Ezekiel waited in the hospital's waiting room tensely. He couldn't even grasp what exactly he was feeling. He knew, of course, he knew that it was going to happen soon. Perhaps he didn't envision rape but... didn't she willingly visit the client, how did rape come about? He ran a hand over his face. Perhaps he should have given in the previous night. If he had, perhaps... He shook his head, it wouldn't have changed anything.Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Anna."We ran a few tests to check for STDs and infections and thankfully, we found none. It is too early to detect if she is pregnant. She is awake, you can go see her.""Thank you," he nodded at the doctor then rushed off to Isabel's room.She was up on the bed in a sitting position. Her eyes were fixed on the door so their eyes met once he entered."Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked carefully, moving closer to her. She turned away from him."Isabel...""I want to be alone." Her voice was rough and unfriendly.His shoulders
Max was waiting when they stepped into the house."Are you good?" He asked at once, worry etched on his face.She blinked, "yeah, I am. How have you been?""I managed. Your friend here helped me out," he answered, "you look tired. Go into your room and sleep more."She nodded, not used to the long conversation."I'll get going now," Ezekiel spoke, looking between the both of them then he said to her, "give me a call when you wake, okay?""Okay." She nodded, melting at the concern in his eyes.She watched him leave."Are you both in a relationship?"She turned back to her father, "no.""I want to know what happened," Max demanded, his face and tone now serious, "and I want to know who dared to rape you.""Can we talk about it after I wake?"He stared at her, "okay. After you wake," he replied sternly.She nodded and ventured into her room. She sank into her bed with a sigh. She didn't like it, she didn't like any of it at all. She rubbed the back of her neck. His laughter, his smile, h
Ezekiel walked through the doors of the bar where Isabel worked. His mood was much different from the other times he visited and it was all because of a certain brown-haired lady. He found her, waiting tables.He ran a hand through his hair. After what she had gone through, wasn't she supposed to be rid of them once and for all? Women were frustrating. Aurora, Irene, Isabel; they were all frustrating.*Isabel felt eyes boring holes in the back of her head. She forced a smile at the middle-aged man she was serving."Enjoy," she drawled the usual way with the customary wink afterward then picked up her tray and turned away. Her eyes went instantly to the hidden corner where she had first met Ezekiel. Her heart skipped a beat. Of course, he was the one. She rolled her eyes and returned to the bar.She ignored him completely throughout her shift and when she put on her clothes and went out through the other doorway, he was surprisingly waiting at the other end."Are you stalking me again
One week later, Ezekiel walked out of professor Clifford's office feeling burdened. Professor Clifford was complaining about Isabel's performance in classes and even in the impromptu test he had given that day. She was failing. He rubbed a hand across his neck. He stayed away from her since the night they cooked dinner together but thoughts of her plagued his mind throughout. She didn't visit the cafe again but he did see her sometimes, mostly in glimpses. It was Friday. Perhaps he could visit the bar to see her or he could continue staying away from her but she needed his help. She wouldn't admit it but she did and he sincerely wanted to help her. Isabel... why did she like making things difficult for herself? He waited in the cafe but as usual, she didn't show up. He busied himself with getting some work done but he could barely concentrate. He liked her, he finally admitted to himself, he really liked her. He ventured to the bar in the evening and as he hoped,
"Can't you think!? Zoom in! I want a closer look!"The CCTV personnel zoomed in, bringing the figure to light."Isn't this..." Boss's eyes narrowed in confusion then darkened in rage, "what... what..." Exactly what relationship did Isabel have with this client? She blew out a breath and ran a trembling hand through her hair. How would she explain what she just saw to Stan?"Find him. Now," she ordered harshly then stalked out of the surveillance room."Where's Mr. Stan?" She asked a guard when she stepped back out. His two men were conscious already."He took Nicky in."Her heart sank in relief. "Good, good," she murmured, rubbing her sweaty palms against her dress."Send in more girls, the best we have," she ordered then walked up to Stan's men."Are you two weaklings?" She barked, "how were you so lax to allow yourselves to get outwitted?""We were caught off guard," one of them answered rudely, "who are you to give us orders?""Question me again and I'll have you saying your goodby
Ezekiel jerked awake at the sound of his ringing phone. His breathing was heavy and his eyes darted around feverishly. Isabel, where was she? He darted out of the room and was halfway down the stairs when he heard clanging sounds coming from the kitchen. Huh?He tiptoed and peeped in. His agitation went away immediately, seeing her moving about in his clothes, cooking whatever, and humming a happy tune as she worked. He smiled, finding contentment in watching her activities. He remembered his ringing phone and he tiptoed back up the stairs. It was still ringing.11:09 pm.It was Max, Isabel's father."Ezekiel! Where are you!?"He pulled back sharply, his ears ringing. He shook his head and put the phone on loudspeaker instead."Evening, sir. Is anything wrong?""Isabel, is she with you?""Yes, she is. Were you worried about her?" He asked in amusement."Very worried, son. Two men barged into my home and ransacked the house because they were looking for her. They said she wasn't at her
