After driving for some time, they get to Ellicott City, where Edna's parents live. It's a very good neighborhood. The houses are huge and it's a very peaceful place. Edna pulls the car to the side of the road, beside a house covered in Orange paint. The house is a one-story building and it's very elegant, like the ones around it. "That's a very nice place that your family has got here. " Malik comments. "Yeah, your Dad bought it for us." Edna reveals as she takes off the seatbelt. " From the house to the car, to the very socks my dad would be putting on right now. "There is a stiff smile on her face which makes it hard for Malik to tell if she is just being sarcastic or very angry. "Let's just go and meet your people, shall we?" He quickly changes the topic. Both of them come down from the car and she presses the button to lock it up. They walk side by side to the front door and Edna braces herself as she knocks on the door. After knocking like twice, the door flings open and
The phone won't stop buzzing in his pocket, but Malik won't answer it. Not until he gets to the car. It's his father calling him and it's not that he is too scared to pick up, it's that he doesn't want Edna or any of her family members to hear the conversation he is going to have with his father because he knows that it's going to be intense. He knows the exact reason his father is calling, but he wasn't expecting the call to come now. He thought it would come when he is in his hotel, at night so that he would speak to his father with all confidence. He gets to the car, unlocks it, and jumps into the driver's seat. He takes out the phone from his pocket and slides the answer icon to the side. " You better have a damn good reason for refusing to pick my call all this time, Malik. " His father fumes from the other side of the phone. Even though his father sounds so angry, Malik is not moved an inch. " And I am sure that you have a good reason for calling me because I have been v
The decision for Edna to go to the hospital without eating first was a very big mistake. Her father tried to change her mind, but she refused, and now, Malik is blaming himself. He should have begged her too, but he didn't. He was even madder at himself because he did nothing to make her listen to her father. Now she is by the window, crying her eyes out into a handkerchief as she looks away now and then from her brother who is lying on the bed. Philip is lying dead still on the bed and he looks so white with lifelessness. His eyes are shut and the skin of his lips has gone from pink to gray. Except for the periodic beeping that comes from the machine around him, there is no sign of life in Philip. Malik can't help but look away. Philip is not his relative, but he feels so much pity for him right now. He knew Philip a bit when they still lived in the same state. Philip was a few years older, but he didn't go to school. He was a local mechanic and helped in the mechanic works
Turns out that the process to get Philip transferred to a much better hospital turns out to be a very tedious task. They have to do research, call, and meet with the said doctor who would be heading the treatment. Making Visas for Philip, his mum, and his wife –who will be going with him. If not for Malik's influence, it would have taken a longer time, but even with that, it's so demanding. Mentally, financially and all, Malik shoulders all of the stress by himself and Edna helps him as best as she can. Meetings with both the old and new doctors, booking a private plane to convey them. Preparing the kids and her Dad who would be left behind. After being bent in all of the stress for two whole days, they are finally free. They have concluded the meetings, funds have been transferred, and everything is ready to go. Edna is behind the wheels as she drives back to the house, Malik is sitting beside her and both of them look like shit. They haven't slept even a bit in two days now a
Malik is lost of breath for the first time in his life. He is completely taken aback and his jaw slacks. He swallows hard and struggles to tear his eyes away, but it's so damn hard. He runs his hand over his jaw and looks away, at the wall of the elevator. He remembers how he has always thought she would look naked –even though he knew it was wrong, he did it anyway. The truth is that she is beautiful, the dream of any man. She doesn't need to put a price on herself because all the money in the world is not enough to buy her body, mind, or beauty. "Edna, what are you saying?" He says as soon as he finds his voice. She is perfect, she must be the prototype that God took inspiration from to create every other woman. She turns to look at him and God, just how beautiful she looks. Edna is slender but has some curves at her hips and buttocks. Her breasts are standing like two big melons in her chest, and God how beautiful they stand. Is there any sane man who would say that he doe
After a very hectic flight through the not-too-fine weather, Edna and Malik find their way to New York just a few hours past midnight. Few vehicles are still moving around the place and a few people are still walking around. Edna and Malik get into his car that has been parked at the airport from the day they left and now they are both driving home. Edna is asleep with her head against the headrest and Malik is slowly driving them. They are both exhausted and very tired and all they need now is rest. Malik first takes her to her house and stops the car in front of the small gate. The engine is still running and Malik gently taps her on her shoulder so that she would know that they have arrived. She opens her eyes and rubs them, she can't believe that she has made her way back home. Even though she has been away from home for a month, she is not very happy to be back. " We are home. " Malik says with a slight sadness in his voice. "Yeah. " She sighs. " Thanks for the ride. "
