Chapter 4

Harold had already called his best friend Daniel Edward, he promised to go to his house over the weekend for dinner.

Daniel was excited to hear from his best 

 friend Harold, they hadn't seen each other for a long time due to Harold's business trip.

Laura didn't know her world was about to be stirred by the arrival of Harold.

Despite meeting him once, she had already started harboring feelings for Daniel.

She couldn't control her feelings, she hadn't felt that way with anyone before, and she kept imagining her life with him.

Laura wished Harold could visit daily, each passing moment without his presence made her yearn for his company.

She couldn't wait to meet him again solely to gaze upon his familiar face.

As the weekend drew near, the evening was cool accompanied by unmistakable warmth.

Daniel's voice cut through the calm atmosphere calling out to Laura in a loud voice.

"Laura!" She came to his side with haste, as there was a sound of urgency in his voice.

"Prepare dinner, my best friend Harold is coming over for dinner."

Laura with the unexpected news, her heart skipped a beat. She made an effort to conceal her burgeoning emotions.

"Alright then," she responded in a composed manner. " You should have told me earlier, that I and the maid would have finished with the preparation by now."

Daniel however became furious at her response. "Shut up! And just do as you are told!"

Despite his arrogance, Laura, fueled by her excitement chose to ignore him.

She rushed into the kitchen accompanied by her maid to make the anticipated dinner.

Daniel observed an unusual excitement in Laura. He hasn't noticed such joy in her since they tied the knot.

He kept silent, keenly observing her every move.

7:00 pm

The dinner was already prepared and arranged on the dining table, awaiting Harold's arrival.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and there he stood dressed in a plain white shirt and designer jeans, his charm was undeniable.

"Omg bro, you are looking good!" Daniel exclaimed, giving him a warm tight hug.

"Daniel, oh my friend it's been kinda long, I missed my best buddy!"

The excitement between these two was discernible. Laura just stood there in silence staring at their heartfelt reunion.

Introduced formally, Laura and Harold exchanged greetings with a handshake, uttering in unison "Nice to meet you again."

They both laughed, breaking the initial tension. They all settled at the dining table, ready for a night of shared meals and conversations.

Harold and Daniel gisted all along and caught up on lost time.

As dinner progressed, Laura couldn't help but keep focus on Harold. She was captivated by his charm.

It was a night of rekindled friendship, as for Laura, the feelings she had for Harold got deeper.

It was a connection she hadn't anticipated but couldn't deny. 

Harold made quite an impression on Laura during their unforgettable night together. She couldn't take her eyes off him throughout the entire dinner. 

Being confined to her house for so long has left Laura feeling restless and bored.

That's why she's determined to speak with Daniel Edward about starting her own business. She knows that this is the only way she can find something worthwhile to do with her time. 

It's 5:00 am and Laura has been up all night, strategizing about how to convince Daniel to support her business idea. 

She's confident and assertive, and she's determined to make this happen.

She sat upright on the bed, waiting for Daniel to wake up. When he opened his eyes, she tapped him gently and he stirred.

With a firm voice, she said, "I'm sorry to wake you up so early, but I need to talk to you about something important."

"What is it?" Daniel asked, still groggy.

"I want to start my own business. I feel like I need to do something productive and meaningful with my life, rather than just sitting at home all day."

Daniel sat up straight and looked at her incredulously. "You have everything you could ever want, why do you need to start a business?"

"It's not about the money," she replied. "I want to feel like I'm doing something worthwhile with my time. I'm tired of feeling like a prisoner in my own home."

Daniel's expression turned cold. "You're not a prisoner," he said sharply. "You're my wife, and you do what I tell you to do."

She stood up from the bed, feeling a surge of anger. "I am not your property," she said firmly. "I am my own person, and I have the right to pursue my own dreams and aspirations."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and left the room, determined to make something of her life, with or without Daniel's approval.

As Laura tried to walk away, Daniel grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back forcefully. "You can't just walk away from me. If you go against my word, you'll regret it for the rest of your miserable life. You have no rights here," he barked.

Laura winced in pain as he dragged her by the hair. "Stop it, you are hurting me!" She shouted.

