"After God, fear women"
Claire was dumbstruck. It could not be. Nathan had just married his competitor and she had nothing to say about it.
The dinner was about to commence so she had plenty of time to prove Bianca was a fraud.
Wrong!
She had very little time and she remaining glued to her seat was not going to change anything.
Claire stood up and joined the new wife, her suspicion making her unable to keep a smile.
"Bianca..." There was nothing to say. Claire did not want to throw the bombshell just like that, people could still make out what she was about to spit put and moreover, Bianca might just be a lookalike. A thousand thought was scrambling her mind and she was about to utter a word that ruin Nathan's marriage.
"Bianca! You look beautiful."
Luckily, Nathan's mother came to her rescue along with her bubbly nature.
"Thanks!" Bianca coyly replied.
"Now let's go get dressed for the party," Miranda said, grabbing Bianca slightly by her wrist.
Before Nathan's overbearing mom could drag her off completely, Bianca turned to face Claire,
"You wanted to say something?"
Claire paused, she badly wanted to know but she had no solid proof Bianca was actually Adriana and was a spy from Transcorp. A photo could not be the only validation that Bianca was a fraud.
"Let's go get you dressed for the party!" Claire managed, keeping a plastic smile to avert suspicion.
"Ok."
Claire could feel the guilty look in Bianca's almost innocent eyes, the lies.
If she was Adriana, why was she doing this?
It was a question she could answer if she studied Bianca closely today.
She made a mental note to keep to her word.
She had a plan and it began with Mrs Romero. She was the only person who did not seem a bit happy about this marriage. She probably knew what was off and wasn't happy with her daughter. It clearly made sense now.
Claire followed Miranda and Bianca towards the dressing room and when she noticed they weren't looking, she made a getaway.
The cathedral was getting empty with guests leaving to reach Nathan's mansion where the party would take place.
Mrs Romero wasn't going just yet, she sat alone in the front row and staring blankly at the picture of Christ placed on the altar as if asking for something.
Trusting her instinct, Claire sat next to her.
"You seem sad Mrs Romero, why?"
Mrs Romero hadn't noticed someone joined her and shuddered lightly when those words were spoken.
"Oh! Just sad!" She stated and went silent.
The look she had on her face informed Claire she wanted the conversation to end as quickly as possible.
"What's making you sad Mrs Romero? Are you not happy your daughters is getting married to a well-do man....or is it something else?
Mrs Romero cast a deep gaze at Claire who joined in the "glaring games".
"It's Bianca's father."
She stuttered her daughter's name, Almost like she wanted to say something else.
"What about him?" Claire pressed further.
Mrs. Romero was not enjoying their small talk but she made no means to let it known.
"I just wish he was here to see his daughter getting married."
Claire was not buying her response. She needed answers and she was getting them albeit slowly. She could get the message that "Bianca's" father was probably alive and he was instrumental in the game they were playing and that was why he wasn't here and was proclaimed dead.
"What was his name?"
Claire has gotten to know from the Transcorp wiki' profile that the CEO was Adriana's father. If only Mrs Romero made a slip-up.
"Is there anything you want from me?"
The woman suspected Claire's intentions.
"No! I just..."
The woman stood up and walked out abruptly on Claire.
"Shit!" Claire cursed when Mrs. Romero was out of sight.
There was something else she had in mind and she was willing to try it.
***
The mansion had been decorated.
The blending hue of yellow and blue made Nathan's eyes burn.
Taking another sip of the bittersweet champagne that stung his lips mildly, he wondered what he was going to do now.
The ring - an embodiment of imprisonment glittered in the bright lights, mocking him.
"Fuck you!" He spat at the wedding ring which seemed to only smile more. He was dead drunk.
It was seven pm and he wasted away like he was in a bar drowning his worries. At least he was doing the latter.
Clapping forced his attention to why people were making such an awful noise.
His bride was coming down the stairs and epitome of man-made beauty.
Nathan could see his mother locking hands with her and telling her to walk slowly, cherishing the moment.
Bianca was dressed in an elegant blue gown.
It was strapless and showed enough skin to make men drool.
The gown reached down and flowed on the carpeted rug like a dancing fountain, it then twirled into shocks of midnight blue with every step she took. The whispering silver hiding amongst the indigo like stars peeping through broken slits of dark blue night.
