CHAPTER 4

“Good Morning Devonne” I jerked awake and squinted at the person, it was Sansa, I had slept in…..in my office! I shut off the music and rubbed my eyes.

“Morning Sansa, how’d you enjoy your new gift” I asked, struggling against a yawn.

“I enjoyed it very much Devonne, thank you” she said while dropping a cup of steaming hot coffee and a bagel on a plate on my table.

I was about congratulating myself for managing to sort through half of my paperwork when Sansa interrupted my thoughts

“Devonne, is 9 am already, you are supposed to have a meeting with Edward right about now and he has arrived, I did ask him to give you thirty minutes to have your breakfast though”

“Thank you Sansa, I’ll get ready now” I said, dismissing her.

I know I called it a lounge earlier, but it really is just a bedroom with just about everything I need, including but not limited to a kitchen.

I took a quick warm shower before sorting out my outfit.

I chose a baby blue blazer skirt and jacket, the skirt and jacket coming to stop at my mid thigh, I matched it with white knee high heeled boots and applied very light make up, I didn’t quite have the time to style my hair, so I just pulled it back from my face into a ponytail. I wore pearls on my ears and neck then I headed to my office to sit back down and have my coffee.

I was finished with my bagel and was just sipping the coffee now when I placed a call through to Sansa, “Send him in now please”

Edward walked into the office with a little frown creasing his forehead

“you really took your time having breakfast” he muttered.

“I am very sorry about that, I was a little disoriented, so I just took some more time, let’s get right down to business shall we?” I offered with a raised brow.

“Of course, so I took it upon myself to bring the paperwork here to you, I also proposed here that you could lend us some of your manpower on the farm……..” I had zoned out at some point, I really needed to take myself out, probably do my hair, my nails, a facial will be good too. And then a lovely massage, I have so many knots in my shoulders, it’s a miracle I haven’t turned to stone yet.

I tuned back to the conversation as he was saying “......with that, I believe we can start our very own wine press, with your assistance and in return we offer you 30 percent of our profits monthly”

“Wonderful” I signed the documents “if that’s all, I’d like to excuse myself, I have a few appointments to catch up on”

“Oh I’ll leave you to it then, it was nice doing business with you Miss Marchetti” he said as we both stood up to share a handshake.

“It’s Mrs. Marchetti” he looked confused for a second “you’re married?”

“No, widowed” I said with a smile.

When he had left, I rang Sansa again, “Sansa, moving on, what’s the next thing?”

“You have an appointment with the Doctor, then, the psychiatrist. After that, I booked an entire spa session and then it’s back home for you. I made sure to send all of your remaining paperwork to the house for you” she rattled out in almost just one breath “your ride is waiting outside”

I stepped out of the building and into the SUV waiting outside.

“Good morning Clarke” I greeted cheerily “morning Devonne”

And then we were moving, we were almost at the doctor’s when a blinding headache tore my my head, not just that but my entire body ached, all of a sudden everything became too loud, my mouth was open in a silent scream and then everything went black.

**************

I woke up in a hospital bed, with a doctor hovering over me, I knew it was a hospital because of its white walls and pompous looking doctors and nurses in slacks and lab coats, and the stinging scent of antiseptic assaulting my nose, I wasn’t going to do the cliche thing by asking where I was.

“What’s wrong with me? How long was I out?” I asked

“Barely an hour Devonne” the doctor said smiling at me “and before you ask, no, you’re not pregnant, in fact your vitals seem to be very vibrant and healthy, however, you passed out from dehydration, I don’t think you’ve been drinking enough water Devonne, or even eating for that matter”

I huffed and asked “ and the pain?”

“What pain?” The doctor asked looking a little confused

“I felt this really awful pain all over my body before I passed out” I muttered.

“I think it could’ve been cramps, because your body showed no signs of any abnormalities whatsoever” he replied.

At the Psychiatrist’s, I picked up the Rubiks Cube, my favorite fidget toy whenever I was in her office. She was an elderly woman and gave me this ‘mom’ kind of feeling, she had dark hair streaked with several strands of grey and an oval shaped face that had wrinkles and freckles.

I munched on the chocolate chip cookies she always had on her table.

“So let’s talk about these nightmares of yours”

Three hours later I was headed to my house..

I was almost surprised to see that my whole family was there and by whole family, I meant my mom, my younger sister and brother, Brianna and Joshua.

Mom was in the kitchen preparing what would be dinner? And I on the other hand was almost knocked over by the hugs that Bri and Josh handed me, I hadn’t told them I was back in town yet, but I guess Friday night News ruined everything. I smiled softly, they all looked like my mother, blonde hair and blue eyes, a slightly tanned skin. I was the odd looking one with jet black hair, green eyes, mercifully, I wasn’t pale in complexion.

With mom in the kitchen, I headed upstairs to change, looks like we’ll be meeting step daddy to be today.

Getting to my room, I pulled my hair into a messy bun and pinned it with a pencil after taking off my blazers. I sat on the office chair I had beside my table and swiveled in it. I was still in a bit of a daze, somehow I knew I was going to meet this guy tonight, so I had drank some alcoholic wine.