of a banging headache on the way. She always gets he
CHAPTER 16.Dane woke up pretty late the next morning. He was the only person left in bed. He dragged himself out of bed and headed for the bathroom.He couldn't hear any noise at home and it made him wonder if Raine and her girlfriend was still around. He withdrew his toothbrush and started brushing his teeth. All the while he was thinking about last night.It had been pleasant, Raine's girlfriend a vision of courtesy and politeness as usual but Dane had caught the anger in her eyes a time or two as she looked at the way Raine was with him.They'd eaten late and by the time they all went to bed, Dane had been pretty exhausted. He'd felt a bit relieved when Raine followed her girlfriend to bed. Relieved, even though his heart tightened at the though of not holding Raine at night.But then, when the bed dipped in the middle of the night, he already
CHAPTER 17.Lorraine heard everything. It was in her expression. Her face was suddenly devoid of colour. Then, her lips pressed into a thin line and her eyes dark and grim.How long had she been standing there? Dane asked himself again.Lorraine’s footsteps sounded loud in the absolute stillness of the room. She came to a halt next to Serena and just looked at her for a moment, as though seeing her for the first time.Serena swallowed and smiled shakily. “It’s not—”Lorraine slapped her hard across the face. Dane's eyes widened in surprise, Lorraine has never been a violent person. Serena's face almost looked comical with the shock as her hand went protectively to the stung cheek."How dare you...." Raine's voice broke with the force of her anger. She tried again, "How dare you...speak to Dan
CHAPTER 18."Then, I'm going with you." She snapped, lifting her chin.Seeing the glint of stubbornness born out of pain, Dane took a deep breath. He shook his head again, "No, honey. You can't.... I can see it in your eyes, even you know that you can't. You're finally living your dream here, learning the gymnastics that you've always wanted. And you have a life now....a girlfriend. You can't bail on her like that, it's not right."He was saying the truth. He was saying the truth, dammit! "I came here because of you, Dane, you!" Raine cried out, pointing at him. "You can't just leave like that. I can't bear it, being here without you!"Dane walked to her, raising his hand, he collected the tear that ran down her cheek. "I can't go on like this, Raine. Loving you... Watching you from the sidelines... I think it's time I embrace the fact that I can't have you and try to move on with
EPILOGUE.Three years later.The clatters of little feet was drowned in the beach sand as the children ran around. "Mommy! See this one!!" Cassandra, Raine's daughter shouted, drawing Raine's attention.Lying on the big picnic mat with Dane's chest pillowing her head, she beamed at her child turning to see the seashell Sandy held in her small hand."It's a very good one." Raine shouted, complimenting her child who beamed back at her and skidded off to go and collect more shells."Chimamanda, come out of that side of the beach, it's too close to the water!" Cynthia shouted to her own daughter who ran along the shore.Gabriel who was chasing the child looked at his wife and stuck out his tongue on her. "Too bad you can't join us play chase." He teased, staring pointedly at Cynthia pregnant belly.Vivian and Raine b
CHAPTER 80.Final Chapter.Serena clattered with Josh in the outer part of the house and she prepared her confrontation with Raine. Damn just the thought of it sent thrills down her spine.She was about to make her way into the 'room' when the door suddenly burst open and several police men stormed in with guns."Raise your hands in surrender where we can see them or we open fire!" One of them shouted.Serena was too shocked to do anything bit raise her hand. The same shock mirrored in Josh and Venom's face. The both of them raised their hand too.They were all handcuffed as more polices stormed into the inner room and found Raine. They untied her and removed her binds, they also handcuffed Rosslyn.Serena found her life deteriorating fast in her eyes and so much fear filled her system. She's going to prison!? She'll spend her life in prison!? It
CHAPTER 79.Second to Last Chapter.Raine had pretended to be asleep when Serena entered to check on her. She tried to keep her pounding heart still until she heard the footsteps recede. She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding."Let's go and scout the area." Venom said.Raine heard the voice of the man that just raped a woman. She sharpened her hearing to hear more."Zee-Drone, get your girl let's go and get it done. Only the both of us can't do it. Rosslyn is obviously not up for doing some scouting so she should stay here and look after our captive. You'll look after her, won't you?""Of course, I will." A new voice answered and Raine got to hear the woman's voice.Does it mean that the woman is not a captive but also among her captor?"You'd better. Because we have big plans for that girl