A strong hand is holding her against the bed and she can't move. She tries to get free, but this person is too strong. "Oh, God. " She moans. Her face is against the bed and her chest is pressed against the soft sheets. She is on her knees and her hands are held behind her and she can't move. She feels a tingling between her legs and she curls her toes up. Her jaw falls to the ground and her tongue is out of her mouth as if she is a dog. She has never had this feeling before in her life and she doesn't want this to end at all. She feels a kiss on her neck and she whimpers. This person is purposely teasing her and she wants him to stop. She wants to feel the real thing already. "Please, do it. " She begs in desperation. " Fuck me, already. "She hears a wicked laugh and she feels an addition of a finger, the fingers are so good that it's so hard to imagine them doing anything apart from that. Her eyes go all the way to the back of her head and she moans and tries to break free,
With a new pride now, Edna leaves her father-in-law's office. She thought that he would speak to her about something else, she didn't do anything wrong, but there is always something that might have been missed. She is also grateful to the doctors who Malik made to take a vow not to say anything to Mister Jackson and she is very glad that they have complied. In her moment of joy, she decides to go to Malik's office and tell him the good news. She didn't get scolded like she thought she would and it was such a big deal for her that wants to share this moment with him. Kim appears from the corner with some files in her and she looks up. Her face brightens when she notices her boss. "Ma'am. " She half walks and half runs to her. Edna is glad to see her secretary and if not for protocols, she would have hugged her right now, but she doesn't. Kim looks more excited to see her and she is smiling so widely. "It's so good to see you, ma'am, I won't lie, I have missed you. " She beams
EpilogueMalik is tired, he has hardly slept for more than two hours in the past three days. The reason is that he is putting together the last of his affairs. After all, he is moving to Italy. He has done a lot in the past days which includes making peace with his father's enemies, Tide and Devan gold. It wasn't easy making peace with them, but he did. He paid for their damages and informed them that Jacksons' company is now under new management. He also proposed business deals to them and from what he saw, he will run the company more successfully. He is also discussing a change of name for the company, he wants it to bear his mother's name because she deserves it. He can't forget his brother too. Even though his brother has been the biggest asshole, he was still his brother and for that, he has made a huge donation to a rehabilitation program, Edna did the same. As for his father, he is still mourning the "loss" of his business, but he is not going to suffer. He still has a
Malik has never felt more nervous in his life. He was bold when he told Edna that he wanted to talk with her parents. He was bold when she told him that they are ready to meet with him. He was bold when he drove to the restaurant one fine evening from his hotel room, but the moment he saw her intimidating father, he lost all his courage and his heart fell to the pit of his stomach like a deflated balloon. Her mother didn't see him, she is reading through the menu and talks to her husband, who has locked eyes with Malik. He still feels the impact of the man's punch from the night before. He smooths his hair back, adjusts his jacket, and walks into the restaurant. It's not full, that's because this isn't New York. "Hello. " He says to both of them but he doesn't take his seat. Edna's mother frowns and drops the menu back on the table. Her father only nods at him, that's it. He feels pain so heavy in the back of his throat, but he composes himself. He can't believe that they hav
Both Edna and Malik knew that this was coming after all Malik was just spitting all the unknown facts at him. Edna feels a rumbling in her stomach and she feels like it's just her baby getting scared too. Malik drops the papers in his hand and for the first time, he smiles. He smiles at his father's misery and he even laughs at it. "Well, Dad, you have always thought we were fucking, turns out we were. " He grins like he is fucking proud of himself. "What?!" "I'm responsible, Dad. " Malik breaks it down. " At least it's still your grandchild. "Mister Jackson jumps up to his feet as if his chair just caught flames and he points a finger at Edna. The flames in his eyes are so hot that she is scared she is going to get scaled. "You!!" He screams. " I have always known that you are a good-for-nothing piece of shit, I should have killed you when I had the chance. "Even with all his angry bursts, he doesn't go close to Edna and Malik just leaves him alone to go rant. " I took you
