The TV in the living room was on as they had their dinner. There was an awkward silence occasioned by the clatter of forks because none knew how to initiate a conversation.
She was enjoying the food and thankful for the silence cause she was sure she wouldn't be able to participate in any kind of talk at the moment seeing how her mind was scrambled. They were deep into their meal as the commentator talked about an event that seeped into her mind. Turning her head towards the TV set, she saw a photo of a handsome couple in a wedding setting. The groom, who was tall and good-looking with wavy hair, was in a dashing tuxedo while the bride, an equally tall (maybe cause she was in 6" heels), a beautiful woman, all smiled in a Cinderella wedding dress. They held hands and were smiling into the camera for all the world to capture their glorious moment of love. As if she wasn't in control of her actions, She got up from her seat and went to stand before the Television. The men who were startled by her actions, watched her movements, not knowing what was happening. She felt a cold, icy, freezing hand take her heart and rip it out. All of a sudden, she let out a blood-curdling scream and started throwing anything that was within her reach at the TV set. She turned into a mad woman in a heartbeat screaming, breaking things, and crying like an alien had taken control over her. The men coming out of shock, rushed towards her, trying to hold her down to no avail. Maria came running from her room not understanding what was happening. The scene that met her was a sight to behold. Two grown men were trying to hold down a tiny woman; the whole living room looked like a tornado had just passed through, and their gentle guest, like a possessed woman, was overpowering the men and smashing anything that came into her sight. Extreme fear gripped Maria and she couldn't move a muscle. Then, just like a light had been put out of her, the lady slumped to the ground, breathless and unmoving. As if coming out of a trance, Frost leapt to where she had fallen, grabbed her up, and laid her on the couch. At the same time, Leo took his phone out to call Weister. Maria was so confused that she just stood rooted to the ground. Weister had just come out of a long, relaxing bath and was getting ready for a lazy evening, curled up in bed with a glass of wine, her favourite book, and some cool music. She had no early appointment the following day, so she just wanted to enjoy her quiet time. Hearing her phone buzzing, she halfheartedly picked it up, hoping it wasn't an emergency call. Seeing the caller lID she quickly answered. "She screamed, she fainted, she's bleeding", rushed Leo, not knowing he was making no sense. "Please calm down and tell me what happened," Weister said putting her phone on speaker mode while rushing to her wardrobe for a change of clothes Her quiet, relaxing evening plans had to be postponed. Understanding the situation, she asked them to rush the lady to the hospital, and she would meet them there. She then made an emergency call alerting the hospital of the incoming patient. Frost gently picked her up while Leo rushed to the garage to get the car. Snapping out of it, Maria rushed upstairs to get the lady's coat so she wouldn't catch a cold. Leo looked at the cars packed and opted for the blue Mercedes C-Class. It was a small car, easy to navigate around bends and it had a wonderful speed. This is the vehicle that they would normally use when attending functions concerning middle-class institutions and programs cause it attracts less attention. Knowing that time was of the essence, he drove the car to the entrance of the house. Frost was just coming out with the lady in his arms, and Maria, like a worried mother hen, was hovering over them. She opened the rear door for him so he could get in. Not wanting to put the lady down, he had to squeeze himself inside the car as Maria shut the door and took the front seat. As if the car had wings, they were at the hospital in no time and found Weister, who lived a few blocks from the hospital, waiting for them with a gurney and a group of medics ready to receive them at the emergency entrance. The team quickly pushed the patient into the emergency room. Frost, without thinking, pushed his way in, too, only to be pulled out by Leo. At the moment he looked so distraught. Time seemed to be at a standstill and the only sound that could be heard in the corridor was Frost's footsteps as he paced up and down the hallway. He was so worried but didn't realize his pacing to and fro was driving Leo and Maria insane. When Maria couldn't take it anymore, she took her boss by his shoulders and sat him down. Surprised, Leo looked at their ever-patient Maria and gave her a thumbs-up. Flustered, she hurriedly sat down too. The waiting seemed to be killing Frost inside and all he wanted to do was to break the door open to find out what was going on in there. Without thinking, he found himself up and pacing again, looking at the light above the door every few seconds. After what seemed like an eternity, the light on the emergency door went off and Weister came out while removing her gloves and face mask. "We managed to stop the bleeding," she said. "She is in an induced coma to stabilize her system cause she looks like she faced a great trauma. She will be out for two or three days. What happened? When I left her, she was very okay?" Leo directed her to a seat, knowing that she must be exhausted after almost three hours in there. As they narrated what happened, it dawned on them that it all started with the news that was on TV. "So either seeing the wedding or the couple in the photo is what triggered her