CHAPTER 78.When Raine woke up, her hands were tied behind her back and her mouth was banded closed.Oh, God! Where am I!? She panicked as she looked around but couldn't recognize her surrounding. She vaguely remembered Serena using a white handkerchie...!She drugged me! Serena drugged me!!Before she lost consciousness, it had come to her mind that she should have never trusted Serena. Dane was telling her that there was something shady about Serena but she had thought Dane was just being Paranoid.She should have never trusted her at all! Never tried to buy lunch for her because she feigned sickness! Never!Raine looked around fanatically. Oh, God! Where am I!? What is she going to do to me!?She was all alone in the very empty and haggard looking room, and she didn't want to give any indication that she
CHAPTER 77💖💖~~~~💖💖"How are you feeling now?" Raymond asked one of his patients, an old woman."I'm feeling fine now, doctor." The old woman responded.Raymond turned to the old woman's guardian who was sitting down there and told him to come into his office later so that he'll prescribe some drugs for his mother.He was still taking when Dr. Neils barged into the ward. "Dr. Ray!? Do you hear what's on the news?" He asked, his voice breathless.Ray turned to the doctor, his brows slightly furrowed. "No, I didn't.""Finances Bank, the particular branch where your wife works just got robbed! It wasn't a small robbery at all and there was also a shoot out!"Raymond heart stopped beating. No, no, it can't be. Oh, dear God, it can't be!He took off in a run out of the ward and straight to hi
CHAPTER 76."How is work today?" Dr. Nile asked as he opened the door.Raymond looked up from one of his patient's medical file he was holding to the doctor that opened the door and entered. "The day did start out find. But, now I don't know....I'm having a very bad feeling." He answered.Dr. Nile's eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "Bad feeling about what? Is everything alright with your patients?"Ray nodded, "I just made rounds now, everyone is progressing." He sighed and rubbed his temple, "I guess it's nothing...""Hey, cheer up, doc. You are among the lucky ones. You have a very beautiful wife at home to look after you." The young doctor teased.Ray cheered up a bit at the mention of Vivian. "What's keeping you from getting married?""Good women have finished." The doctor stated flatly."Well, don
CHAPTER 75.💖💖~~~~~💖💖It was well past twelve in the afternoon. Vivian sat on her seat, preparing financial statement and financial analysis of the bank.Then, all of a sudden, she heard noises and commotion.She was about to ask what was going on when she heard the first gunshot go off. Her heart jumped out of her chest. Gunshot!? She heard the second one.The bank is being robbed!"Oh God, Oh God!" She cried, panicked.Her hand sprang out to her desk, she took the office telephone on it and pressed in the emergency number. She dialed it hurriedly.A little relief coarsed through her when the emergency line went through. "Hello!? This is the manager of Financies Bank, the branch in St. Paul's street. Please, get over here as fast as you can! We are being robbed!"She didn't wait for the person
CHAPTER 74."Good morning, ma'am Vivian." The third worker greeted Vivian as she stepped into the bank."Good morning." She returned the greeting with a smile. She was dressed in a professional black gown that cupped the mold of her pregnancy perfectly. The click of her small-heeled shoe was loud on the marbled floor as she walked.Everyone turned to her with a smile and she returned their smiles just the same. She's a manager loved by everyone. Then, when she got pregnant and started coming to work with more smile on her face, they loved her more.She took the stairs and made her way upstairs and into her office. She walked straight to her chair and lowered herself to it. She turned on the air condition."Good morning, Madam. The new staffs are ready and the interview is about to begin.""Alright, Maureen. I'll be there in five." She replied, w
CHAPTER 73.Raymond woke up to the sweat aroma of delicious food coming from the kitchen. Or is it nearer? The aroma seemed strong.His eyes popped open and landed on Vivian who stood before him with a tray of food in her hands. She gave him a very beautiful smile. "Good morning, honey. Breakfast in bed."Raymond rose up from the bed to seat on it. "I can't remembered the last time I had that." He exclaimed interestingly."It's the least I can do after yesterday. Here, dig in." She grinned, coming to sit down beside him.Never it be said that he'll reject something as beautiful as early morning food by a beautiful woman.He murmured his thanks and dug in like his wife said. Afterwards, she handed the hot tea from the tray to him and he downed it in one shot. God, he is starting to feel more human.He reached for her an