Chapter 2

NATALIE POV

"Ahh!" Amelia cried out like the dramatic woman she was, and Franklin rushed downstairs to meet her.

"What did you do to her?" Franklin yelled at me as he gently helped Amelia up.

I didn't even push Amelia with force—I only wanted to drag her outside. But because she saw Franklin rushing downstairs, she faked being hurt.

"Franklin, your wife—I mean, Natalie—bit me just now and pushed me away." Amelia held her arm, sobbed, and stood up from the floor.

Franklin glared at me and spat, "I cannot believe you would do this to your only sister. You are not even the legitimate daughter of Mr. Liam, and yet you cannot treat your sister right. Come on, Amy, let us go outside and eat. Let her eat her food alone."

Tears welled up in my brown eyes as I stood watching them. It was Saturday, and Franklin didn't go to work on Saturdays and Sundays.

I sobbed, wanting to stop them, and went outside just in time to see Franklin getting into his car after he had helped Amelia close the door—like the gentleman he never was to me.

"Franklin, where are you going?" I asked him, as it was 8 p.m. and getting late.

My soup was delicious, yet Franklin had accused me of making bitter food and probably poisoning it.

I sobbed and watched Franklin order the security man to pull the huge black gate open. Soon he drove out of our house, heading to God knows where with Amelia.

*What did I do wrong?* I wondered as I sobbed.

I went back into the house since I couldn't follow them.

Franklin had 3 cars, while I had none. He had never even let me ride in any of his cars, not to mention opening the car door for me like a gentleman.

As I went back into the house, I looked at the dining table and noticed the tray of food.

I sat down and ate, refusing to let the food go to waste. I finished the meal Franklin had wanted Amelia to eat, then kept his portion in the microwave to warm it so it wouldn't spoil.

I stored the soup in a small pot and covered it before leaving the kitchen. I returned to the dining room to tidy up.

Once I finished cleaning the dining table, I wiped my tears away and locked the door, waiting for Franklin to return.

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FRANKLIN POV

Being married to that local woman was the worst day of my life. I couldn't believe she had drugged me.

On the day her father hosted one of his successful business deals parties, he invited my father and some other partners to attend the celebration at his home. That was when I first laid eyes on Natalie Jackson.

She appeared so innocent that I couldn't imagine what was on her mind—was to drug me.

As everyone enjoyed themselves in the party hall—the grand hall where the Jacksons mostly welcomed their guests—I went ahead and followed Natalie that night to get to know the kind of woman she was.

My parents were busy chatting with other families at the event, so I excused myself and followed Natalie upstairs to the sitting room.

I hadn't seen Natalie before, but I learned she was a daughter of Mr. Jackson.

Everyone knew the story of how Natalie came about.

Her mother was a prostitute who wasn't ready to raise a child, and the rumors had it that her mother tried to abort her. But Natalie was stubborn and came out after 9 months of pregnancy.

I had wanted to speak with Natalie that night, to know the kind of person she was.

She was short, with a cute round face and brown sparkling eyes.

She was more beautiful than Amelia then, and I admired her enough to want to know her.

What irritated me was that Natalie had drugged her wine, looking for a hookup that night—just like her mother.

Natalie knew most of the families that attended her father's party were rich. I was the scapegoat, and I accepted a drink from her bottle.

That was when I awoke and found myself on the same bed with her. We were both náked, and I didn't know how many hours I had spent with Natalie in that room.

Her family came looking for us, pushed her room door open, and caught us together on the bed.

"Natalie!"

"Franklin!"

My parents and hers shouted. To cover the shame, they concluded that Natalie and I must marry.

Indeed, Natalie's bedsheet had red stains, meaning I had slept with her.

I was angry, not wanting to believe Natalie was a cheap woman.

I didn't want to marry Natalie, but my father refused and said I would not sabotage his friendship with the Jacksons. He insisted it was only right that I marry Natalie and pretend we had been in an affair—which wasn't the truth.

I couldn't remember how Natalie and I slept together. I didn't want to sleep with her after we married.

Luckily, Natalie didn't conceive after that night, and I was planning on divorcing her now. I wanted to move on and maybe marry her sister.

Amelia had class. She was a graduate who spoke fluently, while Natalie was an embarrassment on her own.

When my best friend, Michael Austin, came to visit me, I felt embarrassed each time he set his eyes on my wife.

I couldn't take Natalie to any events with me, and I was planning on divorcing her because I was a billionaire CEO of H.W Global.

I thought it was best to file for a divorce and marry a woman who matched my standard.

If you asked me what I liked about Natalie, I didn't think I liked anything about her, as she was no longer beautiful to me.

Natalie was only good at cooking, and I would find a replacement for that.

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When I drove ahead to a fancy restaurant, I knew I disliked eating outside.

I just wanted to excuse myself from Natalie to get to know Amelia better.

"I hope your arm isn't hurting you?" I asked Amelia, as she claimed Natalie had hurt her when I went upstairs to change my clothes.

Amelia sat in the front passenger seat and glanced at me.

"No. It's okay now," she replied with a smile, and I nodded. "Okay." I smiled back. It was getting late, and I drove into one of the fancy restaurants in the city.

"We've arrived. Let's go inside and grab something to eat," I told Amelia with a smile, and she smiled back.

Her face had minimal makeup, and that was something I liked about her—no excessive makeup, and she was beautiful.

I got out of my car and took Amelia by her left hand as I escorted her into the restaurant. We went to the private section, where I sat down and ordered something delicious for us to eat.

Amelia smiled, and her phone rang just as she settled into her chair across from me.

"Hello, Father," she said as I waved the waiter over to serve us.

"Yes, Dad. I went to see Franklin and Natalie. They're fine. Do not worry, I will be home on time," Amelia spoke to her father as she smiled flirtatiously at me.

"Okay, Dad. Take care." Amelia ended the call, and without me asking, she said, "My dad wanted to know who I went out to see. You know I don't have any boyfriend."

"Okay, that's nice," I replied.

As I was about to ask Amelia what she'd like to eat, her phone rang again. She answered, "Hey, Felix! Yeah, I went out with Franklin. I'll call you back later. I'll be home on time." She ended the call, and it rang again. Her 2 other brothers called to check on her. But since I married Natalie, no one ever called to check on her.

"So, Amy, what would you like to have for dinner?" I asked Amelia, and she blinked her long eyelashes and bit her bottom pink lip.

"Anything you choose, Franklin," Amelia replied seductively, and I smiled.

"Alright." I chose a simple meal of 2 plates of chicken pepper soup, as I didn't want us to waste much time so we could return home.

"So tell me, Franklin, how have you been coping with my ugly sister? I know that if Natalie hadn't set you up, you and I would have become a couple," Amelia said, and I met her blue eyes that glittered under the dimly lit room.