LOGINMARKI waited for Vector at a completely different bar. The Dancing Devils had long been blacklisted by me the moment the owner fell for Donald Shell’s tactics.And I also told Vector never to tell me anything about the club. I didn’t care if it was permanently closed up or Donald Shell was now in charge of it; anything could have happened to it or anyone could be running it for all I cared.Anyway, while I waited, I decided to call Gina back.Since the last time we spoke, I hadn’t had the time to do that. Gina picked up almost immediately.It was a good thing I chose to stay at the reserved area where there was less noise and attention. A man of my class and status shouldn’t be in the same space with some certain persons even though this particular bar was for the elite in the city.“Good evening, Mr. Mark,” Gina greeted the moment the call connected.“Hello, Gina, have I called too late?” I asked her, glancing at my expensive wristwatch.It wasn’t so late at night, but I also knew t
ALEXA“I don’t want you to be mad, Alexa,” Noelle said when she saw the anger in my eyes. “I just want us to have a conversation,” she added.“You have been speaking with Mark,” I accused her bluntly.“Not exactly, just thinking about what you told me,” Noelle said.But a part of me felt as though she was lying to me. As a matter of fact, I had been suspicious of Noelle since the moment she walked in some minutes ago. I couldn’t just shake off the feeling.“And?” I asked, shrugging.That was me trying to control my growing rage.“I don’t think it’s a bad idea if you leave,” Noelle told me.I scoffed bitterly and angrily.Noelle might really think that I was dumb or stupid. Heavily pregnant, yes, but definitely not stupid.“I am serious, Alexa,” Noelle insisted.“Noelle, I don’t know how stupid you think I am, but I am certainly not an idiot,” I told her blatantly.“What are you talking about?” Noelle asked, feigning confusion and ignorance.“Let’s start with how you vehemently never w
ALEXAI was almost done having lunch for the second time in one afternoon when Noelle showed up.“Here comes the long awaited best friend,” I teased as Noelle made her way to me.Noelle smiled, shaking her head.When she got to the dining table, she plopped herself into one of the seats across from me.“Hey, Alexa, I am sorry I am just coming,” Noelle apologized.“I wonder if this is how you intend to handle our new business, especially now that we have more contracts and clients piling up,” I said, still lightly.Noelle looked deeply at me, noting that there was something light about how I was sounding.“Did something good happen?” Noelle asked me.“We have six more people who sent in emails, seeking contracts, Noelle!” I announced to her happily.Yes, I had wanted Noelle to get here way before now, so much so that I had almost gotten pissed off when she kept delaying, but now that she was here, I wasn’t feeling that way any longer. What mattered was that she was here already.“For r
MARKNoelle was the last person I expected to run into at the hospital parking lot, but the moment the shock wore off, I became worried.“Is Alexa okay?” I asked Noelle, walking over to her.The fury was still in her eyes, but I was more concerned about Alexa’s health more than anything else in the entire universe, including Noelle’s fury.“That was Mona, huh?” Noelle asked.But it was way more than just a question. It was a statement of fact, accompanied by a warning tone. Noelle had obviously seen Mona and I come out of the hospital, and probably even heard the little exchange between us.Or Mona’s firm instructions.“Yes, that was she,” I responded even though the question didn’t call for a response. “How is Alexa? Is she okay?” I asked again, worried that Noelle might have brought Alexa to the hospital.I already knew that I would not forgive myself if anything happened to Alexa or our baby while I was busy with Mona.“Do you even care about Alexa?” Mona asked me bitterly and angr
MARKRising from that seat and leaving the doctor’s office was my walk of shame. Even as I did, I felt his eyes following me.The doctor acted like a professional that he was, but I could tell that he was dying to penalize me for being with another woman at the same time with Alexa.If only he knew how stuck up I was.I would have been willing to explain the entire situation to him, but he had been cold and dismissive towards me, which was the first time he was treating me like that, and that enough to tell me that I hadn’t misread the reaction in his eyes.“Here you are,” Mona said in the singing voice the moment I came out of the doctor’s office.“Oh, fuck!” I reacted in shock.First of all, I didn’t think she would still be waiting, and secondly, I had been consumed by my thoughts, so much so that I hadn’t even seen her standing right there.“I am sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to startle you,” Mona apologized sweetly.“First of all, I am Mark Ronaldo to you,” I warned Mona firmly. “A
MARK“Like I said earlier, everything is fine with the baby. Your next appointment is next week, but if you feel any differently before then, don’t hesitate to come around,” the doctor told Mona and me.“Of course, doctor,” Mona responded.I groaned internally.A part of me felt like the doctor saying that last part was a mistake because knowing Mona, she might want to use that as an opportunity to drag me back to the hospital before the following week.However, if Alexa had simply accepted what I told her, we would have been out of Paris by now.My plan was simply to make myself unavailable, using work as an excuse. According to the court order, Brent already explained that in the case that I had to be away, I wouldn’t be charged for not doing what Mona wanted me to do, as long as I substituted it with money.That could easily be managed.I would rather give Mona money than go through this torture of being here.“If there is nothing else, that would be all for now,” the doctor said.
IVY“Hey, Ivy, aren’t you going to make a phone call today?” Lady asked me when I passed by her desk from the dining room.Again, I had had to sit through the excruciating section of eating tasteless meals with a room filled with people who were mentally disoriented.It was sickening, and sometimes
ALEXAMark had taken me completely by surprise. I had expected him to cower at what I just said and plead, but instead, he had been unflinching.What was going on that no one was telling me about?I continued to think about it even while I sat by the side of my dad in his ward.“Alexa, what is runn
ALEXAI wished my dad had said no, but he hadn’t, and now, I had no choice but to start preparing for a trip to Toronto with Mark Ronaldo.“You don’t look happy,” my dad said after Mark left.“Why should I be?” I asked without pretending. “Why are you unhappy?” He asked me.“You are sick, dad, and
ALEXA“What?!” I asked in shock.This was the least of the things I had expected Mark to say.“Are you aware that my dad is sick and the weekend is just two days away?” I asked him.“Please, calm down,” Mark said calmly, obviously trying to calm me down, but I wasn’t having it.“Don’t tell me that,







