MIRABEL “Your mother’s insurance doesn’t cover her immunotherapy so that’s why you need to pay up.” The doctor said to me with a much calmer tone than the others. I was seated in front of him, holding on tightly to my pants as my mind raced with the possibility of losing my mother. She was all I had left and losing her after we had just lost Dad, I would never survive it. “I understand this is too much for you and that’s why I am suggesting you ask a relative for help. Anyone? A friend? Family?” He asked and I shook my head as I fought back the tears that threatened to spill. It was just the two of us, no one else. “Listen Mirabel, your mom doesn’t have much time and that’s why I am advising you to find someone that can help, it’s the only way because you can’t possibly raise such an amount on your own.” He advised. He was right, I knew he was right but there was no one else. There was really no one else. As I made my way out of his office and towards my mom’s room, the t
MIRABEL I am seated in one of the best five star restaurants in the country, nervously pulling at the uncomfortable yet classy dress I am wearing while I wait for the man that is supposed to be my husband in a few days from now. Before Mom married my father, she was supposed to marry into a wealthy family whose head was grandfather’s business partner, a marriage deal that would have created a huge opportunity for his business but Mom had refused to marry him and gone ahead to marry my Dad, for doing that, she lost everything, all her inheritance. And now, I was seated in her place, to carry out a contract marriage in exchange for her medical bills getting cleared. That was the only reason I was doing this, for Mom. I would never be able to survive losing her too, not after we lost Dad so that was one of the main reasons I needed her to stay alive and the only person that could help make that possible was grandfather. So doing what he said was no longer a matter of choice, i
MIRABEL My reflection stared right back at me in the mirror, dressed in a wedding dress that was chosen by my grandfather and about to walk down an aisle to marry a man that had done nothing but make my life miserable since high school. He did all those horrible things to me and didn’t even remember me. How could he not possibly remember the face of the girl he had tortured almost every single day? How could he even stomach funding and leading a campaign against bullying when he had not even changed a bit? What kind of monster was Giveon Jameson? And the worst part was, I was about to get married to that same monster. I could barely swallow anything and the more I tried to shove down my emotions, the more it rushed to the surface and the urge to break down in tears became so overwhelming. Grandfather simply refused to let me see mom so I was all alone even though my grandfather was right beside me, leading me down the aisle. There was no need to raise the veil for me to s
MIRABEL"Wake up." I heard someone say accompanied by a tap on my body. My eyes fluttered open as my head banged. Standing in front of me with a frown on her face was a maid. "Wake up." She said again, her tone harsher.For some seconds, I had wondered who she was and where I was because this wasn't my room and I don't recall taking a job as a maid or anything and then it snapped on me.I had gotten married to Giveon, my high school bully and he had accused me of wanting to seduce him and kicked me out with a blanket out of his room.I recalled how I had been humiliated and kicked out of the room to falling down the stairs. A kind maid had assisted me to this room where I had resided."You have to get dressed as some guests will be coming over today." The maid informed me.I don't recall seeing her or knowing her from anywhere because it didn't make sense to me why she was being rude to me. "Who?" I asked inquisitively."You will see for yourself but I've been told to assist you i
MIRABELI sighed deeply as I sat on my bed with my towel wrapped around my body. Tomorrow would be my first day at work and I wasn't prepared. I have never worked in an office before. I didn't even finish college because my mom fell ill and I've been struggling with life. If it wasn't for the situations I had, I should have graduated college two years ago but sadly I didn't. I never studied business, I don't know what it's about but somehow I have to start working as Giveon's assistant.I will be working with him from tomorrow. Earlier today, Zara brought some clothes for me if he needs them for work tomorrow. I was expecting someone to come explain to me what it was that I'd do but no one has. This might be a perfect opportunity for me to get close to Giveon and expose him just as I had intended to do but for some reason, I didn't think that I'd be able to pull through with it. Just as I got rid of my towel to wear my pajamas, the door to my room opened and Giveon stepped in. My
MIRABEL"It's over!" I muttered in the realization that I had woken up late.I was certain I set my alert to wake me up by 6:00am but somehow I overslept and woke up at 7:30am, the time I was supposed to join Giveon at the car to go to work.My first day at work was already a mess and it was evident that Giveon was going to punish me for coming late. The first thought that came to my mind when I woke up late was how I was going to find out where the company was. I didn't have a good relationship with my grandfather to call him and ask for some directions asking why I didn't know it already. I left the bed after moments mentally fighting myself for waking up late although I slept early to go take my bath.I barely used ten minutes in the bathroom before I came out to get dressed. I settled for my two-piece grey office outfit that I had prepared for today before touching my face with a little makeup as I didn't have enough time to waste.I didn't want to arrive at the office later tha
