Esmeralda was discharged in the afternoon of the next day. Well, based on the way she had been up to no good as usual from the previous morning; using the hospital gloves to tie round the bed and asking the doctor if he was dating the nurse, the chief consultant of the hospital who had been specially assigned to her had said that she was fit to be discharged.
But Jade had insisted on having the doctors watch for one more day; one more day which had turned out to be a terribly memorable day for Chloe and the hospital staff.
Jade was assured that had the doctor the privilege to do so, he would have added 'Leave and never return' in her discharge papers.
As soon as an exhausted Chloe had informed Jade that they were being discharged, the latter had instructed Dante, her chauffer to take her to the hospital.
Now, they sat at the back of her navy blue SUV, the little girl seated in between them, and alternating between dragging Jade's suit and
Esmeralda appeared by the door, her eyes glinting with excitement at the sight of him. Ricky felt his guts punch with equally exciting emotions at the happiness in her eyes."Susan! Let my fwend in or mummy will fire you for holding up her boyfwend!"Dear Lord, how possible was it that the cause of the blush tainting the cheeks of a full-grown twenty-one year old man was a five year old girl?But she succeeded, for his heart began to pound in nervousness as though he were some inexperienced teenager."Oh..." Susan muttered with an apology, opening the door more widely and letting him in. Jade had instructed her not to open to doors to anyone they didn't recognise anymore, the home security doubled ever since Esmeralda's incident had occured."Who is there?" Now that was the voice of his girlfriend; it felt good addressing her that way in his mind.And before he could do as much as say a word, Esmeralda had taken him by the hand and was
"Those horses are beautiful. I wonder what breed they are." Jade exclaimed in wonder as they drove past a ring, made up of exquisite green fields on which white, healthy horses pranced on, their pride and arrogance evident in their steps. "You wanna stop and ride one?" Ricky asked, adjusting his sunshades. He had been driving for the past twenty minutes with the windows down, making their hairs fly all over their faces. "No, I would rather see the sunset with you. Meanwhile, you do realise that there is a really double meaning behind your words, or no pun intended?" Jade asked, her brows arched. She had worn sunglasses as well and held the hat in her hand, the shades concealing her expressive brown eyes from him. But he knew that they were glinting with mischief, and laughing at it. He laughed as well, flexing his shoulders. "I'm always ready for some riding and grinding with you obviously, e
"Why don't we take a picture of the sunset? You brought your phone with you?" Jade asked, her head on Ricky's shoulders, both of them sitting on the sands, staring at the sunset whose orange rays was beginning to darken. "Yeah sure." Ricky reached into the pocket of his trousers and pulled out an I-phone, handing it over to her. "Thanks. I didn't even think of my phone as I was rushing out." "You mean rushing out to be with me?" Jade rolled her eyes. They had both discarded their shades on the sandy ground, sitting shoulder to shoulder at the shores of the ocean. "How cocky." She said, rolling her eyes again. Ricky laughed in response. "You are aware that the etymological origin of that word is from cock. So, are you implying that I'm so full of it, Ms. Raymonds?" Brows arching, Jade focused the camera on the sunset, taking
Jade walked into the high Mears Corporation buildings which had been constructed with an anachronistic architectural taste. But not any less fascinating, magnificent. Or perhaps she was deeply observing its beauty because the owner was no longer just a business partner to her, but had become something more than she could name; more than a boyfriend, and certainly far more than a friend. "Good morning, ma'am." The security officer greeted her as she walked in with Annabelle beside her, muttering something about meeting with the 'rock' himself. So much pun intended. Jade stopped walking as something struck her mind, her navy blue open-toe heels halting in clicking noisly as well. "Did something happen? Is Mr. Long around us?" Annabelle asked with a false nervousness, her eyes expressing exactly how much fun she was having. Jade stepped closer to her, making s show of patting her assistant's shoulders and arranging her jacket. "You.