Edna feels like she has just melted into her chair, all numb from her head to the heels of her toes. "What?!" Her voice is so small that it doesn't sound like hers at all. Malik doesn't give her any answer, he is having a staring contest with his father. The tension is tight in the air, they won't say a word to each other. Malik looks calmer but his father looks like he is a bomb that is going to go off any time soon. Edna swallows down an imaginary lump in her throat but she still doesn't feel better, it's suffocating. " Malik. " She turns to him. " I don't understand what you are saying. "He turns to her and gives her hand a little squeeze. " Don't worry, it's all going to be cleared in a few minutes. "She nods and keeps calm, she believes him. He turns to his father and that glare returns back to its place. He leans back against his chair, but not his father. " We are listening, Dad. " He shrugs. " Why did you do it? Why did you kill your favorite son?"" Malik, boy. " Hi
True to Malik's word, a call comes in from the front desk that someone is waiting for her at the reception. It's a good thing that she has put on her clothes and gotten prepared for the person who would be picking her up. She locks up her room and walks to the elevator. As the elevator lowers to the ground, she wonders what Malik is up to. She gets out of the elevator and walks into the reception. There are a lot of people there, but when she sees Rollins, she knows that it's him. Maybe because he is putting on such a fine suit or because she has seen him a few times with Malik, he is one of the few people that work directly for Malik and not his father. He smiles and walks up to her and bows to her respectfully. " Good morning. " He greets. " Good morning." She answers with a very bright smile. " This way, ma'am. " He leads her out of the hotel and towards the parking lot. She sights the white SUV even before they get close to it. He walks ahead of her and opens the door for
Edna's face turns white as Anna's confession is not something that she saw coming. Anna too never wanted the marriage? She didn't want to get married to Malik? That's wild. Anna laughs when she sees how surprised Edna is and she walks to the edge of the bed and sits on it. She crosses her legs over each other and pulls a pillow close to her. She glances at Edna and she understands that she wants to sit beside her. She does too and now they are so close that they can feel each other's body heat. " But did you really believe that those tears were real?" Anna laughs. "Yeah, I have been so worried about you. " Edna says. " I have always wanted to call you but if I left you would still be mad at all of us. ""Nah. " She waves off. " It's kind of a huge relief for me too, so it's all good. "Edna is so confused right now. "But you were so excited about getting married. " Edna can't let this go so easily. "No, I pretended to be so happy because I wanted to make my parents happy. " S
It looks like a war front in here as everyone is yelling words around and pointing fingers at each other. Malik steps down from the altar and walks down the aisle. He pushes the door open and walks out, no one stops him. Ramona rushes after him after she gets over the shock, but Edna can't. She is too frozen to move. Edna is calmly holding onto herself. She feels like everyone is going to notice how fast her heart is beating against her chest and they are going to know that she had something to do with this. He said he loves her, he told someone that he loves her. She feels terrible that Anna isn't going to get married again, but Malik said he loves her. Anna lets out a scream of agony. And falls to the ground. Edna rushes to her side and holds her up. Her family rushes to her side and her brothers take her in their arms. Her mother is crying with her, wiping her daughter's tears instead of hers. Her father looks mad, the angriest that Edna has ever seen and she watches him loo
The knocks come again and it is just as loud and terrifying as thunder. "Malik, open the fucking door, I need to speak to you. " His father sounds angry. He beats against the door with his fist and Edna fearfully watches the door quiver as if there is an earthquake. Malik is perfectly calm and doesn't move an inch to get to the door. Mister Jackson doesn't go away and each time he knocks, it's louder than the last one. He is somehow convinced that Malik is inside his room and he is not leaving until he speaks to him. Edna is so scared that she is tempted to walk to the door and open it. She will then fall on her knees and explain to Mister Jackson that it's not what he thinks. There is a slight chance that he would listen and that means she is presently just overreacting, but there is a chance that he is going to make a big deal out of this since he already hates her. Since Malik isn't moving or saying a word, maybe it's better if she doesn't say anything too. Malik grabs her
Edna holds tightly to Malik's word. Her family thinks that she is crazy and now she has taken to the idea too, maybe she is really crazy – maybe a little bit. If not, what sane woman would go to attend the marriage ceremony pregnant for the groom and even though she is friends with the bride? She has never admitted it – she had kicked out the thought in her head too, it keeps coming back though – but she wishes that the wedding could be off so that she can have Malik to herself. She is happy for Anna and she would be even happier for her if she is going to be married to someone else, but it has to be Malik, right?She knows that a failed wedding ceremony is going to hurt Anna, but she still wants to give Malik a chance to come through as he said. His plan of coming through doesn't involve him going on with the wedding. She doesn't want to be the bad person in this case, but she can't just help it. Her father kills the engine and turns to her. He takes off his baseball cap and put