“No, no, no, I said shouting at the top of my lungs. I will not marry him. I refuse to, I will not marry Alexandria Cartwright, he has a bad reputation”, I said, shouting and pleading with my eyes with tears rolling down my eyes. “Kiana Elizabeth James”, called my mother ‘Lana James’. “Please baby just do as your father says”, she pleaded. “You can’t just marry me off like that. I’m not some cattle or property to be sold to the highest bidder”. You are not a cattle neither are you property. My mother said. “I don’t think you guys love me at all, 'cause if you do you would at least consider my feelings and not force me to marry that evil bastard”, I said tearfully. “Please my love, you are not just doing this for us, you are also doing this for the family, your baby brother”. “Kiana” called my father, “please calm down, let's go to my study room to talk more on this”. “No, I’m not going anywhere with you” I busted out. “I know you guys are doing this for your own se
I saw my father sitting on our long couch, his head hanging low with his face in his palms. While my mother sat on the smaller couch on his opposite him. The sun illuminated a soft glow on her face, and I was reminded of how beautiful she was, even when she looked so sad. “Okay, I am ready to talk”. “I’am calm now, so let's have a truthful and civil conversation, no bullshitting, I said, sitting on the other couch laying in between my parents seats”. “Don’t miss out any details, cause this is my life we’re talking about here”, I said calmly. “Okay”, my dad said, “but, firstly, let's go to my study”. “I looked at his pleading face, restraining myself from saying anything else. “OK,” I said weakly, my mother smiling weakly, holding my brother who was looking at me while blabbing and drooling. We walked to his study, silence filling the air around us, as he opened the door to the study, flipping the light switch, and light entirely lit filled the room. “Sit down” he said, patt
I was meeting my boyfriend Calvin and my friends, Zoe and Asher later in the evening. I kept rummaging my head thinking of a way to tell them this news. I sat in front of my dresser putting on my version of minimal makeup, which was basically a mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss. I dreaded meeting up with them, and so i tried coming up with various excuses just to cancel this meeting. But I knew that if I butt out they would automatically know something was wrong. So reluctantly, I just settled on meeting up that day. We met up at our favorite corner cafe in town. We were four in our friend group, me, my friend turned boyfriend Calvin, my childhood friends, Zoe and asher. “Hey, hey, hey”, Asher said walking in with Zoe. “How’s everybody doing”. “I’m good”, I said standing up to hug them. “Where’s Calvin” Zoe asked. “Oh, he’ll soon be here, he’s just looking for where to park his car, you know he’s crazy about his car”. I said calmly while sitting down. Zoe noticed my mood a
Back at at my house, I nervously began prepping myself for my conversation with Calvin. I paced around her room while whispering to myself.“I have to apologize profusely, but how do I do I convince him to accept my apology now”, I said to myself.“Just call him first”, my inner voice said, “there’s no harm in trying”.Picking up my phone, I hesitantly dialed my boyfriend’s number, secretly praying for it to go straight to voicemail so i could avoid talking to him.“Hello, hello, kiana”, he called out as he answered the call.I hesitated, trying to gather myself and thoughts as I my mind was reeling with thoughts that kept rambling “Are you there”, he said, his voice bringing my mind back to present.“Yes I am here, how are you, hope you’re good, hope you reached home safely”, I said trying to stall to avoid talking about the main subject that made me call him in the first place.“I know what you’re trying to do by the way, so just go straight to the point”, he said annoyed at my stu
Today is my wedding day. Finally, the long awaited day has finally come. I’ve been dreading this day all week and at the same time also praying for it to come sooner so I could get it over with and put it behind me. I sat in the bridal chair in my hotel room as the hairstylist my mother had booked for today worked on my hair, and my makeup was already done. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear my mother call out my name until the hair stylist tapped me softly, snapping me back to the present while walking away. I was already in a bad mood as I woke up earlier than usual today, which was something I never liked doing. I just needed my best friends to make me feel better. Only them knew how to lift my spirits up. “Ohh, yes mum, you called me, is there any problem?”I said, looking at her, realizing that I had kept her standing at the door as I was lost in my thoughts. “Nothing, I just wanted to know if you were done with dressing up," she said while coming closer to take a
An hour after we left the wedding venue we reached a mansion which was located towards the outskirts of the city. A silent gasp left my throat as it came into view, making alexandria turn his head towards me with a smirk on his face. It was a beautiful mansion, surrounded by very big trees forming a type of fence around it. The path to the entrance was a classic style stone path. The house was a very large mansion with four big pillars, two on each end. The exterior was painted a milky white color. Impressed by what I saw, I gave a slight nod of approval, happy that at least i wouldn’t have to deal with him seeing how big the house was. We could sleep on opposite ends of the house and not disturb each other. “Welcome to your new home”, said Alexandria. “Yeah, home sweet home”, I said with a tight smile not wanting to seem too ecstatic about my new home and my living arrangements. Just outside the door stood a middle aged Latina woman, who was sizing me up with her eyes. Sh
