MasukLorenzo stared at her not fully understanding what she meant but realizing that it could change everything.“What do you mean cara?” He asked. Natalie pulled out of his embrace. “Your best friend’s death wasn’t related to me. It just happened that I was in the area when he died.” She said.Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed.“And what might you have been doing there?” He asked.“Running from my uncle. It wasn’t the first time , from time to time I always tried to run away. But I never succeeded. Mostly because I had nowhere to go. I lived a secluded life with my parents and I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere else. I didn’t know where to go.” She said.“And yet you kept escaping.” Lorenzo said a smile tugging at his lips.Natalie smiled despite herself.“I did. The times I was outside allowed me to think , to be free, to truly live. I spent the hours before the guards found me to think of all the wonderful things I could do once I got out. Hope was what kept me going. Aside that, I was dead insid
“That’s what she has on me. My family. The whole of them. She killed my elder brother in front of his whole family just to prove her point.”Fiona was crying now.“That’s the deal. That’s the reason I have to turn you over. Because my family is worth more to me than a thousand Natalies!” She cried.It shouldn’t have stung when she said it but it did. She understood her rage and her desperation. But it didnt make the betrayal any less painful,“You think Esmeralda is the only one who can pull strings? I’d have the whole of your generation wiped out this instant before she could even blink an eye.” Lorenzo said furiously.Fiona chuckled.“That’s how it is right? My insignificant family is just a pawn in you rich people’s game. You can wipe them off the face of the earth? We’ll go on ahead and do it! We’re dead anyways.” She cried.“Fiona..” Natalie began but she was shut.“I don’t care what you guys do to me. All I wanted was to work in peace find a way to improve myself and my lot in l
Lorenzo pulled Natalie into his embrace and hugged her tightly.“Cara...” She hugged him back grateful for the safety his presence brought.She let go after a while and turned to Fiona who was still on the floor trying to catch her breath. “Anita said you left already...” a dry laugh. “But it is obvious that this was just a trap for me.” She said casting a betrayed look at her and then Anita.Natalie took in a deep breath. If Fiona wanted to play the emotional black mail and guilt tripping game, she definitely wasn’t falling for it.“Fiona, I heard all of your conversation with Anita and trust me I have a lot of questions for you right now. I don’t even know where to begin.”Fiona scoffed.“Well, you’d begin by explaining why your husband is accusing me of colluding with some Esmeralda!” She cried.“And why you have those accusing eyes staring at me,” she added.Natalie stared, short for words.Then she chuckled. She knew what fiona was up to, she was going to play the clueless vict
Fiona put the key into the keyhole , turned and pushed. It didn’t budge.They exchanged glances.“Huh? That’s strange. It can’t be bolted from inside unless someone is there.” Fiona said.Anita shrugged, relieved that the bolts were in place.Inside the storage room, Natalie slowly let out a relived breath. It had been hard to bolt the door without making any noise but she had done it. Now she only had to worry about Lorenzo arriving here on time.Fiona moved away from the door.“What are you hiding ?” Anita looked up startled.“Hid...hiding what ? I’m. I’m not hiding anything.” She said. Then made s show of looking at her watch.“I have to leave and lock up. Natalie’s instructions. You’ll come back for your stuff another day.”She turned to go.“You can go but I’m not going anywhere. I’ll lock up later.” Fiona said.Anita turned.“That’s not happening. Natalie’s instructions were to lock up the studio before leaving.”“And I’ll do that. You can go.”Fiona said.Anita was about to arg
Natalie’s chest thumped hard.Fiona’s voice called again.“Annie? Open the door I can’t stay there for long. And why did you lock it in the first place?”Anita racked her brain for an answer.“Uh. I was about going out.” She motioned for Natalie to hide while packing her bags and files.“Out? Natalie’s not in?” Fiona asked. Natalie went towards the storage room with her belongings wiping any trace that she’d been there that morning and hid then locked the door firmly. Keeping the key with her. She could still hear their voices outside.“Yes. She came in this morning then went home. Said she had some emergency to attend to.” Anita replied.“Emergency? And she didn’t let me know? And she’s supposed to make more copies of the new scent. Open the door already Annie!”Natalie heard the door open.“Sorry, You came back so soon.” Anita said.“Yh. I finished on time. Where did Natalie go again ? Her car is still parked outside.”“Yh. Lorenzo sent someone to pick her up. She’s going to send
Within a week Natalie had gotten new replacements for her studio. The success of the competition, the release of a new scent and the press conference had all been huge successes , setting the stage for her to expand. She had started this with the aim of bringing Lorenzo down and taking full control of her inheritance but that seemed meaningless now. She had achieved much more than that. She had proved a point and gotten even more closer to her husband. In a few weeks they would be marking their one year in marriage. It seemed surreal. She was in the studio trying to duplicate the new scent when Anita walked in. Fiona was not in the office.“Hey boss.” She was bubbly and vibrant as usual.“What’s up?” Natalie replied not looking up from her worktable.“You asked me to watch your aunt. Well I have news for you.” Natalie’s ears perked up and she stopped what she was doing momentarily.“Talk.”“Well, she’s been shopping in a lot of high profile boutiques lately, and from the receipts