Ricky punched the remote button, shutting his office blinds and casting the expansive room into a semi darkness. In the middle of his well-furnished office for the first time was Jade, pacing and fiddling with her nails nervously. It wasn't the way he had imagined her being in his office for the first time. Well, he hadn't also envisioned this ever happening just when he thought they were getting closer. So it seemed that nothing had simply worked out the way he had planned it. "Can you stop pacing now? You will get dizzy." Ricky finally spoke when he couldn't stand her pacing up and down anymore. Biting her lower lip which was covered in a red lipstick, highlighting every beautiful heart-shape and sharp edges of her delectable lips, she barely heard him, her heels clicking as she walked up and down. He forced his eyes away from them, which didn't prove to be a tedious task considering that he was mad as well. "How can I stop, Rick
Ricky was seated at a table alone by the time Jade caught sight of him from where she sat at her backseat, reading a document that had been sent by her assistant early that morning. "You can stop here." She instructed Dante, her chauffeur, and he parked beside one of Ricky's cars. The same one he had driven to the beach. Dante rounded the car and opened the door for her, waiting till she stepped out before shutting the door. Ricky had chosen a large acre of land which consisted mostly of fields and then a jet take-off space, which would make it easier for her to see him off and then get into her car. They hadn't had the time to talk since she had been busy approving documents and rejecting other requests, which he had been busy preparing for the business trip. Jade had therefore dressed in casual blue jeans and a simple top beneath well-fitted sweats which she held at the waist, and completed the look with a dark face cap and brown shades. Her h
Ricky moaned against her lips, cupping her waist and moulding her closer to himself, his palms touching every part of her body from her silky hair to her waist. Her slender frame fitted perfectly against his bulky muscular frame, and they kissed as though they were both thirsty, each holding tightly to the other. Jade broke it off first, her lips already swollen from the force of the kiss. "You're amazing." He spoke, panting for breath as though he had just had an orgasm. Which was exactly what it felt like. His hard sensual lips were parted, his chest heaving up and down. "Fuck, I'm going to miss you." Her heart pounded heavily at his declaration, and she licked her lips, tasting his lips in her mouth. "So I will. I wish I were coming with you." Ricky winked at her response. "Oh baby, you can always 'come' with me and for me." They both laughed, their loud voices resonating through the fields.
The doors were slid open as Jade walked calculatively into it, security officers bowing in greeting as though she were a princess, Annabelle trailing closely behind her, clutching tightly to Jade's tablet. It wasn't long before the employees of the Mears cooperation again spotted them at the executive top floor where the conference room was was located, stepping out of the lifts and down the expansive hallways that smelt highly of strong cologne of the both sexes. But today, Jade wasn't concerned about the fragrance or how it reminded her of Ricky, neither was Annabelle making any jokes today. Because they were headed towards the conference room for an emergency board meeting she had called for, regarding an urgent matter she had only come to know of in the last few hours. The automated doors slid open as Jade and her assistant made their way into the large hall, a different one from the boardroom they had been using for meetings since. Irresp
She made his emotions a huddle of cacophony, pushing him into that state of euphoria and ecstatic madness and hunger. It was a kiss that expressed the feeling of raw desire which was mutual between them; unquenching thirst for each other driving them both, leading the way, making them mere passengers in the ride to Nirvana. He cuddled her neck, kissing her lips like the drink he had wanted, needed to be alive for a long time. He had missed her, and so had she, and they told this to one another without uttering a word. Their lips were the words, their touches every proof each needed to know how the other felt about them. It was he who broke the kiss, having been reminded by the medicine he inhaled on her neck that she was convalescing. He fought hard not to remember her fall, that traumatising memory being replaced by the reality of her finally being in his arms. He wasn't panting for breath, but his chest was heaving up and down, his pupils dilated wi
Ricky gulped down his second cup of coffee for the night, the bitterness of the strong black coffee making him clench his teeth. It was just as he had requested for it; black, strong. Yet he felt like calling the staff to ask for a change. But it was exactly what he needed at the moment after being awake for a long long time. It was either that or he would sleep all the way to the U.S. without taking care of the urgent issues which awaited him. He checked the time by his watch, wondering why his assistant was delaying with his luggage. Not that he couldn't travel without his bags anyway considering that he could simply buy everything he needed when he got home, but there were documents he needed to sign as well before leaving. Documents like placing a ban on the P.I. in every country of the world for daring to cross him. He would ensure that although the man could live his life however he wanted without being arrested by the police, he would never be
"But before I say anything, I request that we watch the Homestead news first." Ricky added, and then reclined against the seat while the news anchor switched the TV on.Annabelle who was holding the remote, her heart in her chest switched channels, and they watched as another presenter came into view."We are here with information regarding Mr. Patrick Raymonds, whose offences of using the company as a font for his illegal activities recently went viral."Jade inhaled a deep breath, licking her lips nervously. At this point, the world had already got to know about what she had tried to protect for years, and so emphasising it in a TV didn't ache her anymore as much as she had thought it would."Based on the evidence we have gathered so far, it has been confirmed that Mr. Raymonds forced his wife, the late Prima Donna to sign the company rights over to him, and then started using the company to aid drug traffickers in their activities."The presente
