Ella's POV
My fingers have almost gone numb as I tap on the screen repeatedly. But no amount of effort can do me the magic of reaching Mr. Greg. Wherever he may be at this time of the day, whether he’s heating his ass on a bed or casting his foul fart into the humid morning breeze, I just can’t get him to appear before my face. I’m already too pissed off to let this marriage issue with Mr. D go unsettled for a day.
As if Mr. Luck has suddenly decided to be on my side, I remember it’s Thursday today, the day I have agreed to meet Maezy again. And the day James can freely communicate with me through that fake guard. Picking up my phone, I swipe the screen impatiently and press Maezy’s name.
“Hey, Miss Maezy? Can we meet up earlier?”
“As you wish, dear,” comes her deep and irritating voice.
“Where are you now?”
“Jakara Hotel.”
I raise my brow, and my lips twist into a smirk. How can she have the guts to go to a place owned by Kim and Yen?
Maezy must have felt my shock in knowing that she’s there because she suddenly laughs, the sound of her laughter creeping me out.
“They’re not here, anyway. Do you know how trivial the lives of the rich are? They’re working their ass out into the night to build magnificent establishments like this. But do they have time to enjoy in this haven like I am now? No, absolutely!”
“I’m happy you’re enjoying, Miss Maezy. So, can I come over there now?”
“Sure, baby!”
I change into a comfortable, lemon-yellow maxi dress, its soft cloth contouring my heavy shape. However, its thin shoulder straps bare the creamy skin on my shoulders and half of my back. Pairing it with gold-dusted pumps, I pick my purse and head out to the basement’s parking space.
Soon after, I’m already on my way to Jakara Hotel. Since I already live in the city, I reach our meeting venue in less than thirty minutes. Pulling over in a space closer to the elevator, I rub my bump after I have turned off the engine.
“We’ll get through this, baby!” I tell my unborn child, smiling as I get an instant response. He kicks against the side where I place my palm, making me giggle.
“There. See you in three weeks, my love!” My expected date of delivery is already in three weeks, but I asked Dr. Mitch to keep it a secret between the two of us. I don’t want James to send men to welcome his son because all I want is my complete privacy when the time comes.
My baby comes alive after talking to him. He stays on a kicking fit for a while, making me lean into the backrest. I run my hand on my entire belly, urging him to kick more. And he does until I’ve gained enough inspiration to face James!
While passing through the perimeters of the shop before reaching the main entrance, I scan the room through the frosted glass walls with my eyes. And there I see Maezy’s familiar figure, her back facing me. I look at her closer as I saunter along the wall, and to my shattering surprise, I see Mr. D sitting across from her. They look like they’re having a serious conversation that I stop in my track. Luckily, a sprawling white-swan painting on the frosted glass wall keeps me from Mr. D’s view.
One, two, three…eight, nine, ten. I count mentally, over and over, until my heartbeats reduce to steady pacing. I lean my back on the wall, closing my eyes. All of a sudden, my energy has shrunken, and so is my will to win against the situation I am in.
Is Mr. D also conniving with Maezy? But against who? Kim is highly a possibility, but so does Zed! I bite my lips as my heart rate spikes high again, praying that Zed will accept the offer and leave the country before it’s too late.
“Miss Sahara?” a familiar voice has my lashes flutter open.
“Mr. D!” I exclaim; my right suddenly flies over to my chest.
“Have I scared you?” He tilts his head, smirking.
“What do you think?” I hiss, my nose still flaring as I catch my breath.
“I’m sorry. What’s going on?” he asks, his brows sticking together.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m resting.”
His expression softens, but his mouth hasn’t shut. “But what are you doing here?”
“Meeting a client in thirty minutes.”
He nods, staring at me. But then, he spins around and leaves.
Wow! If I accept his proposal, how tasteless my marriage life will be! Mr. D is never romantic and as dry as the desert of Sahara!
Regaining my senses back to reality, I start lifting my heavy limbs towards Maezy.
“You’re finally here!” Maezy raises her head to look at me as soon as she hears my footsteps.
“I’m sorry,” I say, not caring to explain. Instead, I pull out a couch from across Maezy and slump on it lazily.
“Being pregnant is not fun, isn’t it?”
I shrug. “As long as you can bear to see your deformed nose, I guess it is. I’m not the one to care about appearances anyway.”
“Good for you. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars to gain this nose.”
I look up, scared as hell that I’ve offended her. But to my surprise, she smiles and touches her nose. “It pays to be beautiful.”
I nod, feigning a sincere smile. But all I want now is to talk to James right away.
“Miss Maezy, may I talk to James now?”
Without saying a word, Maezy pulls out a phone from her purse. Entering her passcode, she glanced at me, ensuring I was not looking. A few seconds later, I hear static noise. I know it; James is on the line already.
My heart starts pounding hard, so hard that they’re choking me already. I stare at the phone, summoning my willpower to seize me. I just fear for his possible reaction that might also risk Mr. D’s life. Him, sending a battalion of assassins, is never an impossibility.
“Baby,” James says, his voice husky and sweet.
“James.”
“Why do you sound sad?” he says, and I picture him furrowing his brows in my mind.
“I have talked to Mr. D, again.”
“And?” His tone is lightly raised like he’s already irritated.
“He finalizes on 70/30.”
“No problem. It’s just money.”
“He also asks me to go back to Zed’s house and look for a lost painting.”
“Lost painting?”
“Yes. He feels that Zed has it.”
“You’ve been there. Have you seen it?”
“No. I was not there long enough to know his secrets. And I was only there as his guest for a long time. So, I’m restricted on other parts of the house, except for the ground floor where the guest rooms are located.”
“I see. So, how are you going to do it?” My heart turns into an active battlefield again, and all I can hear are loud thuds and explosions.
“I don’t know. Talk to Zed, maybe.”
“Talk to him and lure him to his bed?”
“James, what are you talking about?”
“Am I wrong, Ella? Zed must be dying already to eat your swelling, pink flower.”
“Zed has a sexual disorder.” I bit my lips, and silence falls between us. My mind whispers an apology to Zed, but this might be the only way James might be kinder to him.
“What did you say?” James suddenly speaks.
“Yes, he can’t do it. And it’s the reason he avoids women. It’s hurting his male ego, do you get me?”
“I’ll do something to make it a little easier for you. You’ll know it.”
Damn him! What is he planning to do?
“So, what else?”
I inhale a deep breath, then open my mouth to expel it out.
“Ella?”
“He proposed marriage.”