As Laura hit the ground, the anger in her flared up. She couldn't believe the man she called her husband could treat her this way. 

The tears that streamed down her face were a mix of pain and anger. She vowed to make Daniel feel the same way she did.

Mr. Markson hadn't spoken to Daniel since he got married to Laura. Now, he planned to pay him a visit at his company. 

As he had breakfast with his wife Claudia, he announced his intentions to her. 

"Claudia, I am going to see Daniel at his company today, and I won't take no for an answer."

"I haven't seen or talked to him since he got married to Laura," Claudia stated firmly.

"Well honey, you know how arrogant that boy is. He doesn't even care, he's so unbelievable," Mr. Markson replied with a hint of frustration. "But we need to play along for the sake of Laura."

Claudia had not disclosed to Mr. Markson the struggles Laura was facing with Daniel Edward.

Later that day, Mr. Markson went straight to Daniel's company to see him. He requested to see Daniel and was directed to his office.

"How are you doing?" Mr. Markson asked confidently upon entering Daniel's office.

"I'm good," Daniel replied, relaxing on the sofa. "It's been a while," he said.

"How is Laura? Are you guys getting along?" Mr. Markson asked with curiosity.

"She's okay. What brings you here to my office?" Daniel asked.

Mr. Markson chuckled. "It's been a while, and I decided to stop by."

Daniel Edward was taken aback by the presence of Mr. Markson and immediately spoke up, "Before you stop by my office, give me a call. I do not appreciate unnecessary visits."

Mr. Markson felt insulted and struggled to control his anger. He stood up to leave, saying, "Alright then, I shall take my leave now."

With a fake smile, Daniel Edward replied, "Mr. Markson, I spared you because you complied. If not, you would have been in jail."

Mr. Markson was already tamed, but he decided to speak his mind. "Daniel, I'm not here to argue or pick a fight with you. I came because it's been a while."

"A while indeed," Daniel replied sarcastically.

Mr. Markson became more serious and said, "Daniel, if it weren't for the fact that I owe you a substantial amount of money, I wouldn't have married my daughter off to you. You are so arrogant."

Mr. Markson stormed out of the office, fuming with anger and regretting the day he ever borrowed money from Daniel Edward. When he got home, his wife Claudia noticed his agitation and expressed concern about his meeting with Daniel.

"That boy is damn arrogant!" he exclaimed, his frustration palpable.

Claudia tried to calm him down, but he wasn't having it. "I won't let his attitude slide this time," he said firmly, determined to stand up for himself. Despite his wife's attempts to soothe him, he remained adamant.

As he sat on the couch, Mr. Markson felt his blood pressure rising. 

He took a deep breath and requested a glass of water, trying to compose himself.

Meanwhile, Brian, who had been away on vacation, had unfinished business with Daniel Edward and was determined to return soon to settle the score.

Bryan was determined to pursue his political career and sought help from Daniel Edward despite his father's disapproval. 

Upon his return, Bryan visited his parents who were thrilled to see him. Claudia prepared a delicious meal and they spent the day together.

 Later, Laura called him over as she wasn't allowed to go out.

Bryan arrived with a wrapped box and was warmly welcomed by Laura. As they sat in the living room, Bryan was eager to know how she had been getting along with Daniel.

Laura confessed that her life had been miserable with him.

"Daniel Edward is an arrogant and ruthless bastard! He better watch his back," Bryan said firmly, his voice laced with anger.

Laura turned to Bryan, taken aback by his sudden outburst. She had never seen him react with such intensity towards Daniel.

"Bryan, are you alright? You sound really upset," she asked, concerned.

Bryan took a deep breath before responding. "I'm fine, Laura. But I can't stand Daniel's behavior any longer. It's time someone put him in his place."

Laura could sense the frustration and determination in Bryan's tone, and she knew better than to argue with him further.

Daniel Edward was determined to host a fancy birthday celebration in his luxurious apartment as his birthday drew near. 

He made all the preparations to his taste and invited his rich and influential friends to celebrate with him.

Daniel asked Laura to go shopping and get an expensive dress, courtesy of his birthday. Laura, who hadn't gone shopping in a while, prepared to go and was recognized by one of the salesgirls at the boutique.

