Pardoned

They both pulled away from each other and she quickly rushed to the door.

 “Hide,” she whispered to Ryan who was still unmoved.

She watched him hide in the closet and then she opened the door for Mrs Clyde to come in.

“Mother,” she called humbly as she stood behind Mrs Clyde who was looking all over the room.

“I thought I heard a voice,” she said and sat on the single sofa in the room.

“Not really, “ Samantha cut in sharply and walked to the bed nervously.

“You did well by being a good girl out there. But there is something else I'll need you to do,” Mrs Clyde said with all seriousness. “I don't care whatever relationship you once had with Ryan, I want you to stay away from him,” she warned.

 Samantha swallowed hard, her heart racing fast.

“Mother..,” she tried to speak.

“I believe I'm clear,” Mrs Clyde cut in.

“I..I will ma'am,” she replied.

“Good,” she said and walked out of the room.

As soon as the door was shut, Ryan sprang out of his hiding, his face now red with anger as he stared at Samantha who was walking away from the door.

“I'm..I'm so sorry, you heard her right,” she said.

“And you're gonna comply?” He asked in disbelief.

“I think so, I need to save my marriage,” she cried fearfully.

“Your marriage? Do you call this marriage?!” He scoffed, shaking his head in perplexity.

“I don't care what you think, Ryan, you've got to stay away,” she said and walked away from him.

 “That includes to stop fighting for you?” He asked calmly.

She kept silent and he nodded and heaved a sigh.

“I should have left earlier, I made a mistake coming back for you,” he said and walked out angrily.

She watched him walk out of the room and she sat on the bed, looking devastated. He had proved to be a nice guy but also an obstacle to her marriage. She needed him out of the way, she thought as she laid on the bed.

Mrs Clyde stood beside the passage wall, watching Ryan walk out of the room and a small sinister smile appeared on her lips

**

Samantha joined the women in the kitchen as soon as it dawned, and she could see the surprised look they all gave her.

 “Thought you've been pardoned,” Anna said with a smile.

“I didn't get the green light yet,” Samantha replied as she joined her to sort fresh vegetables.

 “Oh, and who's gonna pardon you just yet?” Betty asked, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, Betty, I don't know why I feel like you're jealous of Sam,” Hailey put in.

“Why would I be?” Betty scoffed. “She's not going to be different from Madam Essa,” she added.

“Betty!!” They all exclaimed.

Samantha swallowed hard. 

“And if I may ask, who is Madam Essa?” She summoned the courage to ask.

The girls glanced at each other and then returned to their duties immediately. Not long, the male chef arrived and the kitchen began to bustle with activities.

 After preparing breakfast for the family, she sat with Anna at the dining table in the kitchen, having breakfast. Anna was friendly and easy going, unlike Betty who acts like a psycho. 

 “They still didn't call you to the table for a family meal,” Anna said as she stirred her cup of coffee.

Samantha kept silent, munching a piece of mozzarella cheese stick.

 “I wanna know more about Madam Essa,” she requested.

Anna's eyes bulged and she looked if Betty and Rick were watching. 

“You didn't do your research before coming to this place?” Anna whispered to Sam.

“I didn't, I only tried my luck and it worked. Everything happened so fast,” she lamented.

Anna sighed and tucked her blond long hair behind her ears.

“I'm sorry, Sam. I can't tell you anything,” she said.

“Anna, I need to know my fate,” she said, her voice dripping with fear.

“Sam, it's confidential. If anyone is caught talking about Madam Essa, we'll be punished severely,” Anna explained with fear written all over her brown, almond shaped eyes.

“Is she dead?” Samantha asked in low whispers.

Anna gulped and looked around carefully.

“She disappeared mysteriously and was later declared dead,” she spilled.

Samantha opened her mouth agape and exhaled.

“Was she murdered?” She asked Anna who seemed to be so uncomfortable at the moment.

“Yes she was, and…,” she tried to speak when Hailey walked into the kitchen angrily, holding a tray of food.

“Did the girls get on your nerves again?” Anna chuckled.

“Nope. Sir Ryan didn't show up at the table, and I was asked to return his meal,” Hailey answered.

“I hope he is okay,” Anna said, turning away from Hailey.

Samantha felt her heart sank and she wondered why he didn't show up for breakfast.

She kept silent, thinking about their encounter last night. Just then, Madam Kate walked into the kitchen.

“You've been pardoned. Mrs Clyde asked that you move back into Sir Ryker's bedroom at once!” Madam Kate announced.

“What?!!” The girls exclaimed.

Samantha's eyes bulged and she stood up immediately.

“I’ll be there,” she said, and smiled unflappably.

 **

“I'm so over the moon, thank you, doc. Tomorrow, we'll begin the insemination process, we've got no time left,” Mrs Clyde spoke on the phone with her legs crossed elegantly.

Ryker listened attentively as his mother conversed with doctor Jean on the phone. After a few seconds, the call ended and her attention was turned towards him.

“He has promised to start the insemination process tomorrow, since she's been diagnosed to be fertile,” she said with excitement, sipping from her glass of red wine.

“Can we really trust him?” He asked thoughtfully.

“Oh, come on, Doctor Steve gave the recommendation that we can work with him, we can trust him,” she said assuringly and Ryker nodded.

“Sam will move into your bedroom, and we'll begin the process tomorrow. I'm so happy she's fertile, everything is turning out for our favor,” she said excitedly.

Ryker remained silent and heaved a sigh.

“You know, son, if Vanessa didn't die, she would have proved to be an obstacle . She wouldn't have succeeded in giving you a child, and we'll have lost. it's a good thing she died,” Mrs Clyde continued as she gazed at Ryker whose face was stone cold.

 “I don't know if I can stand her, I mean, this Sam girl,” he complained.

“You'll have to try. We need to make everything look real. You know, this is the only way we can take Ryan out of the way too,” Mrs Clyde said with a smirk.

“How?” He asked almost immediately.

“Did you see him at the table for breakfast today?” She asked with a cunning smile on her black lips.

“No,” he answered calmly.

“Because I asked Samantha to stay away from him, he got mad. I know they both have something going on. Ryan isn't lying when he claims to know Samantha,” she continued with a smirk.

Ryker's eyes bulged and he looked at his mother in disbelief.

“And you.. you let everything slide by?!” He barked.

“Yes, I let everything slide by, because that's the only way to get rid of him. That's the only way he would leave and never return,” she said.

“How?!” He growled impatiently.

“Because he likes Sam. I believe they met by accident from Aiden's information. He had seen them drive out of the mansion at the company's 20th anniversary party,” she explained.

“Mom, I can't believe this!” He cried.

“Be calm, it's nothing deep. I've got everything in place. She's the reason he's still here, and she'll be the reason for his departure,” she said with a smirk.

“How? Mother?” He asked in disbelief.

“That's where you come in. Ryan can't stand the sight of you and Sam being all loved up, he'll go crazy and lose himself again,” she said.

Ryker kept mute, thinking about his mother's words.

“Yes, he'll lose it and definitely return to rehab. I guess he's trying to break free at the moment. And the moment he breaks free from his addiction, we're doomed,” she explained.

Ryker sighed heavily and nodded slowly.

“That's why I let the situation between him and Samantha slide by, because I was using it to our advantage. He has finally found someone he cares about, and we're gonna take that someone away from him,” she said and grinned evily.