CHAPTER 3

Steve was nothing but a live CCTV.  She could hardly move anywhere without his eyes on her.  She had tried to hide from his sight, but whenever she tried to peek at him, their eyes meet.  

How was she supposed to visit her husband when she could barely break free from her bodyguard?  She decided that to disarm ones enemy, the best way was to get to know the enemy better.  She went back to the car, this time she insisted on sitting beside him. 

“So, Steve, are you married?”

A grunt.

She chuckled as if it was funny.  There had to be something that would make him talk.  Getting to know people better was the easiest way to know how to trick them.

“What do you like best?”

No response.

“Is being a body guard a dream job or did you just find yourself doing it?”

No response.

It wasn’t working as she expected.  The only command he had listened to was, ‘stop’, ‘go’ and the directions she had given him.  She knew he could talk because he had spoken to her husband, so why was he refusing to speak to her. 

Was it part of the instruction given to him by her husband? Frustrated by his lack of response, another idea popped into her head.  She had watched it a movies, where people lied that they were going to the rest room, only for them to disguised and escape or to jump out of the window.  That was her only option of escaping the giant bodyguard.

“Steve, I will like to use the rest room.  I can’t hold it anymore.” 

He stared at her with narrowed brows, and a frown that scares Kate, but she had to be strong.  Seeing that he wasn’t stopping the car, she held her trouser, and shook on the seat.  “I need to go like right now. It’s very close.”

Steve grunt, and drove to the nearest mall.  The moment he parked, she made a show of running into the mall.  For the first time that morning, there was no one breathing down her neck. 

She sighed in relief.   Now, that she was already successful with the first phase of her plan, all that was left was the second phase, which was the main phase.

The mall was small and empty; she could count everyone there with one hand.  She moved to a person wearing a uniform that had the mall name, there was still no sign of Steve, which was a good thing.

“Good morning.  I am sorry to disturb you, but please is there any other way out apart from the front door.”

The lady stared at her like she just sprouted another head.   “No, there isn’t.  Is there any problem, Miss?”

Kate shook her head, “I am fine.  Please, where is your rest room?”

The lady led her to the rest room.  Kate surveyed everywhere but it was difficult to jump the window.  She had never been athletic.  If she jumped the window that was that high; she might end up with a broken bone, which wasn’t worth it.

She opened her phone and ordered a taxi.  Thankfully, there was one close to her location.  She waited in one of the cubicle trying to while away time while she waited for the taxi. 

The sound of knocking on the cubicle door sent her heart racing.  What’s going on? This was a female bathroom; there was no way Steve would come in there.  She knocked back.

The knock became rapid that she had no choice but to peep at whomever was making such noise.  Turns out, it was Steve.  Steve was in the female bathroom.  

Her chance of escaping was getting slimmer at every passing moment.  The taxi app turned green – meaning the taxi was around already.  She sighed in relief, and came outside. 

Steve sighed, fixing his eyes on her. 

“What! A lady gets to do what a lady gets to do?”

He ignored her and started moving towards the door.  Kate followed behind, her eyes darting everywhere for the taxi. 

Fortunately, they had parked the car in a far distance, which made it easier for her to survey the environment. 

Steve stared at her suspiciously as if he could read what was going on in her head.  If only he knew, he wouldn’t have allowed that distance between them. 

The moment Kate gazed settled on the car, she took in a deep breath and let it out.  She stretched her hands, lags and cocked her neck.  It was now or never. 

She started running, and then heard Steve curse before he followed after her.   Kate didn’t look back, she ran until she opened the taxi, and closed the door behind.  She tapped the driver.  “Please, move to Hart’s headquarter”

Her heart beat creating a rhyme in her chest.  She looked at the mirror to see Steve running back towards the car.  She smiled. Never underestimate the power of a determined bride.

She glanced outside taking in the street.  What could be dangerous outside that warrant her having a personal bodyguard?  There were just people going about their daily life, searching for their daily bread. 

Hart’s headquarter stood tall among other companies surrounding it; it made them look small beside it.  She was about to enter the company when Steve appeared beside her.  She smiled at him at batted her lashes.

