Chapter Three: Under His Roof

Ryan glanced at Sophie and back at Jerome. "Mum" Jerome seemed to understand Ryan's gestures, "Please ask Seth to keep Sophie company" Seth's emergence surprised everyone "Please come with me ma'am" he beckoned and Sophie followed him.                                                                                                            

"Abducted!" Mrs Ken screamed  after hearing Ryan's report. "How's that possible? I personally asked Seth to check on her immediately Sophie got home...I got a report that she was discharged from the hospital because she was unable to commence treatment".                                                        

"When did this happen?" Jerome's calm expression baffled Ryan.

'He probably doesn't care about Sophie after all' Ryan thought to himself.

"Boss, i gathered all the camera footage from around the Richards' residence and there was no sign of any visitor..last person sighted was Miss Richards--just before she came here."

"I need more - go to all the security checkpoints,-"

"Sir, there's something else" Jerome's raised brow scared Ryan to bits; but he was used to it.

"Our men discovered blood in the Richards' house...DNA results arrive early tomorrow morning"

"Oh my..." Mrs Ken gasped 

"I want the results in thirty minutes..don't make me wait" Jerome's calm voice was in complete contrast to his darkened expression.

"Okay boss" Whatever Jerome Ken wanted, he got.

*******

'Rich people and their problems...(sigh) at least Mum's going to be okay. What on earth did he mean by that? I'm not a puppet that he can make to do whatever he wants-' 

The slamming of car door snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Is my wife going crazy?" His smirk unsettled her.

"It's called soliloquizing" she pouted

"Seth, you can go now, my mum's waiting. Ryan, take us home"

"Home?" Sophie spat the words out 

"Yes, my lovely wife, home "

Sophie couldn't believe her ears "w-what, um, I have to get home and inform my mum"

  "You have nothing to worry about Sophie, i already had my guards take your mum to the hospital, you can call her to confirm if you want" Jerome said offering Sophie his phone.

  Sophie speedily dialled her mum's number.

  "Hello Soph" her mum's soft voice calmed her down.  

"Mum, how're you doing?"

"Um, asides the fact that two men bundled me up and next second I woke up in a hospital bed?, all good " 

Sophie laughed at her mum's sarcasm and didn't notice Jerome's softened gaze on her.

"Mum, a friend offered to help us out, I'll explain everything to you when I can-"

"Sophie love, you're an adult and I trust you, I believe all this deserve an explanation and I'll be right here when you're ready to give me one"

"I will mum, I promise, I will" She sniffed back the tears threatening to fall.

  "Sophie, the doctor says I have to hang up now, they're about to operate on me"

  "Okay Mum, call me as soon as you can, okay?"

  "Alright love, oh and Sophie?"

  "Yeah Mum?"

  "Be careful sweetie" They eventually hung up after Sophie assured her mum.

 She was alone with Jerome in his car, it was way more luxurious than his mother's, once again she pressed herself against the car door and peered through the window at nothing in particular.

Jerome took out his phone to send a text- 'I know my mother's voice even if I have earbuds on. Thanks mum,I was hoping she'd not bother calling...she mustn't find out...'

  "Are you scared of me or you just enjoy watching the street lights?" There was a sarcastic ring to his voice and he knew all too well.

  "Scared of you?? (humph) not in the least." she'd loved to add 'the street lights are more calming than your face' but she bit her tongue instead.

  He simply scoffed and remained quiet.

  "You know, your guards didn't have to drug my Mum. it wasn't nice at all" she didn't understand why they had to drug her mum- it was disrespectful, to say the least and as it was, they were already treating her like a puppet.

  "Do you think she'd have willingly followed two burly strange looking men dressed in black?"

  She bit her lower lip and remained quiet - this man apparently had a way of making people look dumb, she silently returned to her sightseeing and seemed not to notice the slight smirk on his face as he stared at her animated face.

'Silly girl' he thought to himself. Sophie wanted to ask how they were able to find a donor so fast but thought twice, there was nothing money couldn't solve as far as The Jerome Ken was concerned.

  

  "Welcome" the driver said as he opened her door; her legs felt stiff as she alighted from the car, his house was more exquisite than she expected - the pool was lit up and seemed to be luminescent and contributed to the grandiose lighting, the roof also had that in common because its sides glowed like they had in-built bulbs.

That was not all; the structure of the building itself was massive; it was at this point that Sophie realised why they called it a mansion - it was extremely huge and painted white it didn't look like anything she'd ever seen before.

Jerome didn't wait for her, he alighted and walked ahead of her towards his mansion as if he was very sure she would follow him.

  The interior was mind blowing, to the right of the entrance door was a very wide staircase that stretched endlessly, the house lacked one thing though - homeliness; She later realised as they climbed that the staircase also lit up.