breakdown" analyzed Weister. Frost made a mental note to investigate the wedding couple. They might just have something to do with her being locked in that shed. The young lady was being willed out of the emergency room and taken to a VVIP room as requested by Frost. Weister asked them to go back home and come back tomorrow cause the medics would handle it from here but Frost would hear none of it. He instructed Leo to take Maria back home and come back with his laptop. It was going to be a long night.Leo was half asleep on the cot while Frost was busy on the laptop searching for information. The young lady was still comatose with a drip on her right arm. Machines monitoring her breathing and heart rate were beeping softly by her side.Maria opened the door a crack and peeped inside. Seeing her boss, she went in with the lunch that she had prepared for them."Frost, you need to go home and rest for a while. Leo and l can watch over her".Leo's stomach grumbled as he smelled the food. Frost got up from his seat and stretched, heading towards the window. The information he got about the wedding couple gave him question marks.The wedding happened the same week he rescued her and it was also in the same county. How were they related for her to have such a violent reaction? And why was she locked up in that dirty, dark shed, beaten almost half to death? He never liked mysteries and he was itching to get to the bottom of this.Leo was already up and eating while Maria got warm water and
Maria reacted quickly, pressing the emergency bell to call the nurses as she tried her best to hold her down. The nurse on duty came running into the room and seeing the situation, immediately called for the doctor.One look and Doctor Weister asked the nurse to inject the lady with a sedative as she asked Maria to call Frost. Maria, shaken, went outside to make the call.After the patient calmed down, Weister checked her pulse and temperature. She had a feeling maybe something was triggered in the lady's memory but since she hadn't come out of the coma, they just had to do their best to monitor her.Vinca felt like she was falling down a deep, black hole. She wanted to scream but no sound came forth. Her fall was cut short abruptly and she was now floating in a white cloud. *****Damont rushed to the door as soon as he heard the doorbell. Vinca heard the front door being opened and shut then the sound of heels. The bedroom door was flung open and a lady from earlier came in. "You s
Frost and Leo were already in the dining room with Maria setting the table. Vinca came in like a breath of fresh air in a humid room, with Bruno at her heels.Both men looked at her in awe. She was the real epitome of spring; a fairy princess in a purple sundress and a light matching sweater with pink slippers, holding pink roses in her hand.For sure, spring had arrived. She gave each one of them a rose as a sign of appreciation for the love and care that they had shown her since her rescue, blushing a crimson red as she handed the flowers.She was very much at ease in their presence, like a family from another world. She frowned as she had a passing thought of her mother and father.The table was laid with fried eggs, sausages, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and toasted bread. One had a choice of either coffee or tea.As they were eating, Vinca turned to Frost and asked him if he had thought about the request she made some time back. She needed to get a job and keep herself busy eve
Bernice sauntered into the school hallway like a princess. She was the daughter and only child of Gilbert and Bertha Skylar the Presidents and founders of Skylars House of Fashion, the leading fashion house in the country.Her parents had tried for so many years to conceive a child to make their family complete. They had Bernice when they were already advanced in age so they ended up spoiling her rotten, giving her anything she desired.She was starting her first day in the new school because she had been expelled from her previous school. Since it was her senior year, her parents were desperate for her to get her high school Diploma. They had paid a lot of money for the school to have admitted her in her last year.As she walked, heads turned to admire her cause she was a natural beauty. Being a rich, beautiful and only child made her think that she owned the world.That is why on her very first day in her new school, she saw Frost standing by the lockers and decided that he was goin
The car hooted loudly at the gate of Skylars' manor. Bernice's bodyguard was really in a rush to get her home because her crying and cursing were getting on to his last nerve.If he could, he would have stopped the car on some deserted road, wrung the breath out of her, and dumped her lifeless body in the sea.He was an Army General turned bodyguard. He had worked so hard for his achievements in the army and was honourably discharged from active duty. At the age of twenty-eight, he had managed to reach heights that most thought of only in their dreams.The only reason he took this job was that he owed Mr. Skylar and he was a man who paid his debts. Working as the bodyguard of this spoiled brat was an insult to his manhood.Driving straight to the entrance of the mansion, he opened the rear door, took a hold of the young miss, and shoved her out. Her intense screaming brought her mother to run out of the house to find out what was happening.Seeing her precious daughter sprawled on the
