NOAH TWO WEEKS LATER I had a headache, one that grew in intensity every second I spent poring over my company's financial records. The figures on the screen seemed to blur and run together the longer I stared at them. Despite all these, I could still tell I was in financial trouble. My finances had never looked this bad, even in years when I encountered some business challenges. My world was crashing down on me, and I didn’t know what to do. I had spent so much, especially in the court case with Monique. Now, I was left with next to nothing. With a company to run and little finances coming in, it was safe to say that bankruptcy was knocking. How did I get myself to this point? I thought back to a week ago during the whole case with Monique. It had taken a team of excellent lawyers to prove in court that I had no connection to Monique. But then the lawyers had charged me a hefty sum of money for their services, money I had been willing to part with to avoid being cha
NOAH I drew back the sleeve of my shirt to check the time, almost tearing the fabric in the process. Was it only five minutes I had been waiting in this damned reception area? It felt more like twenty. And what the hell was the mayor still doing in there anyway? Didn’t his secretary communicate to him how urgent my business with him was? I shook back my sleeve. Sitting was not an option. I could not have managed it even if I tried. With every second I spent here, my building remained under threat of demolition. I couldn't trust that Amelia bitch not to bring the whole place down even before the twenty-four hours were up. The mayor would help me. I knew he would. When Amelia's stupid decisions were questioned, that would take her down a peg or two. I resumed pacing. I had not taken more than a couple of steps when I heard my name. "Mr Allen, the mayor will see you now." About time! I nearly growled at the secretary. With a curt nod in her direction, I marched into t
AMELIA I hesitated at the entrance to the dining room, taking in the scene before me. Damian was sitting, but he had not started his breakfast yet. He appeared to have been waiting for me to join him. I didn’t want to talk to him, especially after what happened the previous night. But I didn’t have a choice but to join him. Damian mumbled a greeting as I walked in, then said, "You're up." I nodded. "Yes." I could feel the awkwardness in the air. It was like a tangible thing between us, something that drove our previous camaraderie away. I knew we were both thinking of the moment yesterday when I had abruptly left the kitchen to throw up. After I had vomited until I felt empty, I rinsed my face and mouth and took myself off to my room. And I had not come out until this morning. Damian and I stared at each other for a long, uncomfortable moment. He gestured to the covered dishes on one side of the table. "Breakfast?" he said. "Yeah," I mumbled. I dropped into a chair
NOAH I returned home in a foul temper. Only 'foul' was not good enough to describe my mood. If Amelia were here, I probably would do something both of us would regret. Or maybe just me because she would not be alive to entertain regrets. How could she? How could she do that to me? I kicked the front door open and stormed into my sitting room. I dumped all the files I was carrying onto the centre table. Some files slid off and fell on the floor, but I didn't care. They could burn to ashes for all I cared, just like the way I was currently burning with anger. My company's branch at Milkirk Avenue was gone, reduced to dust, mortar, and rubble. I had barely managed to supervise getting most of the company's equipment out in time before the demolition had begun. Amelia had left not one stone standing. I watched it. I had raved. I had threatened, but there had been nothing, absolutely nothing I was able to do about it. It wasn’t just my building that was brought down. My name,
A hundred different thoughts, not one of them pleasant, whirled in Noah's mind as he paced the living room and waited impatiently for Lucy to return home. About forty-five minutes had passed since he had left Thompson's residence. If Thompson and Lucy still found something to keep chatting about all this time, then they were very close indeed. A storm of rage brewed inside him as he thought about how long Lucy had been lying to him. He knew it was impossible that she had bonded with Thompson recently, especially given how close they looked. As he pictured the sight of Thompson and Lucy talking, it frustrated him that he had not been close enough to hear what they were saying. He wished he had because he instinctively felt that Lucy would lie through her teeth about their relationship. Although he rather thought the sight of him should be enough to startle her enough to say the truth as he had given very strict instructions to Lucy's driver not to tell her he was home.
AMELIA There was a muted buzz of conversation in the room as I waited for the entire staff to assemble. Soon, the girl in charge of the showroom display came in and the door was shut. "That's everyone, I suppose," I said to no one in particular. "Yes," said Rose. I nodded, looked around at all the staff of my bakery. "Some of you, if not most of you must have heard of the city's project that I'm handling." There were nods from most of them and murmurs of assent and a few calls of 'congratulations, ma'am.' "Well, the project has added to my many responsibilities. But before I continue, I will like to thank you all for your help in winning the award. Your contributions are noted and appreciated. That being said, to be able to cope with all that I am supposed to be doing, I will no longer be coming to work here as frequently as I used to. To help me manage the bakery full time... I give you Rose." Rose, staring and then beaming as she realized the import of what I had said,
NOAH THREE DAYS LATER A call came in just as I was mulling over the events of the past few days. I muted the television in the living room just before taking the call. The voice at the other end was female, but the phone number was strange and unfamiliar. "Mr Noah Allen?" she asked. "Speaking," I said. "I'm calling from the Health camp hospital..." I sat up quickly. My heart was pounding so hard and loudly in my chest that it quite drowned out the nurse's words. The Health camp hospital was where I did the DNA test about three days ago. I had dragged Lucy there, tired of all her lies. I knew it was the only way to prove I was the father of her baby, and she was only trying to push the pregnancy on Jason or whatever his name was because he was wealthier. Even though that greatly angered me, there was nothing I could do. I could only blame Amelia for ruining everything for me. The nurse went on talking, but I cut in. "Please, repeat what you just said," I to
NOAH “How?!” “How did it happen?!” “Is this a terrible dream?” As I sat in the back seat of my car, tears pooling in my eyes, I couldn’t stop these thoughts from flitting into my mind. They were driving me crazy, or maybe that was what I needed. I needed to just let everything go. I couldn’t believe that Lucy would betray me after everything I’d done for her. How could she? She was nothing but a fashion designer when she met me. Nothing! I was the important one, the man who had everything I wanted. Who did she think she was? My pain shifted to anger as I thought about her. She ruined my life, she took everything from me. How could I let her get away with all these? No. I wouldn’t. I returned home furious. The long drive from the hospital to my house had not done anything whatsoever to calm me down or change my mind about Lucy. My fingers were hooked into claws and twitched spasmodically as the driver brought the car to a stop in front of my house. I could