"Omg, this is the wife of the famous billionaire Daniel Edward," she exclaimed.

 The second salesgirl replied, "Really? She's very pretty, I love her sexy figure too."

They both chuckled, and one of the salesgirls walked up to her. "Welcome ma'am, we are glad to have you," she said with a smile.

Laura got what she wanted and looked stunning in an attractive beautiful gown.

As the birthday party was about to commence, all was in place with expensive drinks, lavish dishes, and hot hits from the DJ.

Daniel dressed in a white tuxedo with an expensive black shoe designed with gold.

All the guests arrived, and the party was fun with ongoing entertainment. Harold arrived at the party with a wrapped small box, which he presented to his best friend Daniel as his birthday present. 

Asking about Laura, Harold hadn't noticed she had stepped in, looking so elegant and astonishing with her dress.

Harold was completely lost in his attention towards Laura, and it was becoming too much. 

As she approached her husband Daniel, who was standing beside Harold, she greeted him with a smile and a warm hug. However, she couldn't hide her displeasure as she looked at Daniel. "Happy birthday, Daniel," she said through gritted teeth.

Harold, who was obviously smitten by Laura, couldn't resist complimenting her. "Laura, you look stunning," he said with a smile. She acknowledged him with a nod and a sweet smile. 

Daniel, who had been noticing Laura's behavior around Harold for a while now, wasn't bothered by it. 

He didn't care much about Laura's feelings towards Harold. 

As the party continued, a young girl dressed in a stylish red gown walked in, catching everyone's attention. 

All eyes were on her as she confidently walked towards Daniel. She was an unexpected guest who turned up at the party.

Laura was curious about this girl and wondered who she was. As the girl approached Daniel, she spoke in a loud voice, drawing everyone's attention towards them. "Daniel, there you are. You didn't invite me to your birthday party," she said assertively.

Daniel was taken aback by her sudden appearance, but he didn't let it show. He took her by the hand and led her to a corner, leaving Laura standing there, wondering what was going on. The drama that was unfolding before her eyes was something she had not expected.

"Hey, Gina! What are you doing here? You're not welcome to just walk into my birthday party and confront me like this!" Daniel's voice was stern as he locked eyes with Gina.

Gina's expression turned to anger as she responded, "What do you take me for? Some cheap side chick you only come to for pleasure? You must be out of your damn mind!"

Despite her outburst, Daniel stood his ground, "You can't speak to me like that in my house, Gina."

Then, as if dropping a bomb, Gina revealed, "I'm pregnant!"

Laura, who had been standing nearby, was taken aback and quickly excused herself from the conversation.

"What?!" Daniel exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock.

Gina chuckled, placing her hands on his tie, "Yes, Daniel. And I can't have this baby without its father."

Daniel was confused and frustrated, "Gina, you have to go I will call you as soon as possible." He said with a tight voice.

As soon as the incident happened, Laura left the party without uttering another word. It was clear that Daniel didn't care about her feelings at the moment, as he didn't even bother to check up on her.

"What the hell was that about?" Harold demanded as he approached Daniel.

Daniel let out a deep sigh. "Harold, Gina is pregnant with my child," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I thought you had ended things with her," Harold retorted.

Daniel couldn't let anything ruin his birthday party, so he had to cut the conversation short. "We'll talk later, Harold."

Daniel walked away to cool down, leaving Harold curious.

Harold searched for Laura, but she wasn't at the party anymore. He wondered how she felt after the whole drama. Harold decided to look for her outside and found her crying by the garden.

He walked up to her with concern. "Hey, Laura, what's going on? Why are you crying?"

Laura looked up at Harold, her eyes filled with tears. She stood up helplessly and hugged him tightly.

Harold could feel her pain and held her tightly, rubbing her hair gently.

For a moment, Laura felt comforted in his arms, and she never wanted to let go.

"Talk to me, Laura," Harold said with a firm voice.

She sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Does anyone deserve to be treated this way? I'm so hurt!" She cried out, her voice filled with conviction.

Laura strode away hastily to her room, not giving Harold a chance to respond. Harold, deeply concerned, knew that Laura was going through a tough time and was determined to help her out.

