"what?" Kathleen gasped at his words, he looked around the tiny room and bed, how on Earth could she stay in a place like this? The space is like a rat hole and he knew he won't find it the least bit conducive but she had refused to come with him so he had no choice but to stay here instead, "you're not staying in my room".
His gaze raked her, "why not, we are married, aren't we?"
"Married and about to divorce" she replied tightly and his eyes darkened with unnamed emotions, "Is that what you want? A divorce"
She stared at him, tears clouded her vision and he cupped her face, kissing away the tears from her cheeks, "because I don't want a divorce" Kathleen's heart did a skip at his words, "I know the whole truth now, I know you are innocent"
"How did you find out?" He looked at her, pained, "it doesn't matter how I came to know, what's important is that I know you're innocent", the pain of it all came back to Kathleen, she felt wronged, she had lost her precious child in that incident, it wasn't something she could just forget easily, she had tried proving her Innocence but no one had believed her, she doesn't think she was ready to go back, she still needs some time alone, to think on what she really wants, she looked at Derek, "still I can't go back with you" she whispered, he gazed at her for a moment, "can't you forgive me?" He whispered, his voice pained, she shook her head, "it's not that, I just want some time off, you can go back without me"
Derek was silent for some time, observing her, "I can't go back without you" he said firmly, "I'll be right here when you're ready"
He moved out of the room, only then was she able to breathe, she slowly sat on her tiny bed, putting her head in her palms, she gave in to the exhaustion that raked her body.
"Did you have any sleep at all?" Mrs. Moores
Frowned at her when she came down the next morning, Kathleen knew she must look a mess, she has dark circles under her eyes already, she had been so busy with the thought of Derek that she wasn't able to get any sleep, she wondered how he came to know about the truth, she wished he had loved her enough to trust her words, her heart was battered and she had left but just when she thought she could start life again, he had come barging in, before she could even have time to get over him, not that she stood any chance of getting over him, she was just about to join Mrs. Moores in cleaning when she sighted Derek coming from the other room, looking fresh and handsome, she was pissed at his good looks, more pissed that she noticed it, so he didn't go back home the day before, she looked at Mrs. Moores and she shrugged, " he paid for a room yesterday" she explained and Kathleen humph, "yea right"
Derek walked towards her and smiled brightly, flashing dimples, his blue eyes sparkling as he gazed at her, "good morning". Kathleen eyed him, irritated once more by how good he looked while she had eye bags from not being able to have a good sleep. " There's nothing good about the morning" she snapped in irritation, Derek's brow furrowed as he glanced at Mrs. Moores for an explanation but she just shrugged and shook her head.
Kathleen made herself busy the whole day, ignoring Derek totally but he didn't seem to mind, she had tried severally to make him leave but he remained adamant, she had even asked if he doesn't have an office to attend to but he shook his head saying that he ha canceled all his appointments until further notice, so she had left him and kept herself busy.
Guests started arriving and she was glad because it will keep her mind more occupied. Derek was sitting on one of the tables not bothering to shield himself from being recognized, he was having his drink when two ladies entered, they recognized him immediately and squealed, running towards him and sitting on his thighs and running their hands all over him, one of them adjusted her cloth to show off more cleavage and the other raised her skirt to show off more thighs, Kathleen's eyes narrowed on them, she felt like scratching off their eyes, Derek's gaze met hers and he smirked at the look on her face before turning his attention to the ladies and giving them his killer smile and they beamed, giving him a perk on his cheek.
Kathleen was staring at them with narrowed eyes, heart ablaze, she didn't look at the drink she was pouring into a glass so didn't Know it was filled and pouring on the floor, "watch out" Kathleen jerked at the sound of Mrs. Moores voice.
"Oh, my world" she quickly kept the drink and dried herself.
"Why don't you just forgive him for whatever happened, you obviously still love him" Mrs. Moores tone was conversational, Kathleen glanced at her but said nothing, "if you don't forgive him, more like those ladies you are watching will come, just like sharks, be sure you are ready to lose him,"
Kathleen glanced at the ladies, they giggled at something that Derek whispered to their ears and kàthleen fumed, he's so shameless, how could he be flirting with other ladies right in front of her, she dropped the piece of cloth she was holding and walked up to him, her gaze narrowed, the ladies gaze raked her, "we haven't ordered yet, we'll do so when we are ready" with that, they dismissed her and continued their giggling.
Derek stared at her from beneath his eyelash, he smirked and Kathleen's gaze narrowed, he was enjoying the show, wasn't he?
"Get up" she commanded the ladies and they looked at her like someone who has gone nuts, "I said get up" she screeched pushing them off Derek and they jumped off to avoid her hits, she took Derek by the shirt, " time to go home lover" she gritted
he was smiling lazily, "sorry for the interruption ladies" he shouted as Kathleen dragged him towards the door.