  "This will be your room while you're here" they stood directly in front of a large door which he pushed open with great ease.

  As expected, the room was nothing like the one she and her mum shared - it was painted in a bright blue, her favourite colour; the curtains were white without a single stain: apparently, each room was well kept regardless of if people stayed there or not.

  "I'll leave you to settle in, make yourself comfortable. We'll talk tomorrow after breakfast but I'll set this as a ground rule, you see that room at the far end to your right? it's off limits and on no account should you go in there, am I clear?" At this point he was very close to her and she could feel his breath on her face.

  She quickly stepped back, "(scoff) it's not like I'd go poking around anyways" 'who does he think he is commanding me like that?'

  "Good" he turned and left. She sat softly on the velvet sofa and that was exactly how she woke up the next morning.

  She was in the shower so she didn't hear Mrs Robinson's knock on her door the next morning. The smell of freshly baked cake met her at the staircase.

  "Good morning Miss, I came to tell you that breakfast was ready but it seemed you were in the shower" Mrs Robinson said to her.

  "Oh yes, ma'am and please, call me Sophie" Sophie beamed at her.

  "I'm Mrs Robinson, Sophie, please come to the table"

  "Oh my, Mrs Robinson, this smells so nice" she stared hungrily at the full table - Bundt cake, jelly, jam, chocolate pudding, bread, and in another big tray, fries and dippings.

  "Sir wasn't sure what you would like to eat when you wake up so he asked me to make all these, I really hope you like them"

  "Like? I love, Mrs Robinson, they taste sooo delicious" She said while munching on the bread and jam, her face looked cute as she spoke with big cheeks, Mrs Robinson had to laugh.

  "Oh Sophie, don't flatter me and finish up before your cheeks explode"

  "...."

  " Would you like to learn my recipe?"

  " So very much ma, especially the Bundt cake..I always mess mine up, Mum banned me from the kitchen" She suddenly remembered her Mum and stopped eating; Mrs Robinson noticed this and asked, " Is something wrong Sophie?"

  "Ahem..." They both looked startled as they saw Jerome already at the last step. " I'm sure you have other things to do Mrs Robinson, and chatting is definitely not among them.. is it?"

  "No sir" she quickly scurried to the kitchen as Jerome sat down at the head of the table. "How do you like your meal?"

  "it's nice sir"

  "Jerome would be much better, what would people say if they hear you call me sir?” he asked with a smirk on his face.

  People? He never for once cared about people's opinion but he just said that for the fun of it

 “...”

 “Finish up your meal and meet me upstairs” he commanded, striding towards the staircase.

 “What a weirdo”. (Phone ringing) “Hello?Mum! Oh my, how're you doing mum? the surgery went well?”

 “Yes Soph, I do not know who those people are but we owe them big time my love. Is it possible for me to see them and thank them personally?”

 “Mum, just focus on recovering, I'll handle the rest” 'if only she knew the price I had to pay. I won't tell her, she's been through a painful surgery, I'll stall for the meantime.'

 “Are you there Sophie?”

 “I'm here Mum. I can hear you perfectly, Mum, you need to rest, I'll call you later this afternoon” She quickly ended the call before her Mum could ask any question.

 ‘Mum sounds so tired, her treatment must be weighing heavily on her. I need to ring up Doctor Byrnes.' He's been their family doctor since she was a child and it would be unfair to not let him know about the surgery.

 The call went straight to voicemail. ‘he's probably busy’ 

 “Miss” she looked up only to find Ryan, whom she recognised to be one of Jerome's bodyguards and driver.

 “The boss has asked me to bring you to him” She put down the remaining slice of bread she was munching on and stood up to follow him all the while grumbling inwardly ‘he didn't even wait for me to be done eating..(humph)’

 Jerome was in his home office and was seated with one leg on the knee of the other, he gazed lazily at her as she walked in with Ryan closing the door behind her - he left them to themselves.

 “Have a seat” he said gesturing to the other chair across from him, on the other side of the huge mahogany table.

She sat down timidly. He went straight to the point - “i'll be laying some ground rules which you'll have to follow; firstly, as my wife-and secretary, you'll have to follow me to work every morning, you're not allowed to get tired before me” She knew all too well that he derived great pleasure in bossing her around;

'Otherwise what does he mean by not getting tired till he does?'.

 He stood up and strode over to where she sat, “And as my wife, i can go into your room as I please-”

 “Mrs Ken clearly stated that we didn't have to consummate  our marriage”

 “‘ didn't have to’ - not ‘must not’” a shiver went down her spine. She felt his breath on her neck - his lips were too close to her blushing cheeks.

"Jerome" arching her back on a whim.

Her lips were succulent and full in his--he sucked and rid them of their strawberry flavored gloss.

She snaked her hands around his neck granting him more access as he wrapped his around her waist.

"Sir!. the car's ready"