MIRABEL“Who is she?” I heard a feminine voice from inside and I guessed it to be the woman that I saw him with banging.What a wonderful Monday for me walking into the office to see my husband banging another woman shamelessly and thankfully I didn’t care for him enough to let his actions affect me. I wasn’t too surprised about the kind of person that he was because he was a big flirt back in high school and although he was a year ahead of me, he had every girl in high school wanting to be on his bed.It’s so funny that after so many years, he hasn’t changed and he claimed to have a a girlfriend he loved. I scoffed in disbelief. Shortly after, the door opened and an angry-looking Giveon stood beside the door.“Good morning Giveon…”“It’s Sir to you henceforth and where is your manners? Did you forget it before you left the house? How dare you barge into my office without knocking and don’t know what the time is?” He uttered through his teeth, clearly pissed but my mind and eyes wer
MIRABEL"You must have forgotten that you are a married woman. Coming back home by this time of the night? Where did you go to?" He asked.For someone who had his own life, he was sure interested in mine way too much, or maybe that was his way of making me regret getting married to him; a marriage I already regretted before I got into it."Where were you?" He asked again when I didn't give him a reply to his first question."Are you not going to give me an answer?" He chastised."I went out." Came my simple response.He let out a dry laugh, taking some intimidating steps towards me. "I don't think I gave you any rules when you entered this house, or did I?" He shook his head."I doubt and that's why I'm going to be giving you rules because there's no way that I'd share the same house as you and not show you your place." I swallowed the invisible lump that formed in my throat now that he was standing in front of me. I thought all the fear that I had for Giveon ended in high school bu
MIRABELFor some second, I thought it could be my imagination but I was wrong. It wasn’t my imagination. Giveon was kissing me and I didn’t know what to do because in all twenty-four years of living on earth, I’d never kissed a man before so it was new to me.“Kiss me back.” He groaned hoarsely, his voice making me shudder but I didn’t do as told as he continued to aggressively kiss me.“So you won’t kiss me right?” He pulled away, glaring at me and leaving me confused. What just happened? The man who promised me hell the day of our wedding had kissed me but it didn’t seem like he kissed me because he wanted to but for some reason I had no idea about. “You would have kissed him if I didn’t show up, wouldn’t you?” He uttered, his tone laced with venom making me frantic.”I…”“I saw how close the both of you were. You let him close. You wanted him. Don’t you dare deny it?” He pointed accusing fingers at me leaving me more confused than I already was because I had no clue what it was t
MIRABELAfter he introduced me to Mr. Walter and his wife, Giveon kept his distance afterward and it wasn’t like it affected me because I was happy that he stood up for me.Thinking about it, he did that because he didn’t want anyone to know of the nature of our marriage. I didn’t fail to notice the look on the Face of the lady and I honestly liked it. The second half of the event continued and I could finally understand what was going on. The event focused more on the awareness of kids with eye problems and how expensive the treatment can be. They wanted donors that would help them with the money for it and I, in particular, was interested.Most kids in the orphanage were having issues with their eyes and there was a need for money to be able to cater for the kids. After that part, they took a break as usual.“I’m going to use the restroom,” I informed Giveon but he didn't seem to acknowledge so I left the restroom.After using the restroom, I made my way out only to meet Chris stan
MIRABELChristopher James and Giveon Jameson were known names in the school. I have been hearing their names since I got admitted into the prestigious high school for only rich kids on scholarship.Although I’ve heard of them and seen them, my presence was never noticed by either of them until one day. That was the day that changed it all and I went from the girl who was barely seen to a well-known figure simply because Giveon Jameson took an interest in me not for the reasons you might think but because he saw me as the perfect person to make fun of.“Why are you so skinny? Here. Have some milk and cake and eat more vegetables and fruit.” Giveon dropped a cake, a small carton of milk, and a parfait for me on my table where I was having lunch. I looked at him with tears in my eyes because everyone was now watching and I felt so embarrassed. I didn’t want his food. I already had mine even if it wasn’t much.I had a toast in my food flask and a bottle of water with me and that should b
