Frank took Charles to his house,then he treated his wounded fist,
“You shouldn’t have hurt yourself,you don’t deserve it.”
“She chose him over me Frank,she chose that bastard over me.” Charles kept perambulating after his fist treatment,
“That was what she did to me over six years ago.” Charles froze,
“What?” Frank nodded,he went inside brought an old photo album and brandy with two glasses,he kept the brandy and glasses on the table then gave the album to Charles.
“You and Anne? You’re the guy she talked about during dinner that night?” Frank didn’t answer,
“You proposed to her right?”
“Open the damn album that will answer your question right.” Frank seethed finding Charles questions unnecessary. He did open it and the first photo he saw was a photo of Frank and Anne laughing heartily, there were riding on horse carousels, Charles felt a bit jealous at their happy face,
I don’t have any happy memories with her.The next was both of them and an older couple,taking a closer look at the older couple,he noticed something,they’re Frank’s parents. They were so many other photos of Anne and Frank’s happy moments,enough to make him mad but he held his cool,the last photo was of Frank kneeling down in front of Anne,obviously proposing to her and that was the last of it,
“What happened man?” Charles asked Frank,he sighed and massaged his forehead to Essen the anger that’s rising within him,
“She was my fiancée and we were almost getting married but all of a sudden, she returned my ring and left with him,she came back after some months,like they had a fight, she came back to me ad found out she was pregnant with his child, I got angry and asked her to abort the child and let’s start all over but she refused. I came home the next week and found out that she’d left again,now without any trace, I looked for her everywhere and even hired an private investigator but I never found her not until today.”Charles was astounded at what Frank just relayed to him,
“I never knew Anne until five years ago when she came to work in my company as one of the sales personnel, she was so quite and very optimistic in some ways and that’s what attracted me to her.When my Personal Assistant got fired from incompetency,I gave Anne the job without her consent,I ask my manager to get her to my office and boom,she got the job,” Frank sat and watch Charles’s happy face as he described his first and memorable encounter with Anne.
“I tried keeping her to myself without her knowledge,working alone with her till late night and then inviting her to my house but she didn’t take my advances to heart,I got furious when I noticed she was getting friendly with one of my worker,Alan and I almost got him transferred but decided against it not to arouse suspicion amongst others. I begged to her to come up here with me for the project,she’d refused but later agreed,I never knew I brought her to her past, to loose her for some asshole who had fathered a child with her.” Charles face coiled up to anger and hatred.
“Now,we’ll make him pay,he’ll never have Anne,this I promise.” Charles took the glass of brandy and clunked glass with Frank,
“He and his family will pay for taking Anne away from us.” Frank smiled evilly and they drank the content of the glass.
********
“Does he know about it?”Cheryl asked Deville, he turned to Anne and then to her,
” I don’t think he knows about it,that’s why I’ve come to a conclusion, “Everyone turned to him,he cleared his throat,
“Anne should go with mom to Alaska,” They didn’t allow him finish before bombarding him with whys and hows,
“Why?”Anne asked,she isn’t liking this Deville’s idea,Cheryl and Mrs Phina,though surprised but didn’t say anything but waited for Deville’s explanation,
“Anne,Mom,Cheryl,I know this idea sounds absurd but try and understand what I’m trying to do here,” They weren’t saying anything,
“If Charles should find out about this pregnancy, he’ll assume it his and for now we aren’t sure who the father of the child is,so I want you all to go with mom to Alaska and stay there till the baby is due and after delivery you can come back,I’ll handle things here.” He explained,Anne shrugged while Cheryl and his mom looked at each other,
“What if the child isn’t his and is your?” His mom asked him,
“There should be any need to……”
“Smack!” Everyone turned to the direction of the noise,
“Who’s there?” Deville asked as he moved toward the origin of the sound,Renee was picking up the remains of the a broken vase
“What’s that?” Cheryl asked,Anne stood up and followed Deville,
“Sir,I’m sorry,it fell accidentally
“It’s Pearl’s flower vase and now it’s shattered.” He turned to the rest especially Anne who was behind me,
“I’ve asked Marisa to stop taking this vase out of Pearl’s room.”Deville complained,
“Marisa! Millie!”He called out,the both of them came running to him not long after,while Renée stood there with a remorseful expression
“Millie,where’s Pearl and Ace?” He asked Millie,
“They’re in the living room.”