None of his business if they wanted to do a parade but then everyone turned on him.
Was he supposed to do something?
He hiccuped. Their stares of sheer joy, he interpreted as prosecution.
They were leaving him to a slaughterhouse. A beautiful and smiling one. What could he do but to put a show.
Nathan walked up to Bianca, trying to keep a straight and collected face. The media were here after all. Each step he took, a risk of falling flat and emptying all he had drank.
"Will you do me the honors?" Nathan asked as polite as he could be.
His stomach grumbled and he felt a deep pain in his guts. His stomach was punishing him for tainting it with impurity.
Bianca unlocked her hands from Miranda's and reached for his.
When her suckle hands touched his, Nathan felt a surge of electricity and it made him hold on to her hands refusing to let them go.
The music began playing.
No Ordinary Love, a song by a popular R&B singer. His mother was obsessed with that music and he could only guess she was responsible for why it was being played.
All he wanted to do was sit alone but now Nathan was In the middle of the room about to be stared at for minutes straight.
His stomach condition worsened and he began to feel a bit sick.
"Is anything wrong?" Bianca quizzed, she could see how pale he looked.
He ignored her concern and proceeded to do the dance.
"I'm fi..."
The words barely came out before he hurled out all the contents in his stomach.
Bianca got it all. Her once beautiful gown was now covered in undigested chunks of food and champagne. To add to the awkward moment, cameras began to flash, followed by a clicking sound.
The media were taking pictures.
Bianca was stunned and her cheeks turned rouge. Two things Nathan could make out, she was either angry or humiliated but there was only a thin line separating that. It could be both.
Nathan's mother came to the rescue. She shielded Bianca from the camera and led her back upstairs to clean up.
Nathan was alone again. His wish had come true but with another disadvantage. People were laughing or just staring wide-eyed and will their mouths agape.
"Swallow me." He begged the earth silently.
Nathan walked back to his drink. He shouldn't, not after puking on Bianca but he couldn't resist. He wanted this whole night to be over as quick as possible so best he wasted away to do away with time.
The drink went down his throat burning it all the way down.
Bliss.
***
Bianca ignored any help from Miranda as she stormed into the bathroom.
Not paying attention to anything, she want right for the shower and slipped herself of the ruined dress.
That bastard!
She scrubbed the sticky yet sleek waste off under the running water.
She felt chills almost immediately the water touched her skin.
Closing her eyes, she ran her bare hands over her body, Dirty yellow liquid went down the drain getting tinted with each rain of water running down her body.
Bianca ran her fingers on the faucet, stopping the flow of the screaming water.
A towel was already hung out on a rack and she robed her naked body with it.
Bianca noticed a note peeking under the door and picked it out of sheer curiosity.
Why had she even picked it up?
It did feel like someone slipped it there just when she entered.
What could be in it?
She unwrapped the content and read.
"Adriana."
No! No! No! Someone knew.
" Evil lurks in the walls you conceal."Damn! Fear grippedAdriana. Had her cover been blown?Her father would be so disappointed with her. She needed to act quickly but first she needed to get dressed.She had made up her mind not to go out of the room until she had gotten her answer.Adriana went to Nathan's room hoping to find what she needed to hold on to if indeed she was revealed or even if she had to flee.She was really regretting he decision now.She slipped into a pair of new undies that Nathan had made sure he bought for her.That man just disgusted her!She reached for her luggage which was stuffed inside Nathan's wardrobe and brought out a phone she had concealed inside the bag.She dialed a number and placed the phone to her ear."Hello, My princess."Her father's voice calmed a bit."There's a problem
"The tree never forgets what the ax did"The heavy breathing on Nathan's neck awakened him. His eyes opened to see a very exposed Bianca.He himself was naked. Her black lingerie was trapped in his hands and his boxer In a far corner."No!" He silently whispered.She didn't seem a bit dazed nor where her eye glazed as proof that he has forced himself on her.He felt drained, another sign that something stupid had happened last night.His alarm rang as if on cue and Nathan rushed to put the damn thing off.How would she look at him now?Nathan had no time to dwell on such. He was late for work, since it was almost seven in the morning and he was an early riser.He picked up his undies and strapped them on.His head was pulsing heavily. He had to leave before Bianca woke up and began to question what happened yesterday. He was without the answers himself a