Back at Frost's house, Vinca was pacing up and down in the living room, fuming with anger, while Leo looked at her anxiously."Please sit down, and I will explain everything", Frost tried coaxing her. He then called out to Maria to bring them some refreshments."I want you to be my fake fiancée," he said like it was the most natural statement to come out of his mouth.Vinca and Leo looked at Frost, not believing the words coming out of his mouth. Vinca, who was already mad at him, felt her blood boiling."You want me to what?" she shouted.Frost, not noticing the anger in her eyes repeated himself. "Be my fake fiancée until Bernice stops bothering me"WHOOSH!!A cup missed his face by an inch and his shirt got drenched with tea. Leo held Vinca's hand before she could throw another missile."Just because you are my benefactor doesn't mean you can treat me like a slave. How dare you ask that of me?" she was fuming.Holding up his hands as a sign of surrender, he said " Please, just hear
All renowned reporters from the capital city were headed to The Efinson Hotel.Those who didn't get an invitation to the major press conference looked upon their colleagues with envy. They all heard that The lce King, as he was popularly known in the country, was about to release a statement that was going to change forces.Who wouldn't want to make a name for themselves and their company by covering such an event?Bernice's car was also in the convoy that was headed to the hotel. She was ready to make a huge scene if Frost insisted on making that outrageous announcement.Meanwhile, Vinca was just having the finishing touches done on her makeup. Frost had ordered her to undergo a full makeover for the event.*****In West County, a couple is seated on the couch in the living room with wine glasses in their hands as they talk about their day. The television is on but on low sound.In another house in the same county, a middle-aged man is helping his wife to sit up on the bed so that sh
Storm had to gag Bernice and tie her hands behind her back before dumping her in the car. She had been screaming, scratching his face and biting him. She was like a rabid dog and he ended up being bloodied.He swore he was dropping this nutcase back to her parents and resigning immediately, to heck with paying debts. As soon as he got to the Skylar's mansion, he picked Bernice up and gagged and bound, dropped her at her father's feet."Mr. Skylar, I am done. Don't even pay me for this month." Having said that, he dropped the car keys, access keys and gun given to him and walked out without a backward glance.Her parents had been watching the breaking news so they saw how their daughter had caused a scene and embarrassed herself.*****Back in West County, two wine glasses dropped simultaneously. Ana started trembling violently, clutching onto Damont, who was hit with shock. They had just witnessed the engagement announcement of somebody they thought was dead and buried.Damont's mind
Shanice, flustered by her mistake and wrong assumption, took a sip of the champagne to stabilize her pounding heart. It was only now that she realized that Vinca was wearing the gown that Frost had ordered. She also had on the jewellery that she had picked out at Azaeit, so she was sure she also had the shoes too. "I am so stupid. I should have known when the dress didn't get delivered to my place" she thought to herself. She just had to brave the night. Leo got up to go back to his date not wanting to be involved in his boss's drama because he could smell it coming on. "Frost, I'm so sorry. I just assumed that I would be your usual date for the Ball." She said, giving Vinca a meaningful look. "How dare she try to take my place, this flat-faced bed climber" she clenched her fist in anger. Vince completely understood the jab thrown at her and could just hold it in. Shanice was right anyway, she was the third wheel in this equation. She decided to remain oblivious to this and jus
A reporter stepped away from the mayhem to take a call. He didn't believe what his director just said. He had just been fired for gross misconduct and ordered to take the first plane back to West. As he wondered what was going on, several other reporters received calls from their superiors that left them perplexed. They had just lost their jobs without warning and were ordered back to their stations. Only one of them realized with shock that this was the consequence of rattling the lce King. "Are you feeling better?" Frost asked her, giving her a tender hug while rubbing her back. He wanted to rip off the tongues of those rogue reporters who spouted nonsense to his lady but he knew that their hell was upon them. "Frost, who's the lady who followed me to the washroom just now?" Frost beckoned to the bodyguards to come forward. "They are your bodyguards Storm and Carly." He saw the question coming. "I recruited them and they have been by your side ever since we came back from Nice"
The night was lit!! Glamour held hands with elegance, grandeur spoke with gentility, fineness and magnificence defined prominence. It wasn't just about colour and pomp. Money clashed with power to produce an explosive panorama. From the powerful machines that dropped off the glamorous guests to the designer clothes and limited edition accessories, one could feel the power that money held. A luxurious black Rolls Royce pulled up and all cameras focused on it. The customized number plate announced the arrival of Fortlink Enterprise Corporation's CEO. The uniformed chauffeur alighted to open the door for his boss and cameras started clicking. Shiny black shoes followed by long legs stepped down. Frost alighted and straightened his dinner jacket. He was in a midnight blue tuxedo with black satin lapels and a light blue and white pocket square. Touching his bow tie, he opened the back passenger door and extended his hand. Everyone gasped when they saw the lady alighting from the car.
