Chapter Eight

Since she had no work-related issues to attend to until noon, Lauren decided to pamper herself by sleeping to her satisfaction. She woke up at a few minutes after nine and decided to do some cleaning, have breakfast and then get ready for work because Stanley will be coming to pick her up for their meeting at noon. 

Lauren had hardly started cleaning her apartment when she heard the sound of the doorbell. 

It took her by surprise because she wasn't expecting anyone at this time. 

She abandoned what she was doing and went to answer the door. 

Her heartbeat increased when she came face to face with the person that was at the door. 

"Rita!"

Before she could ask what Rita was doing at her place. Rita pushed Lauren aside and made her way into her apartment. 

Lauren heaved a sigh and shut the door. 

She approached Rita who was already in her living room. 

"You can't come to my apartment and barge in as if it's yours. You could have at least waited until I told you to come in." Lauren said with her arms folded. 

Rita let out a bitter laugh and placed her handbag on the couch close to her. 

"The last time I was here, you could hardly look into my eyes or talk back at me. Don't think you have the right to disrespect me just because Stanley has started fucking you. You and I are not mates."

Lauren ignored her statement. "What do you want?" She demanded. 

"You must be very happy because you've succeeded in seducing my husband. He has asked for a divorce but what he doesn't understand is that I won't allow him to get rid of me easily."

"I wondered what you did or told Stanley that made him hate me so much. I remember the first time we met, he was head over heels for me and was ready to buy the universe for me. He proposed to me and I became the happiest woman in the world. But you walked into our lives and destroyed a happy home."

"I won't stand here and watch you say false things about me. You never cared about or love your husband, you never had a happy home therefore I didn't destroy anything." Lauren countered. 

Even though Lauren was quite scared on the inside, she wouldn't show it to Rita. She was tired of being manipulated by her. 

"I see....." Rita mumbled. She was so surprised that Lauren was talking back at her. 

"I hope you remember all that I told you the last time I came to visit. What I said I will do to you if Stanley dumps me." She explained. 

"But today I come in peace to give you options." She said and Lauren looked at her, totally confused. 

Rita reached for her purse in her handbag. She took out an already filled and signed cheque. 

"This is more than enough to cater for your needs for a very long time." She referred to the cheque she was holding. 

"I know you're pregnant with Stanley's child and that is the main reason why he is so crazy about you. I want you to take this money, abort that bastard in you and then flea from the surface of this earth. This money will be enough for you to start a new life."

Lauren looked at Rita with wide eyes. She couldn't believe the cruel words that were coming out of Rita's filthy mouth. 

First, she had no idea how Rita came to the conclusion that she is pregnant when she is not. She and Stanley haven't even gone past what they did the night he confessed his feelings to her. 

Had it been she is truly pregnant with Stanley's child, she couldn't understand how Rita expected her to kill an innocent being. 

"What??? Are you sick?" Lauren bluttered out after a while of being shock. 

"I'm perfectly okay and I'm serious about what I just said." She responded as if what she suggested wasn't a bad thing. 

"I know the baby is the only reason why Stanley treats you like a Queen. So once the baby is no longer there, he will stop being all over you, then I can have my husband back. It's so unfortunate that I got rid of his because I wasn't ready to be a mother." She explained. 

"You murdered you and Stanley's child?" Lauren asked in disbelief, she was almost in tears, She wondered if Stanley was aware. 

As far as Lauren could remember, Stanley loves children and he has a soft spot for them. He is also a major sponsor to several children's charities to help children in need. 

"How can you be so cruel? How can you kill someone so innocent?" Lauren cried. 

"I don't owe you any explanation woman. I'm here for you to accept my offer."

"Do..does Stanley know about it? Is he aware that you aborted his child?" Lauren asked as a tear rolled down her cheek. 

"He's aware, " Rita answered. 

"Now tell me if you accept my offer or not? I don't have time for your sentiments." She added. 

Lauren wiped her tears with the back of her palm. 

"You know what Rita? Before now, I've been feeling a little bit guilty about my feelings for Stanley because he is married to you. I've been concerned about how you'll feel when he breaks up with you but now I've come to realize that Stanley was right all along. You don't worth my worry and neither do you deserve any of my pity."

"You're nothing but a cruel, bittered and heartless individual. Your fight is to continue to stay with Stanley not because you love him but because of the fortune you're getting out of him."

"I confidently stand before you and tell you that I'm in love with Stanley. I'm deeply and madly in love with him and I'll do anything for his happiness even though it involves me laying down my life for him."

"Stanley is a good man and he deserves to be with someone that loves, respects and appreciates him. I no longer care if he married you first or neither do I care about how long you've been married to him. The most important thing right now is that Stanley is in love with me and I'm ready to fight for him against you and everyone else."

"You're not a real woman. You had a man as amazing as Stanley on a platter of gold and the only thing you could ever repay him with was to treat him like shit. You didn't care a bit about him and now you're running helter-skelter because he asked you for a divorce."

"You broke your home yourself, Rita. You took for granted all that you had and it is all your fault and your loss."

"I really care about Stanley's happiness and hurting him is the very last thing on my mind."

"I'm hereby promising you that I'll love, cherish and protect him, I will make him happy all the time, I will never do anything to harm his baby and most importantly, I reject your offer. You and your money can go to hell."

Lauren said at a go. She was surprised she even said this much but she was happy she let it all out. Guess you have to step out of your comfort zone to defend and protect the ones you love. 

Rita's face was red, Lauren could almost see smoke coming out of her ear. She never expected that reply. 

"You'll regret talking to me like that and rejecting my offer, " Rita said with gritted teeth. 

Lauren let out a satisfied laugh. "Gone are those days when your threats freak me out. Sorry to burst your Ego, Miss Rita, I see nothing but empty threats. You cannot do anything to me because Stanley got my back."

"Don't you ever come close to me or to my apartment ever again. You can now take your leave. I've got important things to attend to." Lauren said with her arms folded, waiting for Rita to get the fuck out of her apartment. 

Rita cursed silently before picking up her handbag and seeing herself out, slamming the door behind her.