I woke up to the sunlight peeking through the curtains. Checking the alarm clock on the bedside table, it read 7:00am. Fighting sleep, I got up from the bed lazily. Straightening the sheets, after which I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I changed from my sleeping gown into a plain blue sundress. After which I checked my reflection in the big mirror and, satisfied with how I look, I went to the dining area for breakfast. Surprised to see it empty, I called Joanna to ask about breakfast and the whereabouts of alexandria. “Joanna, joanna”, I called out and she came from the kitchen while using her apron to dry her wet hands. “Where’s breakfast?, I thought breakfast was always by 7am, is anything the problem”. “And where’s Alex, aren’t we supposed to have breakfast together”, I asked with boredom displayed on my face. “Don’t call me that, only those close to me have the permission to call me by that name”, Alexandria said. His deep voice shivers down my
After waking up to the alarm I set earlier that morning, I went to the bathroom to take a shower.I showered carefully making sure I didn't touch my hair. I wrapped a towel around me and exited the bathroom after I was done. I picked out a black lace panties with a cute black bra that had no strap as the dress I was going to wear to the gala was an off shoulder dress. I brought out the dress and jewelry and shoes I had set aside in the morning and started getting ready. I combed out my hair and left it down like that. I put on a slight clean makeup. After I was done with getting ready, I looked at myself in the mirror and satisfied with what I saw, I picked up my purse and left to go downstairs. As I reached the living room, I saw Alexandria waiting on the couch with his eyes closed. He looked so good. The black suit he wore complimented his physique, I stood admiring him for about a minute before coming to my senses.I cleared my throat making my presence known, he opened his eye
(Kiana’s P.O.V)Coming out from the bathroom into my bedroom I switched on my phone, after putting it off to avoid calls from Alexandria’s controlling self.We had just had what was beginning to seem like an almost daily banter. This banter is beginning to become frequent and I am starting to think he does this on purpose just to get a rise out of me or is he just bored.We had just argued again yesterday morning before I left for work. This time around the cause of the argument was something do stupid.We had argued over breakfast on who gets the say on foods that should be served for breakfast.Stupid I know but I don't know why these past days I always get triggered when he says something I know I would otherwise ignore if it were to be said by someone else.Using my smaller towel to dry my hair, I waited patiently as my phone rebooted. Still waiting for it to finish loading, I decided to apply lotion on my body. While I was done with applying my body lotion, I checked to see if
(Andrew’s p.o.v)Today's the day I am to meet my brother, whom I haven't spoken to in almost three decades. I left my house early in the morning at about 8 am as I knew the journey to his house was a five hour drive.Since I had gotten the proof and documents linking my siblings to my company's recent financial crisis, I contemplated whether to tell my wife or not.I had made up my mind to not inform her as her knowing could upset her and cause her to pay them a surprise visit at their workplace or even in just any public space, and make a scene there embarrassing them in the process.My wife is a naturally calm person who is slow to react, but there are times when she gets ticked off and goes off the handle leading to a bloody and dirty aftermath.But knowing myself I couldn't even keep a birthday surprise to myself much less this much of an issue.So after hesitating for about four days, I was so nervous about not spilling that I unconsciously began to act restless.My wife, being
I opened the door to a dark house welcoming me when I reached home from the party, I immediately assumed that everyone had gone to bed.I came back from the party late in the night at about 11:30 pm to midnight. We had spent more time than we initially planned as we played some games and caught up on our various lives.One of the activities we played at Asher's house was truth or dare, those who wouldn't choose between truth or dare had to drink about a large cup of beer. I had mostly opted out of playing so I had to drink when it was my turn during the game.I was so drunk that I couldn't drive back home so I didn't drive back home.Calvin had offered to drive me back home but I refused as I knew Alexandria would go off the rails if he saw Calvin drop me off. So Asher offered to order an uber to take me home as I turned down Calvin's offer.Even in my drunken state I knew to walk-in stealthily by tiptoeing to my room to avoid being heard by Alexandria and his series of questions abo