"Isabel," Boss called, disapproval evident in her tone, "why are you acting this way and putting us through so much trouble?"Isabel shook her head, forcing herself not to look at the beast in her presence."How dare you send Nicky to drug me?" She asked accusingly, "isn't that just too low, even for you?""You do not tell me what to do," Boss eyed her, "perhaps if you had refused right from the start, our VVIP client here wouldn't have been so adamant about having you. Come back, Isabel. I'll pay you well, you know that.""Never," she spat, tearing up.Ezekiel stepped in front of her, "leave her alone.""Or else what?" Boss snickered, "you had her to yourself for several nights yet you never touched her. Aren't you a fool?""He had her?" Stan growled, stepping forward. Isabel shrank back."Yes, I had her," Ezekiel answered, glaring at the boss, "but I chose to treat her like the human she is rather than a thing to be toyed with.""Oh yeah," Stan chuckled, moving to stand in front of
An hour after waking up bright early the next morning, Ezekiel still hadn't woken up. At first, she was worried but the nurse told her that it was due to fatigue and it was a good sign. She sat, watching him. He slept peacefully but she still felt bad about the injuries he had. It was all because of her. She didn't even ask how he managed to save her from the bar in the first place.She sighed, looking up at the ceiling. She was grateful to the God she knew existed for blessing her with such a gift, the gift of a true friend. She was smarter now. After everything they had gone through, she would be a fool to throw all that away for the sake of keeping her ego intact. She looked back at him. He chose to be her friend and he persisted in being one. She was willing to be his too and oh, what a jealous friend she was. She would have him all to herself. She smiled, blowing out a tense breath.Thirty minutes later, the police came in for a report and she gave it to them. She took them to hi
The next two days, they spent letting the fire burn. No one was satiated yet, no one could stop them, no worries could bother them. On the third day, they finally stepped out to get some cool evening air and some groceries. "Everything feels different, better," she spoke as they walked into a store together, their rented car parked outside. They were in Tanzania. They rented a lone beach house which required a twenty minutes drive to get into town. It was perfect, just what they wanted. "And why is that?" He teased as they perused through shelves, hands locked. "Because we are finally finally together and my expectations of you in bed was superseded..." "Isabella!" He whisper shouted, wide eyes fixed on her. She laughed, pressing a quick kiss to his agape mouth. "What?" She asked with a smile, "do I not get to compliment my husband's bedroom skills?" He shook his head, looking around to make sure no one heard. He looked back at her, "Isabel, seriously?" "We should expect a baby
"I think you have done really well for your first week. You should be able to do things without supervision now... I guess that's the person that's been picking you up since you first arrived. Your boyfriend?"Isabel's lips twitched. "My fiancee," she answered with a smile. "Oh, wow, that's great. When's the wedding?" Isabel opened her mouth to reply just as Ezekiel rounded the car with a big smile in her direction. "What?" She heard Irene gasp but her mind was clouded with too much love for it to register. Her legs carried her across the road to him. "I love you," she mumbled as he enclosed her in a hug. "I think our engagement is making both of us jelly," he laughed, kissing her cheek, "I didn't even realize I was smiling so wide." She kissed him lightly and stepped back a little. Oh heavens, she laughed internally, remembering she abandoned her supervisor. "Irene?" She heard Ezekiel mumble. She turned around, seeing the dazed look on Irene's face. "Don't tell me..." she mu
Ezekiel whirled laughing Isabel around. She was clad in a purple graduation gown, her cap hanging loosely in her right hand."I'm dizzy," she forced out between laughs, holding unto him tightly. He set her down on her feet and kissed her loudly."How does it feel?" He asked, beaming."I don't know," she laughed, "you are rubbing your excitement all over me and I don't even know how I feel.""Exactly," Lily intervened, "you are acting like you have never experienced a convocation before. Get off her."His entire family came to celebrate her, his cousin and his beauty wife included, with their baby."She's not your girlfriend, Lily, mind your business," Ezekiel eyed her playfully.They moved off to a little spot they set out for a picnic and they spent the rest of the day being happy for her. The group stayed an extra day before leaving. It was just two of them left now.When their relationship was a year old, they sat down for a serious conversation. They rented a beach house for the w
