Chapter 6 Residential Address

When Preston James arrived at the Cartwright Private Hospital, he went to the Senior Cardiologist, Zweli Langa’s office. Dr Langa was surprised to see him, then he greeted him with respect and asked, “How may I help you, President James?”

Preston feigned a smile and replied, “I am here to pick up Brooklyn, Dr Langa.” Dr Langa was puzzled because he heard a rumour that Dr Rogers and President James were going to register their marriage that day.

Dr Langa looked at Preston with a confused expression and said, “I am sorry, President James. Dr Rogers took a vacation leave today. She will be back at work tomorrow morning.”

Preston was so frustrated because he didn’t know Brooklyn's home address, and her phone was switched off. He looked at Dr Langa and said, “Please give me her home address, Dr Langa.”

Dr Langa shook his head and replied, “I am sorry, President James. I can’t give you that information. Dr Rogers’ residential address is strictly confidential for her own safety.”

If you excuse me, President James, I have other matters to attend to.” Then he stood up and escorted President James out of his office.

Preston was fuming with anger, his hands clenched into tight fists as the rejection stung. He was livid, leaving him with an internal storm that he couldn't unleash.

He found himself wishing that his nominal wife would be standing in front of him to vent his frustration.

He pulled out his phone from the suit jacket and dialed his Executive Secretary, Todd Frost’s number.

When the call was connected, he said, “Brooklyn Rogers’ residential address in five minutes.” Then he hung up the phone.

Todd’s face went blank. Who was Brooklyn Rogers? Was his boss making a mistake? Wasn’t his boss dating Miss Cartwright?

At that moment, Todd’s phone started ringing. When he saw the caller ID, he hesitated and said, “Hello, President James. I haven’t found any information regarding Miss Rogers yet. Where is she working, Sir?”

There was a hint of irritation in President James’s voice, and he replied, “She is a doctor at the Cartwright Private Hospital. You have three minutes. Please don’t disappoint me.” Then he dropped the phone.

Fortunately, Todd’s girlfriend, Sweetness Bird, was working at the hospital as a nurse. He quickly dialed her phone number. When the call was connected, he said, “Hello, my lollipop. I need your help. Do you know Brooklyn Rogers' residential address?”

His lollipop was green with envy and asked, “Why are you looking for the stunning Dr Rogers’ residential address, Todd? Are you cheating on me?”

Todd was not angry, he checked his watch, then he realized that he had one and a half minutes left to secure Brooklyn’s residential address.

A smile played on his lips, and he said, “My sweet lollipop, you know that I have only you in my heart and my eyes. My boss is looking for Dr Rogers. If I am not mistaken, Dr Rogers is the James family doctor.

My boss will cut my annual bonus if I fail to deliver. Please help me for our future, my sweet lollipop.”

His lollipop hesitated and replied, “It's against the hospital's privacy policy, my love. If my superior finds out that I leaked Dr Rogers’ private residence, I am finished.

The beautiful doctor is staying at the most prestigious apartment at 20 Umhlanga Drive. If anyone asks, you didn’t get it from me.”

Todd thanked his girlfriend profusely, then they hung up. He quickly sent the residential address to his boss.

Preston was stunned to discover that his wife’s apartment stood directly across from the hospital.

He left his car in the hospital parking lot, and then he crossed the street on foot. His face was a mask of unrelenting fury that the short distance did nothing to settle.

The fortress-like security caught him off guard. Without his wife’s authorization, the gates remained an impenetrable wall.

To make matters worse, her phone was switched off. Preston was left with no option but to wait outside the secured area; his anger was a silent companion in the humid night.

An hour later, Preston walked back to the hospital parking lot to the car he had left behind. He sat behind the wheel, seething with anger, and his gaze fixed unblinkingly on his wife’s apartment across the street.

In the meantime, at the James family mansion, when Ziva arrived home, she went straight to her mother’s bedroom, crying.

Her mother dropped the novel she was reading and pulled her into her arms. She patted her back and asked, “What happened, my sweet baby? Didn’t you tell me that you would sleep over at the Cartwright estate?”

Ziva looked at her mother with tears in her eyes and asked, “Mom, I have never been humiliated like this before. Why didn’t you tell me that my brother was married?”

Her mother looked at her with a confused expression and asked, “What are you talking about, Ziva? When did Preston and Vivica get married?”

Ziva wiped tears from her eyes and replied, “During dinner, Vivica’s eldest brother, Hiram, congratulated me on getting a brand-new sister-in-law. The news hit me like a physical blow, Mom.

I didn’t even know that my brother had broken up with Vivica. Who is this random woman who stole my brother’s heart, Mom?”

Her daughter’s words took her off guard and she asked, “What? Who did your brother marry, Ziva?”

Ziva shook her head and asked, “I don’t know, Mom. How could my brother cheat on my best friend?”

Her mother wiped the tears on her beloved daughter, then she replied, “Your brother didn’t cheat on Vivica, but they ended things three months ago.

He told me that they broke up because your best friend was not ready to settle down yet. However, he had never told me that he had found a placeholder. Let alone married her.”

Ziva wailed, her voice cracking as the weight of the betrayal sank in. She looked at her mother and asked, “Did my brother even stop thinking about my feelings? Vivica wasn’t just his girlfriend; she was my best friend, Mom.

How could he just toss Vivica aside like trash and force this total stranger into our lives? I will never, ever accept that woman as my sister-in-law.”

A surge of anger surged in her mother’s heart that she took her phone off the nightstand and dialed her son’s number.

When the call was connected, she put it on speaker, and she roared, “Preston, is it true that you married a random woman without telling your family?”