Zoe looked at me with scepticism, I gave her a slight nod to assure her that I was going to be okay.Convinced that I was going to be okay, she left us behind, pressing the doorbell to Asher's apartment.The elevator closed and my attention was fully on Calvin’s hand on my arm, looking at him then his warm hands on my arm, it reminded me of our dating days when he would always hold my arm when we were out either on a date or just about anywhere because in his own words “I want everybody to know you're mine’.God I missed his touch, his smell, even the taste of his lips and the feel of his body. It's been so long since we last saw each other. I used this once in a blue moon opportunity to take a closer look at him.His face was pale as if devoid of blood underneath. His beard was scruffy and his clothes no longer clung to his athletic body. He dropped about a few pounds in weight. I dropped the painting I was holding down and held his arms in concern.“My God Calvin you've lost so muc
One week had passed after my last altercation with Alexandria. I thought he would bring up our last conversation regarding the owner of the artwork I was working on, but to my surprise, he never brought it up. Not even when we had breakfast and dinners together. It took a week for the painting to dry properly. Today's the day I meet up with Asher at his house to drop off the painting. He was also hosting his housewarming party today. His band's tour had finally come to an end as he was preparing for his six month hiatus and his apartment was ready, just in time for him to move in. I knew that many of my friends from both our high school days and college days would be in attendance, and I knew that the news of me marrying a very powerful man had spread around, so I knew I had to look and play the role of a billionaire's wife. I sighed “this new life is surely an exhausting and tiring one”.“I wonder why he decided to invite our old classmates to his housewarming party. I would ask
Not wanting to provoke him any further, I opened the door, fearfully moving to hide behind the door.“Stop hiding behind the door kiana, I’m not going to hurt you. “What did you hear from my conversation in the garden?”he asked with a serious look on his face.Slowly, I backed away from the door, turning to face him with fear in my eyes. “Why did I just have to go to the garden today of all days, I should have just stayed in the room and waited for my painting to dry”, I said to myself My stomach in a knot from the feeling of fear, I tried to not to seem intimidated by putting on a brave face.“Emmm, I only heard a small part of your phone call”, I said to him, as I fiddled with my hands nervously. What part?, expatiate”, he replied, while using his hands to show me that he wants me to explain further.“I mean I only heard you saying to the person on the other end of the phone call “has he done it yet, I don’t want to have to remind him”, I replied repeating what he had said on the
"I-, I don't know who to pick", he said unsure, his hands fidgeting nervously as he intertwined his fingers. “Make up your mind”, I said, urging him. “Calvin, we don't have all day”, said Mrs Jones, exhausted from our little antics. “If you don't make up your mind I am going to choose for you”, she said. Looking at us both, Calvin made up his mind. “I choose Kiana”, he said finally. “I am so sorry”, he whispered to Zoe. I stood beside him smiling triumphantly, as if I just won a gold medal. “Zoe can you please join Lina”, Mrs Jones said as she pointed to Lina's direction. Feeling scorned, She picked up her bag and books while giving me and Calvin a dirty look as she walked away towards Lina's desk. Throughout the school day, Zoe refused to talk to me or even acknowledge my presence. Even when we boarded the school bus to go home, I kept a seat for her in our usual position and when she entered the bus, she ignored my tapping on the seat and went to sit down with anoth
(Kiana’s p.o.v) After the altercation with Alexandria downstairs, i was still in shock and rattled from what he said. I sat down on the couch for about ten minutes to regain my composure and to think about my new life with him. "Is this how life is going to be with him?", i asked myself. "Does this mean that anytime I meet someone, either a friend or colleague?, If he dislikes and doesn't approve of that person, does this mean he would threaten me with their life like he did just now". I think in my almost three decades of life on this earth, no one has ever scared the living daylight out of me the way Alexandria just did. It dawned on me that the rumours about the man I married were likely true. Scared shitless for Calvin, I made up my mind to do everything in my power to avoid any meeting with him. I picked up my phone, texting the group chat, saying, " Guys from now henceforth, I will no longer be meeting you guys in public". "Why? What's with the dramatics
"Those were the names of my estranged twin siblings, whom I hadn't spoken to for over 2 decades or almost three decades," I said out loud to myself Racking my brain on why they would even think of doing this to me when we haven't spoken to each other for a very long time. They were older than me by three years. "What could I have done to them to deserve this?" "Is it because I abandoned the whole family years ago or what?" I asked myself all these questions, but I'm not sure about the right answer. I knew it was time to visit my family and confront them. Because of jealousy, they basically made me sell my daughter to Alexandria. I wonder how he is treating my Kiana. Overwhelmed with so much emotion, tears began to pool in my eyes. I tried to suppress this big emotion that was eating me away, most especially the feeling of extreme guilt towards my family, mostly my daughter. I decided to keep this information to myself because I knew if I told my wife, knowing the p