Thirteen.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
That morning, when Adele arrived at her work place, she was met with the surprise of her life. She was introduced to an editor whom she knew personally from England. He was an ex-boyfriend from college.
They were in the same department in school, but he was her senior by one year. His name was Henry and he was the first guy she had ever had feelings for. They had dated for a period of one year, before he suddenly called off the relationship after he graduated, because he had to travel back to his home city and a long distance relationship was not something he liked.
They had broken up on very bad terms, so they didn’t even attempt to talk to each other all morning even though they were working together. She was no longer in love with the man and she was sure about that, but seeing him made her sad.
Because they had all worked tediously all morning, their superior suggested they all went out for lunch and they did just that. Henry and Adele were still acting indifferent towards each other, but no one noticed.
When they finished lunch, they all left the restaurant and were walking back to the office when Adele spotted an expensive black car across the road. The car looked awfully familiar, so she decided to check the car plate and when she did, she immediately figured that it belonged to one of Jamal’s personal collection of cars. Her heart instantly began to race as she stopped on her tracks and glared at the car.
“Adele…” One of her colleagues called and the others turned to look at her. “Is everything alright?” The colleague asked when she saw the worried look on Adele’s face.
“Uhm… Guys, please can you excuse me for a moment? I need to speak with someone.” She said and excused herself before any of them could respond.
She walked over to the car with a million thoughts swimming in her mind. She wondered if Jamal had sent someone to get her to run an errand for him. It was so unusual to see his car parked around her workplace.
Once she was close enough to the car, the back door suddenly opened and to her greatest shock, Jamal walked out of the car and stood straight tall in front of her.
Her breath hitched.
“What are you doing here?” She asked right away and he casted her a cold gaze.
“Go back and bring him here.” He ordered.
Adele felt like the sky had fallen on her head. She looked at him with a pale face and tried to act like she had no idea who he was talking about.
“Who… who do you mean?” She asked and Jamal’s gaze darkened.
“If you make me say his name, I swear nothing good will happen to both of you.”
There was no space for discussion.
She knew she had to execute his order if her life was important to her.
She immediately turned around and headed back to the confused group of people who were giving her confused looks.
It was not everyday that they saw Jamal Dominick on the streets talking with a random woman.
Only that in that case, that wasn’t just any random woman, that was his wife.
“Henry.” She called his name for the first time in forever as she nervously scratched her head.
“Adele…isn’t that the almighty Jamal King? Why is here talking with you?” Her superior asked in horror and Adele just gave him an apologetic look before turning back to Henry.
“Please, can you come with me for a bit?” She pleaded.
She felt so embarrassed that her blood almost dug holes on her cheeks and burst out of them. She hadn’t spoken with Henry for years and even when he showed up that morning, she had given him nothing but a cold shoulder.
Now look at the situation they were in.
Poor Henry quietly followed her, confused.
“I’m so sorry Henry, I swear I had no intention of ever contacting you or putting you in this kind of situation. I was obliged to call you now.” she tried to explain as she continued her way back to Jamal.
“What’s going on?” Henry asked, eyeing her suspiciously, but she did not say a word. She kept walking towards Jamal and soon, the two of them were standing in front of the terrifying man.
Henry panicked the moment he recognised the man standing before him and took a step backwards.
He knew that man all too well and he did not have a good history with him and that history involved Adele.
Jamal suddenly held Adele’s hand and made her stand beside him.
“Let me introduce myself, I am this woman’s husband.” He spoke coldly and Henry swallowed hard.
Adele looked up at him and instantly choked on her saliva. That was the least thing she expected him to say.
“I am already aware of your previous relationship with her and I absolutely refuse to tolerate your current entanglement…”
“What entanglement?” Adele thought.
“Therefore, it’s either you walk out of her life on your own free will or I will make sure that happens my way.” He ordered in a menacing tone with his choice of formal words only making things worse.
Adele could see Henry trembling on the spot.
“I apologise for the inconvenience. I was wrong to be here. I will back out of the project immediately!”
“Go back to your country and never show your face to my wife ever again. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Sir.” Then he casted Adele one look and walked away to join the orders.
“Get into the car!” Jamal ordered and Adele did not dare to protest. She instantly hopped in and they drove away in total silence that made her mind idle to let her think of all sorts of things: like the sad, disappointed look on Henry’s face when he walked away.
She was confused as to why Jamal was so angry. It’s not like she knew that he was coming to work with them. By the way, she was planning to tell him about it the moment she got back home.
When they arrived at the mansion, the centre of her thoughts, which was her husband, walked out of the car and headed straight into the Mansion with very fast steps, leaving her behind. She followed him, almost running, but as she got in, Shannelle blocked her way and gave her a curious look.
“Did you two fight?” She asked with a smirk.
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Adele replied and pushed her aside to follow Jamal. She was not ready to discuss her marital problems with anyone, talk less of one of the people who wished for her marriage to fall apart.
When she got into their bedroom, she met Jamal standing in the middle of the vast space in the bedroom. He looked very scary.
She closed the door slowly and then stepped closer to him.
“Why didn’t you tell me your ex-boyfriend was here?”
“Jamal, I arrived at work this morning and met him. Then I was told he had been invited by the company to help with some editing. I had no idea he was coming.”
“You have my phone number Adele, you should have called and told me he was there. Why did you keep it away from me?” He spoke with so much rage that made Adele take a step backwards out of fear.
She tried to understand why he was so angry, but she couldn’t because his current fit of rage made no sense to her. He was overreacting, but she dared not say that to him.
“It wasn’t intentional.” She mustered up the courage and defended herself. “I mean, apart from the fact that I’ve not had time to do anything else, I didn’t think it was important for me to call you just to talk about it. We only had to…”
“It is not up to you decided what is important for me or not!” He rudely interrupted. “You didn’t even tell him you were married, did you? Why? Were you planning to rekindle past emotions? Did I ruin your plans today?” The moment those words left his mouth, a slap landed on his cheek.
Adele just slapped him.
She took a step forward and looked up at him with tears spilling down her cheeks.
“You have no right to accuse me of such nonsense! I didn’t mention anything about me being married because you told me this marriage is supposed to be a secret between us. Because you have refused to announce it to the public! What if I did and he asked me who my husband was? What was is I supposed to say?” She yelled in tears.
“You know the reason why I’m concealing this marriage from the public so don’t blame it on me. You have disrespected me and our marriage. You were supposed to call me the moment you saw him at your workplace, but you didn’t. Instead you spent hours working with him and rekindling emotions!”
“Jesus Christ, Jamal! What is wrong with you? Stop talking nonsense! You are blowing things out of proportion!” Adele cried tiredly and Jamal’s next action shook her to the core. He held her face with his palms and gave her a violent kiss that almost took her breath away.
He kissed her like his entire existence depended on it.
By the time he broke the kiss, they were both breathless and panting like people who just returned from a marathon race.
Jamal joined their foreheads together and closed his eyes as a hot tear ran down his left cheek.
“Adele, you are mine. Do you understand that? Do you respect that?” He asked breathlessly and Adele pushed him away.
“I’m not some tool for you to claim ownership over. I am a human and you have no right to say that to me!” She yelled at the top of her voice in anger, but that did not stop Jamal.
He once more closed the gap between them and held her face in his hands.
“Adele…” He whispered huskily. “If you ever go near that man again, I will kill him.”
He whispered in a quiet voice, breathlessly and Adele could tell from his tone that he wasn’t bluffing.
It was then she understood that her husband was nonsensically possessive.
“Why are you doing this?” She finally whispered in defeat.
“Because I don’t want anyone to take what is mine. You are mine Adele, mine alone!”