CHAPTER 5

Mavin

After my bath, I stepped into my bedroom and put on a casual blue top and black trousers.

I walked to the mirror to comb my short black hair—I didn’t keep a beard—and noticed sore, finger-shaped scratch marks on my neck. I knew they were Thelma’s doing.

I frowned as my mind replayed the moment I had entered her warmth. The memory of what had happened between us was slowly returning.

No matter how hard I tried, I hadn’t been able to stop myself the previous night. My head ached at the recollection and I groaned in annoyance.

“Damn it!” The medicine—or whatever drug Sir Adam had given me—had mostly worn off, yet I was still having hot flashes and a headache.

I decided I would warn Sir Adam never to try such nonsense again or to follow my grandfather’s orders, or else he would be fired and thrown in jail.

Sir Adam was a fifty-three-year-old man who had been with me for a long time. He liked calling me “boss,” saying it motivated him and reminded him of my rank and who I was in City B.

I sighed, finished applying my perfume, left my bedroom, and went downstairs to accompany my grandfather to the hospital as promised.

Grandpa Charlie was smiling like someone who had won a trophy. He was already neatly dressed in a brown garment. I walked to the dining room to have breakfast with him.

I took my seat at the long golden dining table, settling into the chair across from him.

“Grandpa, I’m not happy with what you did last night,” I told him.

“What did I do wrong, Mavin?” Grandpa’s smile remained bright on his old face. He knew exactly what he had done.

“Aren’t you the one who arranged with Sir Adam to send that young lady to me last night? Why, Grandpa?”

I was angry. I had already read his will: if I didn’t marry before the year ended, he would give his company and hotel to the poor while he was still alive. I had only two months left; today was October 18.

“Don’t ask me why, Mavin. It’s not like she’s ugly. Or don’t you like the young woman Adam brought to you last night? We can search for her again and bring her back if you want her, or find you another woman.”

Grandpa said this while waiting for Angela to bring his herbal tea.

“No, Grandpa. I don’t need any woman again. And don’t ever try something like that with me. I won’t take it lightly.”

I gave him a slight warning. He only hummed, “Hmm…”

Angela was the head maid in my mansion—the luxurious house I had bought five years ago when I turned twenty-four.

We had moved out of the old family house, which had also been Grandpa’s.

“Good morning, boss. What should I serve you this morning?” Angela asked politely after serving Grandpa his herbal tea exactly the way he liked it.

I sighed and looked away from Grandpa’s face to Angela’s. She was a middle-aged woman. Most of the female staff in my mansion were middle-aged, except for a few younger maids I wasn’t very familiar with. The mansion was large, with many rooms.

“Just tea and bread. Make it fast—we’re already running late,” I told her, glancing at the dining-room clock. It was already 9 a.m.

I knew Grandpa’s treatment was scheduled for 10 a.m. I waited for Angela to serve my breakfast.

Once we finished our tea, I stood up and escorted Grandpa outside to the car. He sat in the back seat. I shut the door and got behind the wheel.

I started the engine and drove out of the premises. I arrived at the magnificent Saint Peter Hospital in City B, pulled into the parking lot, and parked.

I got out, walked around to the other side, helped Grandpa out, and we entered the hospital lobby.

My mind kept returning to Thelma, the pretty, light-skinned lady I had slept with the night before. Her body had been so soft; it had made me harder.

Whenever I saw a pretty, light-skinned woman with blonde hair in the OPD, my mind would skip a beat, thinking it might be Thelma.

“Oh…” I grimaced.

Grandpa looked at me. “What’s the matter with you, Mavin? Are you still thinking about the young lady?”

“No, Grandpa,” I replied coldly.

We walked to the OPD waiting room and took our seats.

I took out my phone, unlocked it, and called my assistant, Henry Black.

“Hello, boss,” Henry answered on the second ring.

“Inform Mrs. Tonia Briggs that I won’t be arriving at the office on time today. I’m at the hospital with Grandpa. She should reschedule most of my business meetings with the top clients for noon. You can handle the rest.”

“Alright, boss. Anything else?”

“No, that’s all.”

I ended the call and continued waiting for our turn.

Soon we stood up and walked into the doctor’s office.

Grandpa Charlie was an seventy-five-year-old man, yet he could still walk without a stick and remained mischievous.

“Good morning, Mr. White,” Doctor Amari Hanks greeted us with a smile. She was Grandpa’s favorite doctor.

Grandpa liked being treated by women. Doctor Amari asked, “How are you feeling today, Grandpa Charlie White?”

“I’m good, Doc,” Grandpa replied with a smile.

I stayed silent beside him, my mind replaying memories of Thelma.

Sir Adam had told me he hadn’t paid Thelma. I felt guilty remembering everything I had done to her while making love.

I couldn’t believe the drug Sir Adam had given me had such a strong effect. I needed to find Thelma quickly so I could pay her for the night and stop feeling guilty.

“Are you feeling fine today, Mr. Mavin?” Doctor Amari asked, preferring to call me by my first name.

I met her big brown eyes. “Yes, I’m fine. Attend to my grandpa first—I’m not a patient.”

“But you’re sweating a lot despite the air conditioning. Sometimes it’s good to have a check-up before your body collapses,” she advised politely.

“Okay. I’ll consider it, but not today. I have a business meeting at 12 p.m.”

I was still in pain, but I didn’t want to be confined to a hospital bed.

Doctor Amari smiled sadly. “It’s just friendly advice, Mr. Mavin. I can run a quick check-up if you want.”

Dr. Amari was a married woman, yet she still had a flirtatious tongue that irritated me. It was written all over her face and in the way her big brown eyes shone seductively, like a happy puppy.

Now I understood why Dr. Amari had so many patients waiting outside—even those who weren’t truly sick wanted to be touched by her.

That was probably why Grandpa also loved visiting her hospital. It belonged to her family and had been passed down to her. She was happily married with two kids, and I was sure Grandpa wished she were single so he could propose on my behalf.

But I didn’t like Dr. Amari. I only tolerated her because of Grandpa and because she was now our family doctor.

“Grandpa, you look so happy today. What’s the good news?” Doctor Amari finally asked.

Grandpa smiled. “I’m just happy to meet you today, Doc.”

“Mm,” Doctor Amari blushed, her big brown eyes shining again and reminding me of the big blue eyes of the lady I had slept with the night before.

“That’s good to hear, Grandpa Charlie. I’ve written some new medication for you. You can collect it from the nurses on duty before you leave. Thank you for visiting us today.”

“Thanks,” Grandpa replied.

I said nothing. We left her office and went home shortly after collecting Grandpa’s medicine from the pharmacy.