Ariel Williams
After a long day at work, it’s finally closing time and I just rounded my work up. Max already left for an appointment he said to be having with his dad, so his office has been empty for almost an hour now.
Finally striding out of the office after I locked it, I head straight to the massive gate. There are very few workers left in the company, which means that I have spent more than enough time here.
“Hey, Ariel. Mind joining me?” My colleague, the head of the marketing department says to me as soon I step out of the exit door. She’s already standing beside her car with the keys in her hand.
“No, I’ll be fine. I have to go somewhere before I head home. Thank you,” I say to her politely as I smile at her. I don’t know why she has been trying to get close to me at all costs. She’s always looking for one way or the other to talk to me, but too bad that I’m restricted. I wouldn’t want ma’am Wendy to know that I’m talking with strangers. That’s going to be really tough for me. Maybe allowing her to take me home wouldn’t have been a bad idea, but I wouldn’t want her to know that I’m living with our boss. That will only put me in more trouble.
“Alright then. See you tomorrow,” The disappointment on her face is obvious, and I feel bad for giving her cold shoulders when she just offered to help me, but I’m doing the right thing. I don’t want to do anything that’ll put me into trouble.
“Bye,” I finally head to the big iron gate and step out, but I stop on my track when I see Jeff leaning against a white range rover. He’s graced in a black suit and looks like the gentleman he may not be. Something keeps telling me that he’s not a good person. Now that I take a close look at him, he has a slight resemblance with Max, but I’m yet to know their relationship.
Ignoring him and pretending like he’s not there, I walk past him and head to the roadside to flag down a cab that’ll take me home, when he speaks up.
“Come on, Ariel. Don’t be like this. I’m sure you saw me standing here, right?” He asks me calmly and I can’t help the sigh that tears through my throat. From which planet is this dude, please? Where do I know him from?
“What is it?” Turning around to face him, I ask him angrily. I just got off work pretty exhausted, and all I need now is a good rest, not someone getting on my nerves. I’m pregnant for heaven’s sake, and I need to rest.
“Now, that’s a harsh way to talk to your boss’s brother, don’t you think?” I pull a puzzled look at his statement.
“Oh, my bad. I guess Max didn’t talk about me to you, or maybe tell you about the relationship between us. Well, let me introduce myself to you officially. My name is Jeffrey Wilfred, your annoying boss’s kid brother,” He finally clears the curiosity that has been eating me up, and I can’t help the ‘oh’ that escapes my lips. I mean, it’s pretty shocking.
“Mind dropping you home? I mean, it won’t be a bad thing to know where you live, right?” I watch as he tucks his hands in his pockets.
“No, thanks,” I further turn around to leave.
“How about we have dinner together, huh?” He asks again, and I turn to smirk at him.
“No, thanks… I don’t go on dates with strangers. Excuse me,” I finally walk away. Although I’m still curious about how he knew me, I can’t risk it. Besides, this whole thing was meant to be a secret between just three of us, so letting other strangers into my privacy is quite unsafe.
Standing at the roadside for ten minutes without any hope of getting a cab is frustrating, but I know that I’ll eventually get one soon. Another two minutes passed before a cab finally pull over in front of me after I flagged it down, and I hop in.
The cab arrives at the front of the gate after almost fifteen minutes of drive, and I pay him after which I head to the big iron bar gate, and walk inside the compound. Max’s car is not yet packed at the garage, which means that he must’ve not returned home from wherever he went to.
Stepping into the living room, I head to the grand staircase when Wendy’s voice sounds from the dining room. I had no idea that she’s in there.
“What have you been doing with my husband lately?” Her question brings me to an abrupt halt and I glance at her. What’s she talking about?
“Have you suddenly lost your voice? I asked what you have been doing with my husband at the office?” Her voice sound a little bit higher this time, with anger resounding in it.
“What are you talking about?” Finally turning around to face the dining, I ask her and she only scoffs as a smirk creeps up her lips.
“Do I look like a fool to you, Ariel? How dare you? I thought I warned you to stay miles away from my husband and stay focused on the real reason why I brought you here?” She snaps as she starts walking over to where I’m standing.
“What are you saying?” Confused, I ask her for the second time, but what happen next makes me freeze on the spot. She sent a hot slap across my cheeks and my ear went blocked for a few seconds.
“How dare you ungrateful bitch! Do you think you can snuggle your way into my husband’s life? I picked you up from that trenches that you call a house, and all you can do now is throw yourself at my husband?” She snaps again, but I can only shed tears.
“Wow! Here I was, thinking that your mom just hated you for no reason, but now I guess you were also flirting with her husband which brought about the hatred…”
“Just stop it, please! Stop…”
“Or what? You’ll slap me? I dare you to do that and spend the rest of your life six feet under the ground,” She snaps at me again, and I break down in tears. My mom indeed hates me, but why is she reminding me of the pain? Why does she have to tell me how much that woman detests me?
“Now listen to me carefully. If I find out that you’re playing some shitty game with my husband, I’ll make sure that you regret it. He is my husband and mine alone. You dare not try that shit with me. Now get the hell out of my sight!” With my heart bleeding and my blood boiling in rage, I slowly turn around and head to the staircase, allowing my tears to fall freely down my cheeks…