MIRABEL“You look gorgeous in this outfit. Damn. It reminds me of my younger days.” Miranda complimented, staring at me. I walked towards the standing mirror to take a look at myself. Dressed in a strapless sequin silver dress that fitted my body so well, accentuating my curves I hadn’t noticed had gotten bigger. From my mid-thigh, the dress had a slit until the end, revealing my not-so-very-long legs. I looked really good so I wondered if I was the one in the mirror because of the makeup and how good I looked. Miranda had done a great job preparing this dress for me and also assisting me with my makeup. For a girl my age, I didn’t have many pictures or videos of myself looking this good. Even on the day of my wedding, I didn’t look happy because I never wanted to get married to him. For some reason, I felt really good today and happy. “I’m sure he’d be blown out of his mind the seconds he sees you. You are lovely.” Miranda complimented again. “Thank you so much and you’ve done
MIRABEL"Oh my goodness!" I screamed, jumping off the bed when I realized that I was late.It was past nine and I had just woken up. I dashed into the bathroom to quickly brush and bathe only to hit my arms against the door."Ouch!" I cried out in pain, feeling my arms stiffen for some second, and then cried out more when I realized that it's weekend and I wasn't supposed to go to work.How the hell did I forget this? I mentally groaned. Firstly, I slept too much and woke up past ten in the morning. It was the first of its kind since I started working for Giveon.I mentally thanked my stars as I realized that if it was during working days and I woke up this late, I wouldn't have bothered to go to work because Giveon would have kicked me out and fired me.Speaking of Giveon, how did I return home? I don't recall anything besides dancing with Sandra."Oh my goodness!" I voice out.My eyes widened in realization of what I had done last night. I was in Giveons arms. I don't recall that mu
GIVEON JAMESON"Take care son and call us when you get home." My mom said."I will," I replied."Make sure to take care of her and be nice." She reminded me."Seriously mom?" I replied, feeling bored already because I knew what it was that she was doing. She was my mom and also one of those who knew how hard it was for me then to get my heart broken by a girl for the first time.It wasn't like we were ever together but I crushed on her. Everyone except her knew that but somehow she managed to break my heart without accepting me first. It's been five good years since I last saw her. Five years since I promised to never see her again and to hate her for shattering my heart. I remember the first time my parents told me about the arranged marriage, I told them I wasn't interested and turned them down.Every time they wanted me to settle down, I reminded them I was still young and I wasn't twenty-five years but she would tell me settling down early wasn't a bad thing.That was until my mo
MIRABEL"You look beautiful every time I see you. How have you been?" Sandra asked me for the second time tonight as we settled on the dining table."I've been good Sandra, and you?" I asked with a smile on her face."I'm always looking good. What is working with your husband like? How are you catching up? I hope he's not being too strict on you forgetting you are his wife?" She asked, letting out a small laugh afterward."You know he can be like his father when he wants to be." She placed her hand on her husband's hand on the table and looked at him with a smile on her face. "My husband can be so strict when he's at work but behind all of that grumpiness, he's a big baby."I didn't fail to notice the smile on Giveons dad's face as he looked at his wife. It was evident that he was in love with his wife but I couple say the same for his son."It's going well. I'm managing well." I replied. "I hope you aren't hard on her Giveon." She was now speaking to her son who hadn't said a word t
MIRABELIt took everything in me to be able to push him off me.I looked at him frowning. "Please, stop accusing me of what I'm not, and stop trying to touch me in ways that make you think I want it when I don't." "And she speaks. I wasn't the one who said I was distracted. It was you who got distracted seeing me with another. It's okay to admit that you are jealous." He countered."But I'm not." My voice almost failed me.He looked at me for some seconds as if thinking about something else to use against me but instead, when he opened his mouth to speak, he said something else. "There is a family dinner this Friday at my parent's place. They asked me to invite you so make sure to look your best and also don't do anything that will make me angry. You can leave."What? I mentally gasped. Could Giveon be bipolar? It was how he suddenly switched on me. One minute he was being too much and the next it was like he didn't care and my presence irritated him. I walked out of the room and ba
MIRABEL"I will take my leave now," I said, attempting to leave the car."And who ordered you to?" He said in a deep tone that made me shiver."Earlier your voice was loud as you stated your stance and you want to leave now? I didn't order you to and so you can't.""That's just who you've always been. So good at making others think you are some innocent person. You aren't one. You are a pretender and if I hadn't figured you out, I'd have easily fallen for it." "You are vehemently denying having anything to do with him and that's the more reason I believe there's something. If there was nothing, you wouldn't see the need to be defensive." He said through gritted teeth.As much as I felt good speaking up earlier, I suddenly regretted it. It's like I added more fuel to the fire."You didn't have much to say be other day when I saw you with the second chief for the head of departments but you have enough to day today." He clicked his tongue. "You can deceive everyone but I'm not one of th