Sebastian was just bringing the car around when Isabel and Aurora walked out of the airport."You must be Isabel," the man she recognized as Ezekiel's cousin spoke when he got to them."Yes," she replied with a warm smile, watching how he casually put an arm around Aurora's waist and kissed her hair, "it's nice to meet you."They shook hands. They definitely had good genes in their family. Ezekiel was her boyfriend, the man she loved but she couldn't confidently say he was more handsome than his cousin."Ezekiel is bringing the luggage, we can wait in the car. You don't mind, Isabel?""Of course not, he left me with the luggage in the first place," she answered with a roll of her eyes. Their little group chuckled and they moved to the car. Sebastian hovered over his fiancee as they chatted heartily about school, life, and anything else. Ezekiel arrived soon and Sebastian assisted him in getting the luggage into the trunk.Aurora and Sebastian's wedding was a week away so the atmospher
Ezekiel knew that there was a Supreme Being helping him to restrain himself because it was a miracle he didn't lose control after what she just said. Was she so oblivious that men were easily triggered sexually or was she doing it on purpose? She worked at a bar, she had to know."Your body belongs to you," he said slowly, blowing out a breath, "and to the God who made you. If we are married, you can say that but your body will belong to me and mine will belong to you only because we chose to let it be so. Do you understand?"She clicked her tongue, laying her head on his chest. "Let's get married then, you won't have any excuse to deny me what I want.""Oh heavens," he laughed in disbelief but somewhere deep within him, he began to consider it.*Weeks flew by and Isabel didn't think she had ever lived life so happily before. She woke up happy and blushing, she was much more interested in her boring classes because he always praised her when she performed well in the tutoring session
When she awoke bright early the next morning, he was still asleep and she was late for class. She stood at the entrance to his hospital room at a loss for what to do. She could rush to class and return after school to take care of him or she could stay and be with him throughout the day. She wanted to do the latter as she was the cause of his accident but on further reflection, she decided to choose the former, he'd prefer that.Ezekiel trudged into his apartment, burdened with a load of emotions. Drugs, really?"Stan found me, he sent me threat notes and has been stalking us."Was that true? He sighed, lowering himself unto a fur-covered couch. He didn't even know what to believe. What was her deal? Was it just the aftermath of the rape incident? It scared him that she would go as far as drugging him, how much damage did the incident cause her?If Stan was secretly stalking them then she wasn't safe. The police needed to be alerted and they needed to move away from town for some time
"Are you mad at me?"Isabel said nothing instead she focused on stabbing the potatoes on her plate."Have I ever refused you anything?"She blinked, thinking of an answer to his question though she didn't plan to reply, she discovered he always did what she asked and did more except for a few nos here and there but... He was always there."No," she answered curtly, guilt nagging at her. "Then you must know I have a very good reason for refusing you this one thing. Trust me, Isabel, please."She stared at her meal, fighting with her emotions. She thought of the drugged wine."Ezekiel," she began, looking up. Her eyes widened in horror seeing him bring down his glass from his lips."What?" He questioned, cleaning his mouth with a serviette.She opened her mouth and shut it. "I drugged your wine," she croaked out."What?" His eyes bulged out and he looked into his glass, "what are you talking about?"She kept silent, staring at him with wide eyes. He stared at her, his eye size matching
She was awfully alert the next day, constantly looking back and sideways, being suspicious of every male she came across, staying in open places where there were a lot of people. She didn't realize she was so on edge and tensed up until Ezekiel came to her at the cafe and she almost stabbed him with a fork.He dodged, his eyes wide. "Watsup!? Do you want to kill me!?"She sighed, her tense shoulders falling. The fork landed with a clattering sound on the table."I am sorry. I was... I thought it was someone else," she said apologetically.He raised a brow, sitting next to her, "is someone stalking you?""Don't worry about it," she sighed again and relaxed back in her seat. His presence was immensely comforting. She didn't know whether to be pleased or irritated, he was her boyfriend now."You could really have stabbed me if I didn't have quick reflexes. You wanted to harm the person. Why? What's going on?" He inquired.She kept silent. Why was she keeping it a secret?"Isabel..."She
"You're my girlfriend now," he murmured into her hair, "so you can't cheat on me ever again, you hear? You can't go kissing another man or letting another man touch you because you feel like getting down with someone. You are mine now and I'll tell you, I am very possessive and I get easily jealous."She blinked. What did she just do?"You forgot the second part," she mumbled, not sure of what she was feeling."No, it isn't enough to make me sleep with you."She groaned, surprisingly not feeling annoyed. "Why?" She whined."It only makes me want to protect you more, keep you clean and pure. I'll be your god and I'll keep you away from any filth," he replied.She fought the smile that crawled its way up her cheek. He pulled away a little and looked at her with so much tenderness, she felt she could melt from it."Do you still feel like getting down with me?" He asked, smiling.She shook her head."Good," he grinned, "I'll call your father now and tell him you're safe with me. I'll call