“Why did you do that, ma? You could have told me you wanted to visit the office.  I would have drove you hear?”

She stared at his mouth.  “So, you can talk?”

“That’s not the point, ma.  The boss will be very angry if he learnt of this.”

She raised her brow, “Then, we better not let him learn of this.  Where is my husband’s office? Lead the way.”

He led the way but brought out his phone to make a call.

Kate shook her head.  “What are you doing?”

“Telling the boss you are on your way to visit.”

Kate shook her head again.  “No.  Don’t tell him.  This is supposed to be a surprised; telling him about this means running my plan.”

“But ma…”

“If you tell him about this, I will tell you how I escaped from you.”

She wasn’t going to tattle on an innocent man, but he doesn’t know.  His expression metamorphosed into sadness, and she wished she could tell him to tell, but she needed to do this for her marriage sake.  Ken’s office was located at the last floor of the building. 

The entire floor was just for him.  Kate’s hand felt wet, and the confidence she had had began to slip away little by little.  The closer they got to his door, the more her heartbeat increased.  Steve had stopped at his secretary office, after introducing her as his bosses’ wife.  She knocked, and debating on running back when she heard, ‘Come in.’

“What are you doing here?” His words made her froze at the door.  He stood tall behind his desk, his hand lost inside his pocket, and a frown settled on his face.  

She hated the fact that a visit from her could turn his mood like that.  He had always looked forward to seeing her when they were younger, what happened.  What had she done wrong?

“I came to see my husband.”

“You could have waited at home to see me.”

She frowned, and took a bold step forward, “Why do I have the feeling you were avoiding me?

“Avoiding you”

She nodded, “You weren’t home when I woke up.  Shouldn’t you be at home with me now, it’s our honeymoon.”

Ken sighed, “Told you I was busy.  I still am.  There is so much too do that I can’t leave for now.”

Something was wrong, but she couldn’t pinpoint what.  This wasn’t the same guy that had helped her chased a dog that was after her, because of that incident she had feared dogs, and had like him more.  He wasn’t the same guy she caught staring at her with a wide smile on his lips.  He barely smiles now.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“What gave you that impression? We just got married yesterday.”

Exactly more reason she was confused.  Was it because she hadn’t listened to the instruction he gave Flora. 

“I don’t know, I feel like you are avoiding me.”

He shrugged, “That’s not true, princess.  I am not avoiding you.  I am busy and just need some time for myself.”

She nodded, “What about the bedrooms?”

“What bedrooms?”

“The one we are sleeping in at home.  It’s wrong for a couple to live differently.”

He laughed.   Kate paused to stare at his white teeth, and the dimple at the side of his cheek.   “You don’t need to bother yourself.  We are not like a real couple.  I only needed you to close a deal.  Just go on your things, and I will continue doing mine.”

Kate felt blood rushed to her head.  She found it hard to believe he had just uttered those words to him.  “So, why did you marry me?’

“See, princess.  I don’t want to hurt you.  I already told you my reason.  It would be nice if you listen to me, and stay put.”

Kate felt her legs weak.  She had idolized him.  She had thought it was time for all her dreams to come true.  He had always been the perfect guy for her, but the truth was that he hadn’t care.  He had only married her because he needed her to close a deal.  That was his reason for shattering her dreams.  She had always heard that he was a devil, but she had doubted it.  Now, there was no doubting it anymore.

He was a devil.

Annoyed, she ran towards him with weak arms, hitting his chest.  “I want out of this marriage.  How dare you?”

He could hardly fell her hitting him.  “I’m sorry, princess.  But, you don’t get to pull out of this marriage, just because you feel like.  I am the only one that can let you go with I want.”

“You don’t dare.  I want out now, and there is nothing you can do.”

He chuckled and stared at her.  “Fine.  You can pull out if you want your father’s company to collapse.”

She froze, “What does that mean? What does my father’s company had to do with our marriage? What does it have to do with me leaving this marriage?”

He asked, “I guess your father didn’t tell you about it.  I’m sorry.  I can’t break the news to you.  You will have to ask your father.”