CHAPTER TWENTY~FOUR
Days passed and Adele still did not tell Jamal about her pregnancy and she was getting worried. Her fevers were getting more frequent and morning sickness was taking a toll on her. She needed to find a way to tell him because he needed to know. All the times she had made up her mind to tell him, a fight had broken out between them which led to her not saying anything in the end.
Her mother and sister-in-law kept taunting her whenever they got the opportunity and Danielle made sure to come home everyday looking for Jamal.
She was tired, but there was nothing she could do.
That afternoon, she was seated in her office, lost in thought when her supervisor walked in with a worried look. She heaved out a heavy sigh because he knew he was there to ask her to do something which was not her job. That was the face he kept every time he wanted her to do something out of her scope.
“Adele.” Mr. Frank called and Adele looked up at him with tiredness written all over her face. She was trying very hard to be strong and do some work, but deep within, she was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.
“Yes, Mr. Frank.”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“What’s that?”
“For the event tonight, Melissa called in sick and she will not be there to interview the guest. Remember it’s a function organized by Mr. Rowan Eerling and he has invited top business men, including The almighty Mr. Jamal King Dominic. He granted our request to come along with our reporters to interview some of the guests and that is such an honor. Unfortunately, Melissa is unwell and you are the only one who I think can interview the guest, so I need you to come with us to the event this evening. We meet here at the office and drive there as a team. It is not up for a debate.” Then he turned and exited the office.
An exasperated sigh escaped Adele’s lips as she ruffled her hair, trying hard not to scream.
He had no idea what he was about to put her through. Jamal was going to be at that function, how exactly was she going to work properly with him around?
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Adele’s team arrived at the Hall in one of their agency cars and she was not surprised at all to see how glamorous everything and everyone looked. The other team members began packing the cameras and mics out of the car, while Mr. Frank led her into the hall.
She had made sure to dress well for that event but after seeing what every other woman had on in there, she just realized she was highly underdressed for the event. That didn’t really bother her at all because:
She didn’t want to be there in the first place.
All she wanted to do was go back home and sleep.
The evening went on smoothly as Adele did her job perfectly despite the fact that she was exhausted. She interviewed all the big shots like her superior asked her to and smiled even though she didn’t have the heart to do so.
She also stepped on her pride and even interviewed her mother in-law and recorded all her kiss-hell talk and hidden mockeries.
It was after her interview that Adele began looking for Jamal. Mr. Frank had mentioned that he was going to be there, but hours had passed and no one had seen a glimpse of him.
As she looked around, trying to see if she’d spot him, all the guests suddenly started applauding while the choristers stopped playing music. Everyone was
looking at a certain direction and when she followed them
and looked at that direction which was at the door, her
heart and pride were crushed.
Her husband was holding Danielle’s arm in his and walking beside her. Slowly, they walked between the guests, shining like stars, looking like a couple of godly creatures blessed by the heavens together.
All Jamal thought about at that moment, besides feeling so hurt was: “Then who was she to him?”
Jamal and Danielle finally reached the center of the garden and stood beside each other, holding arms and
greeted everyone.
One of the reporters who accompanied Adele turned to her with a wide smile plastered on his face.
“It seems like ‘they’ are the event of tonight, I’ll go take a video of them and then we’ll interview them later.” He whispered enthusiastically and quickly started recording while Adele stood numb beside him.
Jamal was looking indifferently at his surroundings and Adele could bet that he knew she was there and that’s why he didn’t dare to look in her direction.
He didn’t look at the camera which was so obviously
right in front of him, not even for one second, because he knew she was standing right beside it.
Danielle, on the other hand, was very bold. She looked at
no other direction, at absolutely no one else, except for
Adele. Her smile was wide and sinister. She held Jamal’s arm tighter and daringly, as if to remind Adele that she was nothing compared to her.
“We have news to announce to everyone.” Danielle suddenly spoke out loud and the attention on them got even more intense.
Jamal, who was standing by her side, was confused as to what announcement she wanted to make.
She took a deep breath and looked at Jamal standing beside her still smiling.
Jamal, however, did not look back at her. That was when he decided to look at Adele who felt like she was nothing to him.
That cold face and those deep eyes. She could never forget that look.
She could never forget that he let her witness him holding another woman’s arm and presenting her to the public as his woman while hiding her in the dark and keeping her as a secret and shame.
Jamal just kept staring at Adele as Danielle went ahead to announce to the public that they were getting married.
“To hell with my job!” Adele whispered to herself after hearing Danielle’s announcement and left the hall.
She couldn’t stand being there any longer.
Not long after she left the hall for the garden, she heard footsteps coming fast towards her so she turned around to see who was coming only to see Jamal running to meet her.
“Are you here to humiliate me even more? Or you’re here to rejoice at the pitiful look on my face?” Adele fired at him the moment he stopped before her.
She didn’t want to give him the pleasure of seeing her tears, but she couldn’t hold them back. She cried in front of him, in front of the man who hurt her.
Jamal didn’t say a word to her. He only stood there and stared silently at her crying face.
“Are you taking revenge for her, because I confronted you the last time and scolded you.” She added while nervously trying to wipe her tears.
She wasn’t deeply in lovewith Jamal, but he was her husband after all, and he was crushing her like she was a bug with his actions.
“No.. I’m not taking any revenge, you misunderstood” Jamal finally spoke.
“You are nothing but a monster Jamal! Adele scolded between sobs.
Her heart was hurting so much that she had to pat her chest with her palm in an attempt to stop the pain. It hurt so much, like never before.
“Adele…” He began to talk but Adele immediately cut him off.
“A few weeks ago, I caught you in an inappropriate position with that same girl. You hardly spend any time with me because you dedicate all your time to her. Jamal, I’m honestly trying to bottle up my feelings and not complain too much, but I can’t. With everyday that passes, I feel like I’m dying within. Jamal, I’m tired of all this humiliation and I would love to ask for a divorce, but that is no longer possible because I am pregnant!” She cried and sniffled tears. “I am pregnant Jamal.” She repeated with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Jamal was shocked to the core.
He took two steps closer to her, with his eyes not leaving her face.
“You are pregnant?” He asked in disbelief, as if he was doubting the possibility that she could be pregnant. Adele did not respond to his question because by then she was sobbing very hard.
Jamal closed his eyes tight and exhaled in pain, as if a bomb had blown his life.
“Adele, I will fix everything. I promise, just be patient for a while. ” He finally added after looking intensely at her.
Adele was tired of hearing those words. She wanted him to tell her something else, but he did not and she was disappointed.
“You are impossible Jamal.” She said and left the garden, intending to go straight home.
She didn’t want to stay there anymore.