Chapter 17
“Never mind.” I say with a grimace. I turn to walk away ***e stomp on my pride.
“Oh really, you have other options? I am sure I am your last reson, you wouldn’t ask me for help otherwise.”
1 face him angrily, “You are a f****g son of a bi…” he raises his hand and interrupts what should have been my turn to throw hurl insults at him.
“Don’t f***g shush me.” I say through gritted teeth.
ay still.
He reaches into the drawer in his table and brings out an envelope. He stretches the envelope towards me, but I stay
He sighs and drops the envelope on the table.
My pride says I should walk out of the room and not take his money after what he has said to me but my logical side is saying there really is no other way to pay off my debt than to collect the money.
I grudgingly move closer to him, “Deduct it from the money you are supposed to pay me after this whole mess is over and done with.”
He raises an eyebrow with an amused expression, “Open the envelope.”
“Why?” he probably wants to see me marvel at whatever amount of money is in it. I steel myself as I reach for the envelope, I am not going to satisfy him with a reaction.
The envelope is flatter than I thought, I roll my eyes as I try to open it without tearing it.
My face scrunches up in confusion as I stare at the content of the envelope, “What is…”
“That’s your card for the duration you have to live as my wife. It has no limit so you can pay off whatever debt you have. Be prudent with your spending though, nothing leaves that account without my permission.”
I gape at him, “I get to have a credit card? No limits?” I suddenly glare at him
“So why did you make me have to grovel at your feet first. You didn’t say anything about having pocket money”
“I was going to give it to you this evening, you were just ahead of yourself.”
I run my hands through my hair as I stare at the card.
As somebody who has accumulated credit card debts over some months now, this is something from a dream.
I look up to see him working on his computer, “Anything else?” he asks without looking up at me.
“Thank you.” I mean it. He nods, “You can leave.” he says dismissively but I am not annoyed this time.
“Remember to spend prudently. I only gave you the credit card because as my wife, you will need some things to keep up appearances. I did not realise you might have to pay some debts especially not rent.”
He says the word ‘rent’ like it left a bad tastes in his mouth. I open my mouth to retort but the feeling of the card in my hands stop me. I walk out of the study with lighter steps than when I went in.
I skip to my room and quietly close the door because Candace still sleeping. She stirs and slowly opens her eyes, she
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Chapter 17
smiles sleepily when she sees me and tries to sit up.
I hurry towards her and hold her, “Hey baby, did you sleep well
She rubs her stomach, “Hungy,” she pouts. I carry her to the dining area and put her in her seat. Then I go into the kitchen.
Beatrice already left. I make a bowl of oatmeal and serve it to Candace, she happily starts eating while swinging her legs.
She occasionally glances at the living-room, I can tell it’s because she wants to watch TV.
I wipe her mouth with a serviette, “Concentrate on your food Dace, you will watch TV after.” she understands what I said and finishes. up with her food.
Then she eagerly looks up at me, I shake my head fondly at her and we go to the living-room.
I leave her there to watch her cartoons while I clean up. After I am done, I sit in a chair adjacent to Candace’s and text. Madam Tess.
Me: Your account details, please.
Madam Tess: I collect my money in cash.
1 groan in
me in cash.
exasperation at her reply. I had only paid her once and it was in cash but it was because I had all
savings with
I did not know she only accepted cash. I need to pay her today and be done with it.
I get dressed and dress, then she goes back to her cartoons while I go to the study. I knock on the door and go in. “I have to go out. I announce.
He looks up
from
whatever he was typing, “What?”
“I have to go out Madam Tess..my landlady, she only accepts payment in cash.”
“Why?”
I shrug. “It’s just how she does. Maybe she doesn’t like banks.”
He stares at me with a thoughtful expression for a moment, “Sawyer will take you. He will get you the cash you need too”
He grabs his phone and calls Sawyer while I stand there waiting
He drops his phone and continues typing on his laptop, “He will be here in seven minutes, you are taking the child, yeah?”
I heave out a frustrated sigh, I want to yell at him that her names Candace and not the child’ or the baby’ but I don’t
“Yes I am” I answer instead
“You can leave. Go outside in seven minutes”
I nod, “Thanks.” and walk out of the study for the second time today.
I sit in the beside Candace in the living room while waiting for the five minutes to be up.
I check my time at exactly seven minutes, grab my purse and Candace and leave the penthouse.
Sawyer get out of the car immediately he sees Candace and 1, “Good evening ma’am.”
“Good evening Sawyer,” he opens the door of the backseat and enter with Candace.
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Chapter 17
“The boss says we are going to your old house?”
I nod. “Yes”
“Okay,” he says and starts driving towards my shabby past. We get to the apartment building and I am hesitant to go in there with Candace.
“Can I leave her with you? All she will do is watch her cartoons, she won’t disturb you.”
“No problem ma’am.” he says with a smile. He hands me the envelope filled with the exact rent I owe.
“Thank you.” I walk into the building and text Madam Tess to tell her I am here.
Come to the second floor.
I climb the staircase to the second floor and see Madam Tess glaring at a tenant who is pleading with her about something.
One of her men is standing beside her with a menacing look on his face, he is a huge guy and I imagine he can throw quite the punch.
I walk closer to them and that is when Madam Tess notices me, she whispers something to the huge guy and he nods.
He grabs the pleading tenant by the collar of his shirt and drags him inside what is presumably is apartment.
“He owes me three months rent Madam Tess says and walks past me to a corner of the hallway.
I reach into my jacket and walk over to where she is standing, watching me like a hawk.
I hand her the envelope and she collects it. She opens it and slowly counts the cash inside it, “It is plus interest you said my debt had.”
She finishes counting the money and puts it back into the envelope.
I can’t tell what she is thinking, her face is blank.
I have given her the money and I am basically free but something keeps me standing there waiting for her to say something. She brings out her familiar cigarette pack and lights à cigarette.
She turns her head to the side and blows, I cough as the smoke gets lodged in my throat.
“Where is your daughter?” she asks. I clear my throat, “Downstairs.”
“Downstairs where? I hesitate before telling her Candace is in the car.
I am not sure why I hesitated, I don’t owe her anything so she has no reason to hurt me, but the image of the huge guy dances around in my head.
“So, it’s true then.”
“What is?”
“That you are entangled with some big shot. My men saw you the day you moved out some people came to help you move right”
I nod, my throat feels tight. I admit that I should not have left her house without paying the rent but I have paid now, that is all that should matter, right?
I discretely hold my phone in case I urgently need to make a cal
‘F**k
that’s when I realise that I don’t have Aaron’s number.
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Chapter 17
She suddenly laughs and pats my shoulder, “Why do you look so scared Aurora? I am only curious.” They say curiosity killed the cat. I am not the curious one but I may be the cat today.
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