The road leading to Spateg Towers was lit with thousands of tiny fairy lights that were hung on trees, buildings, poles, and anything that was tall enough.Everything was colourful; strands of red ribbons were flapping, and banners with different emblems representing the numerous companies present were flying proudly in the cool of the night.Beautiful flower arrangements from different species were lined by the roadside, and flowers not in season were imported from abroad. The event organizers did not spare on decorations.The red carpet was already laid out, waiting for the distinguished guests to arrive. A band was in place, waiting to start playing once they received the cue from the host. Reporters from major media houses were also braving the cold for scoops that would make major news in a few hours. Bloggers and social media influencers were not to be left behind. This was the main make-or-break event of the year and everyone came prepared.The charity event was being held in
Vinca fidgeted in her seat. She didn't want to attend the Ball but the reaction on Frost's face disturbed her. He had already done so much for her and she owed him her life. As she was lost in thoughts, Frost came back with a package in his hands."Vinca, I have a suggestion that might be profitable for you", he had done some thinking on his way to get the package."I have been thinking of how you can get back your company and going with me to the Ball is the first step." He looked at her hopefully. "Explain please", her ears pricked. VilaBeau was her life. Even though Damont violently took it away from her, she vowed that she would one day have her revenge. But why was Frost willing to help her?"Your ex needs to see that you have moved on and are not interested in the company".This caused Vinca's face to flash up in anger. Why should she sacrifice her life's worth to some scumbag? If giving up her company is what Frost expected of her then he might as well forget it!!"No no no
"Man, you look tensed. What's up with you?" Leo was driving when he perceived Frost's uneasiness which was very unusual. His boss happened to be a very composed person, but right now, he just looked perturbed.Frost fixed his gaze on the landscape leading up to his house. The houses in that area were sparingly placed leaving patches of land in between mansions.Most people chose to turn those patches into beautiful tree gardens with benches under them that provided resting places for people taking leisurely walks. The trees lining the street were now covered in canopies of snow. It was like driving down wonderland, especially in the evening when streetlights illuminated the whole boulevard."I want Vinca to be my date for the Winter Ball", he said."Mmhh so, what's the problem with that?" Leo didn't understand what his dilemma was. Getting a date for the Ball shouldn't be an arduous task for Frost.Frost absent-mindedly scratched his head. He still hadn't made his feelings for Vinca
"No, please, I will, I will", he nodded and shook his head vigorously.Leo, knowing the norm of his boss, took his phone and called the company lawyer. His boss was meticulous and kept records of every single deal concerning money.A contract was quickly drafted and handed to Young. Because he was still so agitated, there was a twitch on his fingers as he signed the document, which he didn't waste time reading. It was better to lose money that he could work hard to recover than to lose his head.Three copies were quickly made. One was handed over to him, Leo kept one, and Shanice, the other one. She was still dazed over the events; to think money would be flowing into her account monthly without her breaking a sweat. Her man was more than awesome, she thought.Young exited the building. His father was going to kill him, but it was better to pacify the lce King than become one of his targets. He crumpled the contract in his hand but didn't throw it away. He was going to keep it as a re
Young was fuming in his office. He had a foreboding feeling. Hailey, on the other hand, was holding on to his leg like a koala stuck to a tree. No amount of crying or pleading was moving the man. Young stared down at the disgusting rat stuck to his feet. With all the tears and snot running down her face, he realized she wasn't pretty at all.While he was busy shaking her off his leg, his nightmare became real. Leo walked in with two bodyguards in tow. Without saying a word, he pointed to Young who was unceremoniously whisked out of his office and into the waiting car."Please Sir, I know I was in the wrong. I will do anything to make it up to you; please just don't hurt me," he was freaking out. He had always been pampered since he was a little boy so pain was something that he could not withstand Leo had a stern face, and neither did the bodyguards that he was sandwiched between showing any sign of response. Those were the longest seven minutes of his life.Since he could barely
Leo stared at his boss's phone for a second before rushing to his office. He didn't understand anything that the lady on the phone said so it was better to notify Frost."Who went shopping with your card?" he asked, bursting into the office. Frost looked up with a frown on his face. "Will you stop barging into my office like a raccoon and what are you ranting about?""Frost, what girlfriend of yours did you send shopping with your card? Apparently, she is being harassed at Juven Mall", Leo explained with limited patience."Shanice was shopping for Vinca. If she is in some kind of trouble, just go take care of it," Frost said, going back to his file.Leo gave his boss an exasperated look and turned on his heels. His boss wouldn't give a hoot even if one of his subordinates got shot in front of him. He hurriedly got to his car and flew to the Mall before more damage befell Shanice.Shanice got up from the ground while holding her cheek. Her head was already throbbing, and a headache co