She rubbed her stomach for the umpteenth time, that completely flat abdomen of hers that had served as a habitant for food and drinks...Now carried a child, one created from her and Ricky.She now had responsibility for two; whatever she did would affect the tiny foetus probably struggling to mature into a baby.She wanted to cry, again."Say ahh, Jade."She forced her mouth open, accepting the porridge oats that Chloe held out to her. Now, she couldn't refuse to eat anymore, because one other tiny human would be affected as well.Chloe reached out to wipe the corner of her mouth which the oat had spilled on, and then scooped another spoonful of the porridge.For the past three days since she had woken up, Chloe had been taking care of her during the day, while Annabelle stayed with her at night, during which her sister returned to spend the night with Esmeralda.It had felt strange at first, being at the receiving end o
The last time he had got drunk, and drowned himself in a pool of alcohol because he needed to forget everything that had to do with reality, it had been the night he'd seen Jade with Rafferty at the restaurant, the night he had made the mistake of sending the red haired Kimberly to the floors and Jade had looked at him with those hard eyes.Tonight, he was here because his girlfriend and mother of his child hated him; because he had made another mistake of causing her reputation to be ruined, and killing the trust she had in him.."One more round, sir?" The bartender asked, staring at the empty glasses that Ricky had drained down his throat with skepticism."Yeah, fill everything up.""Just two glasses will do, Robert." Another voice intervened, that familiar teasing voice that Ricky had grown up having beside him."Okay, sir." The bartender replied, without making any pretence of feeling confused about whose order to take. When the owner of the ba
'Some time' became interpreted from hours to days, during which Ricky never left her side. It didn't matter how many times he received calls that the scandal was affecting his stocks as well because he and Jade had openly declared their relationship. Neither did it matter that in the expansive VIP room, Annabelle, Chloe who arrived the morning after the accident and Kiara took turns there as well, and urged him to go home even if it was for a day. He cleaned her every morning and night, his palm lingering on her stomach which was still so flat he still felt it was a dream that his baby was growing there. Outside, security was tightened both in front of her room and the entire hospital as well. Because the media was still outside, camping like locusts and waiting for either him or Jade to come out and give an interview. They had continued writing shit of course, stating that she must have hidden in the hospital room to avoid being prosecuted. B
"You didn't know she's pregnant?" Those were the doctor's first words when he announced after the first examination and scan that mother and child were safe. It had been followed by silence, throwing open of lips like a box of cookies and the question, 'Pregnant?' "No, no..." He muttered, shock gripping him whole. With the help of Kiara, he had carried her to the back of his home where Jade's chauffer had been waiting. Well, waiting for a healthy boss walking with her both legs and seething in anger, not being carried to the car by a crying man soaked in a flood of her blood. She had been admitted into the VIP floor immediately, and sent to the ER where she had been examined and scanned. Now, the good family doctor of his who was attending to her stood in front of him. "It's okay, Ricky. She'll be fine okay? Just get a change of clothes while we prepare for surgery, there's nothing you can do here anyway." The fuck he would have the co
After a while, she excused herself slid off the bed, her actions so calm it scared him so much. More than he could ever explain. He watched her pick up her phone and type some messages, before wiping the tears in her cheeks as though they encompassed a salty liquid of annoying flies rather than evidence of her pains. Then she walked to the closet, and pulled out her office wear. "Babe... Babe please, where are you going? The reporters must be outside." He dared to ask, standing and walking towards her as well. "I already asked my assistant to send for my chauffer. He will pick me up through the back gate. Is that okay by you?" "Fuck" he cursed beneath his breath, it was the tone of sheer politeness and emptiness, worse than the one she had used when they had first met. In desperation, he rushed towards her and wrapped his arms around her from the back, burying his head in her neck. "Jade please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for l
She went deathly pale, green veins popping up visibly on her forehead, and spreading across her shaky palms; teeth clenched tightly together; lips quavering as her eyes failed to focus on a particular object. Seeing that she wasn't going to tell him anything, and that she kept hanging up on callers, Ricky took the phone from her, his heart skipping when his palms made contact with hers. Hers had gone cold like those of a person who had ceased to breathe and function normally. He read the information online as quickly as he could; it had exposed every damn thing about her family and business from Esmeralda's parentage, Chloe and the sleazy bastard who had denied the pregnancy, all the way to her father's crimes while in power as the CEO of the Raymonds corporation. He had committed all sorts of atrocities; using the company as a font for his illegal drug trafficking activities and their warehouses to aid female trafficking. And Jade was being accused o