"Fear a woman with a purpose or just an intent."Claire roughly snatched the paper from the man's hand."Yes! Yes! He has to see this."Claire mumbled to herself. She needed to give this to Nathan as soon as possible.The paper-man stopped her right where she was.His eyes were somewhat bloodshot and his eyeballs preyed on her."What!?" Claire asked, puzzled."The papers Miss Adriana wanted you to get signed?"Claire was speechless. This was also part of that Bi*ch's plan.How could she be so dumb?"You know of this too?" It was more of a surprise than a shock.The man nodded, not interested in the conversation one bit as his eyes searched the table for the papers."Where are they?!" The man demanded, now in an angry tone.Claire was just dumb. Every piece of puzzle was slowly coming together, or least how she could see it.The old paper
Tower,that name sounded too familiar to be forgotten. In fact, it had been his secret shame, something he had done in the past and regretted.***Six years agoNathan sat all by himself, recluse and with hate. He stroked his bruised hand just to feel something. His mother had bandaged the hurt fists before he was sent to the academy for healing, a subtle term for the mental hospital. He was believed to be suicidal and not in the average way.He had taken it upon himself to get into fights and visit dark alleys to get hurt or maybe die.It was not working well."Howdy."It was the other patient. The small box could only contain that or less. His roommate was a man in his forties, the golden age. He had a full beard, fairly unkempt and had grown his hair to achieve the rockstar look. He looked a bit skinny too. Other than those, he was alright.Nathan ignored the man's
"Rolling Stones gather no moss"How to get to her? It was the only question Nathan could ask himself. She had remained to herself with her eyes glued to her phone.It was like she didn't even care he was here."The files!" His mind got working.Nathan doubted the files having his signature would be in the house but he had to give it a shot.Talk about way over your head!"So...Now that Boulderfist is yours what do you intend to do with it?"Adriana gave him a bemused look crossing her slender legs in the most intimidating manner."What makes you think I want your company? If it was left to me I would have it to the ground but he has other plans."Her answer got Nathan more curious,"Who? Your father!"She didn't reply. She stared back into her phone and began to type."About your father—I didn't mean to betray him, my…"A knock cut Nathan short.
"Two can't play Cupid's game"" This...This and this"Nathan nodded absentmindedly as Adriana threw files at him. His mind was still transfixed to what had happened earlier.The wordsBoulderfistwhich he had erect on top of the building for the price of thousand was tossed down like it was nothing. Nathan remembered Thomas' smile as the wordsTowerwere reconstructed in its place."Are you even here?" Adriana quizzed seeing he was lost in thought."Nothing..."Adriana questioned no further. She instructed him on what he had to do even if he knew it all. It was part of her torture.The conference room had been refurbished to meet her standards as it was her new office."Don't just stand there...Go and get something doing." Adriana spat clearly irritated.Nathan nodded in submission and went out.
"love is a drug, can be used and abused"The bed felt like a bush of roses with prickly thorns tearing at her skin.Adriana tossed around, shivering as her sleep became a plagued nightmare.Sweats drenched the bed and her grunts and pleas for help went over the top."No!" She suddenly shrieked getting a breakthrough from the demon.Nathan got in as quickly as he could and joined her at her bedside.His room was opposite Adriana's."It's alright." He pacified her, clutching her tight in his arms.Adriana's fingernails bit into his skin like pine needles but he hardly cared. Her soft skin touching his, intoxicating."What the hell are you doing?" Adriana demanded when she came around.She was as of before a scared child waking from a bad dream but now, her bossy demeanor had returned."I thought...""Leave my room," Adriana ordered.There was one problem though, Nathan did not want
"Hard to get, easy to lose."Nobody. It had been taken away. The chalk drawing on the floor told Nathan however where her body had rested.Ignoring the bright yellow tapes that clearly had no trespassing allowed, Nathan reached the site of the crime."Why did you do it?!"A policeman came forward humming lightly to make his presence known to a grieving Nathan."I'm sorry for your loss." He expressed."Are you?""It's my job." The man sincerely made known."All I need is some answers, Mr Nathan."What answers could he want?"If I can be of any help then, sure!""Miss Claire mentioned you before she took her life, Did you have a relationship with her perhaps, More than Just Friends?"Nathan banged his hands to the floor hearing such disgusting words the man spewed."Are you insinuating that I had a hand in this?!"The man jotted down something."No Mr Nat