As the party came to an end, Harold returned home, but Laura remained locked in her room, alone with her thoughts.

Without hesitation, Harold entered Laura's room to confront her. Laura lay in bed, clutching her pillow tightly to her chest.

"Laura, we need to talk," Harold said firmly.

Laura remained silent, glaring at Harold with bloodshot eyes.

"Listen to me, even if you don't want to speak," Harold continued, undeterred.

Laura continued to stare at Harold, her eyes still red from crying.

"Watch your tone, Daniel," Laura retorted sharply, standing up to face him. "I won't tolerate your disrespect any longer." With that, she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

The bitterness and pain of her marriage with Daniel had taken its toll on Laura. She knew that she deserved better than what he was capable of giving her, and she was ready to move on to a brighter future without him.

Laura had planned to meet her mom and wanted to step out for a while. After freshening up, she prepared to leave. She didn't engage in any conversation with Daniel and they both avoided each other. As Laura was about to leave, Gina walked in through the door with a laugh. Laura was taken aback to see her and wondered what she was doing in her house.

"Excuse me, but what gives you the right to barge into my home like that? Get out!" Laura shouted.

Gina laughed and replied, "Who do you think you are? You took what belongs to me, and I'm here to get it back!"

Daniel Edward heard shouting as he walked down the stairs. He interrupted and asked, "What the heck is going on here?"

Laura asked loudly, "Daniel, what's she doing here?" He was surprised to see Gina with her luggage.

Daniel looked at Gina and asked anxiously, "Gina, how could you come here with your luggage? Are you serious?"

Gina chuckled and walked up to Daniel. "I'm pregnant with your child, Daniel. Since you couldn't come to me, I came instead," she said loudly.

Daniel was speechless. Gina was his fiancée.

Despite Daniel's marriage to Laura, Gina was determined to get back with him and nothing would stand in her way. 

She refused to leave Daniel's house, even though he insisted that she should. Gina reminded Daniel of his past actions and how he left her for another woman, yet still came to her for pleasure. 

Now that she was pregnant, he showed no concern. Gina was not going to let him get away with it this time. 

She took her luggage into the guest room, ignoring Daniel's objections, and made it clear that she was staying put.

Laura left the house and made a firm decision not to visit her mother at her father's house. 

Instead, she checked into a hotel to take some time for herself. Laura needed to clear her head and regain her strength.

After spending a few days at the hotel, Laura realized that she had an unfinished mission with Daniel. 

She knew that everything happening in her life was real and not just a dream. 

Despite the challenges she faced, Laura refused to give up on her quest to save her family from Daniel Edward.

Although the thought of living in the same house with a woman that's pregnant for her husband was overwhelming, Laura was determined to face her fears. 

She concluded that she was going back to her husband's house with a fearless attitude.

After some contemplation, Laura picked up her phone and dialed her mom's number.

"Hello, Mom. How are you doing?" she asked, trying to sound calm.

Claudia responded cheerfully, "Hi, darling. It's good to hear your voice."

Taking a deep breath, Laura said, "Mom, I need to tell you something. I'm facing a big challenge right now.

 A girl showed up at my doorstep claiming to be pregnant with Daniel's child. I don't know what to do, but I'm not giving up without a fight."

"Wait, what!?" Claudia exclaimed. "Are you telling me that Daniel has been cheating on you? That despicable jerk!"

Laura took a deep breath and said firmly, "It's been a tough time for me, and now this."

"Calm down, Laura. Don't let it get to you. I need to see you," Claudia said, her tone assertive and reassuring.

"Mom, I will call you later." She replied.

As Laura left her room, she collided with a young man. He asked if she was okay, to which she replied with a dim look in her eyes, "I'm fine." 

"Are you checking out?" he asked with concern.

Laura responded calmly, "Yes, I've been here for a few days now."

The man introduced himself as Michael, the owner of the hotel, and asked for her name. Laura replied, "I'm Laura. It's nice to meet you, but I need to get going. Thanks."

As she walked away, Michael watched her go down the stairs and get into her car. Laura took a moment to calm her nerves and thought, "I need to deal with this. No matter what it takes, Daniel is going to get what's coming to him!"

Can Laura possibly handle Daniel and Gina under one roof?