“Make something muffins and sausage for us,get some down to the kids too.” Deville ordered,Millie left leaving Renée and Marisa,
“Marisa,” the she stole a glance at him,
“I’ve told you severally to stop bringing this vase out of Pearl’s room,now its broken.” Deville was angry and furious, he’d gotten the vase for her when he went to India for a business trip and it’s one of his favorite.
“Sir..I….I….I…I..” She stammered,
“You what?”Deville yelled,
” Deville, it’s okay,”Anne place her HND on his shoulder to calm him down,
“Its just a vase,we’ll get another one soon and besides I’d ask er to bring it out today, I wanted to put new flowers in it.” Deville calmed and sent them out,
“Thank your lucky star,you would have lost your job today.” Marisa and Renée left muttering a thanks to Anne,
“Dev,I’ll be in my room.” Anne said to him,
“Okay,let me walk you there.” She slapped his arm off her,
“Hey! I’m not blind or crippled, I’m just pregnant.” She scolded with a smiling face,he ignored her and carried her up in a bridal style,
“Put me down Deville.” She shouted with a half smiling face,
“I don’t want you to stress yourself.” He gave her a cunning smile, she faked a smile and hit his chest,
“I know what you’re thinking but I won’t allow you this time.” His smile dissolved into a puppy face,
“Anne,please.”
“Nope,mmh mmh.” She shook her head,
“I promise not to go hard.” She widened her eyes and hit him again,
“You’re soooo naughty.” They were already in her room,
“And you love it.” He winked his eye,
“Cut me those shit and allow me sleep.” He place her on the bed and she gave him a light thank you,he arched his eyebrows,
“Just that?” He asked
“Pretty much.” She bursted into laughter,
“What else do you want?” He frowned at Ber question,
“At lease, you can give me a tip.” He leaned toward her,almost kissing her,then the door opened.
“Mommy,Ace isn’t sharing with me,he want the muffins for himself.” Pearl cried as she barged into the room.
Bursted.Deville slumped on the bed,
“Now there’s no private moment for me and my wife,” he cursed silently
“Sunshine,go down and ask Millie for more,your mommy’s trying to get some rest.” Deville said to her quite frustrated,
“Okay daddy,let’s go downstairs together.” Pearl came to him and held him,
“You see….daddy has to give mommy her medication before she goes to rest.” Pearl sighed and walk to her mommy,
“You can continue with your medication mom,I’m not here to disturb you.” She smiled impishly and ran out of the room before Deville would get her.
“Phew,” Deville breathed put and went to Anne,
“Thank goodness she’s gone,where were we?”He leaned forward to kiss her again,
” Deville,we aren’t a couple yet.”she blurted, he got pissed and stood up but she held him right on time,
” Deville wait.”he stopped and looked at her,
“Deville, let’s get married.” He was surprised by her sudden decision to get married,
“We’ve got Pearl and we’re expecting baby number two,its high time we cut out shit and get this family legalized.” She explained and he saw reasons with her,
“And if we get married sooner,Charles can’t make claim to this child or even make claim to me.” Deville nodded,
“Okay,let’s do it right away.” She smiled and rested on him,
“Deville, thank you for giving me a second chance in your life.” She muttered, he kissed her forehead,
“You deserve better Anne.”
Everyone in the mansion was happy for the new development (Anne and Deville’s wedding) except Millie,she was not happy cause her boss,Deville,the man she’d dreamt of getting married to and making him fall in love with her is getting married to Anne,a girl she’d despised from the onset.She was in pain and cried nonstop at night,after wallowing for some days,she devices a plan that will make Anne leave Deville’s life for good.Collecting Charles number from an unsuspected Cheryl,
“What do you need his number for?” Cheryl asked quite surprised that Cheryl’s asking for Charles’s number,
“Well,I heard he owns Zhang’s Fine Jewelry,a friend of mine is looking for a job,since Mr Zhang is opening a new line in the city,I would wish my friend gets a job there.” She said faking a smile,
“Okay,that’s a good idea,I can help talk to him on behalf of your friend,if u wish to.”
“Never mind ma’am Cheryl,I’ll handle it but won’t hesitate to call for your help if in need one.
“Okay,there you go.” Cheryl handed the number written in a piece of paper to her,she tooknit and kept it in her apron.She calrd Charles the next day and told him on the new plan,Charles was furious when he found out,when she told them of her plan to get Deville and them,Anne.They came to a conclusion that Anne would be kidnapped before the wedding.