Chapter Four: I'm No Saint

MALIA…

I could listen to my erractic heartbeats clench in pain, I wouldn't have thought Maynard could ever do that to me just to tarnish my reputation. He had already dragged my name in the mud by cheating on me with his personal assistant which has made the world believe I wasn't good as a wife.

I looked at Larson with tears sparked up in the corner of my eyes, if he wasn't here today I wouldn't have been able to handle this all alone, when everyone doubted me he didn't for once question my character which made me feel proud of myself and blessed he came into my life, just at the right time. After Maynard was kicked out of the party by the bodyguards, I lead him on the stage and gave him a proper introduction. Anyone who wasn't comfortable with my decision can make use of the resignation letter.

While introducing him to some board of directors and the investors I could see them making faces but I wasn't bothered and the Ray Smith group of industries had the upper hand when it came to business and the market value was also high so it was gonna be hard for them to take back their shares because at the end of everything they will have a loss and I'll profit more.

Once I was done with the introduction I told my father to go home and rest and I assured him I'll be okay. My eyes peered around and I saw the guests having fun while I walked up to Larson.

"Thanks for saving me, I really appreciate"

"It's nothing of that such miss Smith, what I did today is what I'll do for any other woman in trouble" he retorted

"Okay I'm sure you can handle everything here? you're the president of the company so I'll leave you to do your job and also see your capabilities, I'll just go outside to take a fresh air I feel breathless" I said and walked out in a huff.

As the time passed by I kept strolling down the road lost in thoughts, I knew how to handle my name being dragged but for this one act of Maynard I couldn't help but feel my heart had been stabbed brutally. I sat down on the cold pavement and I didn't know when the weather begun to change, I could hear the heavy wind blowing which swept the dried leaves away then it began to pour heavily. I sat down as still as a rock hoping the rain would wash all my sufferings away then I noticed bright lights being centered on me, the media? for heaven's sake where they really gonna stalk me in every possible ways.

"Miss Malia was that your sex tape? were you having an extra marital affair with another man despite having a husband" I heared one of the reporters ask and I looked into her big brown eyes.

"Mr Maynard said the sex tape is true and the newly elected president Mr Larson was just covering up for your abominable sins"

"Enough! just stop it all of you and don't you dare open your gutters to talk about Larson in that manner. Weren't you all there? and you saw how my name was cleared, I don't have answers for your silly questions" I felt this urge to protect Larson and I just couldn't stand it if anyone talks bad about him.

"Miss Malia you'll have to give us the information we want. You can shut our mouths up but you can't shut other people from talking"

"Step away from her" I heared a familiar deep voice speak and I looked up to see Larson walking towards me as they cleared the way for him and he walked through them and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Leave her alone! you may go to your various homes and publish the news you have on the internet, mother fucker assholes!" he cursed and crouched down to my level then they all scampered away into thin air.

"What's this Miss Smith?, I like the fiesty you and not this unknown weak woman I'm seeing. You told me you feel breathless but here you are sulking in a corner"

"No matter how hard I try not to think about it, the memories of everything still stays fresh in my head. I loved Maynard so much and I was ready to sacrifice my all for me, if he had just told me what I was lacking then I would have surely become a better person for him but he decided to cheat on me. I feel like I'm the most foolish woman that has ever exisited on this planet earth" I said while sobbing profusely and choking in my own tears, my throat felt parched and I swallowed my saliva which made it worse.

"Look at me, your beautiful and you don't need to change yourself for anyone, not even when God comes down and tells you to do that so it's okay everyone faces difficulties in life so just wipe your tears and be a strong woman" 

"I've always been a strong woman but how long will I keep up with the act of not being bothered about what people say about me when I know vividly well in the end it hits me so hard, please just let me cry I want to be left alone" I replied faking a smile and it felt as though he could see through my eyes and also feel the pain I was feeling. I just didn't want him to get involved in my personal life, at least not now when we are getting to know ourselves and he has a heavy workload on him.

I'm not the type to burden anyone with my problems, I have always solved my problems and this time around I'm going to do just the same. Larson didn't say a word and no matter how hard I tried to stop the tears from flowing it wasn't just cooperating with me and in a swift movement my tears rolled down freely but then his sudden movement caught me unaware. He pulled me closer to him and enveloped me in a tight embrace while I encircled my hands round his waist with my head placed gently on his chest and that one move of his made me cry my eyes out.

Truth be told I didn't want him to go because I needed a shoulder to cry on and I felt he was the right one for me.

"Just for tonight, you're allowed to take me as a friend and show your vulnerability in front of me since you can't show it in front of others. You can cry as much as you want to and I promise I won't stop you, I also don't want you to feel crying makes a human weak because it isn't" he reassured me while stroking my back gently and I could feel the cold tingles his warm hands were doing to my body. His tight embrace felt like the safest place I have always wished to be and finally after what seemed like a lifetime my dreams came to light, it has been fulfilled and I didn't wanna ever let go of this blissful feeling.

My heart felt as though it was being ripped out with outmost force which was obviously true, anyone could see that I was hurt and after so many days after the unfateful incident that occured I was finally able to let myself feel the pain. Earlier I couldn't bring myself to let myself get choked by my tears because the tears weren't coming out, my tears kept flowing rapidly like a river and I feared it wouldn't stop and I silently prayed for this face of my life to come to an end once and for all. I had been crying for over forty five minutes then I quickly regained myself after thinking about the mess I have made of myself.

"I'm sorry for ruining your shirt" I apologized meekly as I muttered under my breath but loud enough for him to hear what I said.

"It's okay I'll let it slide but don't you forget it's my favourite shirt and you owe me a brand new one" he teased and I stiffled out a laugh admist all my tears and the pain in my voice.

"You've cried enough so let's start going otherwise you'll catch a cold" he placed his hand on my head to check my temperature.

"Just take a good look at what you've done to yourself. I'm not done talking and it seems you caught a high fever and you need to get rid of your clothes, they're clunged tightly on your body. You wouldn't want to tease me right? remember I'm no saint" I felt good seeing someone take care of me so much, apart from my father no one cared about how I was living my life. Though I had a husband, he was never there to care for me but only needed me when it came to his sexual desires, I could recall the countless number of times I was sick on bed but then he was no where to be found with the excuses of an important business meeting and at the end of everything I would be the one to take myself to the hospital and get treated. I looked at my dress and I could see it was transparent which exposed my breast which was cupped in a small size bra and I saw when he looked at me intensely without any shame.

"How shameless can you be?" I gave him a light smack on his arm then he pulled me up to my feet while grabbing my waist in his firm grip and I blushed in that moment as he walked me out into the night.