Chapter 15
MONALISA P. O. V
I stood outside the Empire premises for almost an hour, as everyone showered their gaze on me. My hand held on the tip of my towel so tightly as not to make the mistake of exposing my body to everyone.This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.
My gaze wandered around filled with hope and faith, believing that a good samaritan could pass by and offer me a helping hand.
But it felt like all hope was gone because I was confused and devasted at the same time.
At this point, I began to understand the standards that governed the city and why nobody wanted to get involved with the bad guys. Nobody wants to get hurt by them.
At this point, I began to blame myself for everything because if I had stood firm on my decision to stay back home, all these couldn’t have happened in the first place.
Now I’m stranded with no place in mind to go to. Even if I had my phone here with me, I don’t have Candy’s contact line on my phone to call her.
_What will I do now? I need to get out of here. _
I was still in thought, gazing around and I sighted them sauntering toward my direction, instantly I knew I was done for.
_Why the heck do they have to show up now!”
I quickly moved away from my spots and made to run away, following the other direction but then a taxi speedily halted in front of me, obstructing my path.
I glanced back in fear of being caught by them, but then I almost bumped into Candy’s face the moment I veered toward the taxi.
“Candy!?” My eyes widened in shock as I quickly pulled her into a tight hug, squeezing my arms around her. The joy I felt in my heart knew no bounds, as I felt a wave of relief rush through me. I finally released the heavy breath I never knew I was holding.
“I-I can’t be-breath!” She sputtered and chuckled, as she tried to get my arms off her.
“Why so mean!” I whined, glaring at her.
“Do you want to see me six feet below the ground before you can be satisfied with the hug?” She glared back and got into the car, and gestured me to do the same, which I did and the taxi zoomed off.
I tried to make up my mind to tell her everything but deep down I was scared of what she would utter. I was scared that she would throw it at my face, that she told me how dangerous Dreke was but yet I still got involved with him.
How will I tell her that I didn’t only dance with him but also got on the bed with him? How will I open up to her that Derek is not what they think he is?
He was cold and dreadful but yet he had that soft spot on him and yesterday he proved that to me because of how nicely he treated me.
My gaze traveled to the black fabric wrapped around my toe and my lips stretched into a wide grin, I shook my head afterward.
I averted my gaze from her, and I noticed how calm she was like a sea. She kept staring into space without uttering a single word to me or even sparing me a glance.
_Is she mad at me?”_
I decided to start up a conversation because her silence was already eating me up and I’m not used to this kind of her attitude. “Candy—–”
“Whatever you’ve to say, wait till we get home.” She quickly veered around, interrupting me, and averted her gaze back to the car window but I never missed noticing the glint of anger in her eyes.
I sighed sadly and lowered my gaze to my finger, waiting patiently for the ride to come to an end.
_Should I tell her the truth? But what if she doesn’t understand me? No! I will have to lie to her once again_
After 1 hour 30minutes ride, the taxi finally halted in front of her home. We both came down from the car and strode into her home.
Idris suddenly jumped on my body the moment I stepped fully into the room, and I hurriedly grasped his back to prevent him from falling off because the hug came unexpectedly.
“Hey, Champ. Miss me?!” I kept swirling him around, while he chuckled loudly, exposing his cute tiny teeth and he tightened his grip around me.
“Aunt Pretty! Please stop..!” He pleaded amidst laughter. I slowly stopped swirling, as my forehead creased in confusion.
I veered around and glanced at Candy, who I thought would burst out of laughter like she normally does but to my dismay, she walked passed us into the inner room without sparing us a glance.
“You and Momma fought?” He asked and tried to get down to the floor which I let him. I was dumbfounded by his question because I never knew that he noticed it too.
“Aunt pretty, huh?!” I softy pinched his nose bridge, trying to avert his question. He quickly chuckled and ran inside to join his mum.
I sat on the couch, waiting patiently for Candy to come out. Sincerely I felt a stifling wave of fear swept over me and I don’t know why I was scared of Candy.
Because I knew definitely she would ask me an awkward question but I would try as much as possible to avert her questions. I can’t face her.
I stood up and tried to strode inside but then I saw her approaching me, holding a bag In her hands. I wondered what was that.
She got closed and dropped it right on my feet and sat opposite my couch, gazing at me intensively while rubbing her thighs, as she nibbled on her bottom lips. “That was the money you made from last night’s dance.” She muttered.
My lashes fluttered in shock, as I gawked with my slacked jaw. I bent toward the bag and unzipped it and my eyes landed on the massive green notes.
“I’ve counted it already. You made $300, 000 last night.” She added effortlessly maintaining her dull expression.
“Holy fuck! That is a whole lot of money! Candy.” I jumped up in excitement, and dug my hands into the bag and packed up a handful of dollars, and sprayed them in the air while showing off some dance moves.
Candy scoffed loudly before she stood up and walked out on me, heading toward the dining table. “Idris dear, dinner is set!” She called out to him alone, ignoring me. That shit hurts, you know.
“Are you going to keep up this shit without telling me why you are giving me such attitudes, Candy?” I strode toward her and settled on the seat close to hers.
“Do you’ve something to tell me, Joanne?” She veered toward my direction, as she maintained an emotionless expression. Her gaze moved into mine which sent a chill of guilt down my spine, as I quickly lowered my gaze.
My chest was beating so rapidly, and my palms became sweaty, _What am I scared of exactly? Would she spank me? Or would she throw me out of her house? _
“The last thing I would ever do is throw you out of my house, Joanne, no matter how mad I am with you now. Because you’re like a sister to me.” She softly muttered.
A wave of relief washed through me but at the same time, I was consumed by guilt. I raised my gaze and met her still staring down at me. “Candy,” I whispered. Deep down I have decided to tell her everything because if there’s anyone I should trust right now, it’s Candy. “I——”
I got interrupted by the vibration of her phone. She quickly stood up and scrambled to the couch where she sat before and grabbed her phone. She stared at her phone screen in her hand as her face screwed in confusion.
She glanced at me, “I don’t know who the caller is. It’s a strange number.” She shrugged her shoulders, contemplating if she should answer the call or just ignore it.
“You won’t know if you don’t pick up.” I stood up and strode closer.
The phone kept vibrating non-stop while Candy kept staring at her phone, lost in thought. I quickly yanked her phone away from her hands and without giving It a second thought, I clicked the answer option and added up the phone speaker so that Candy would hear everything.
“Hello! Who is this?” I glanced at Candy, who listened attentively with anticipation from the other end.
There were 2 minutes of silence and I hastily hissed loudly when the caller did not attempt to speak up. But Candy quickly yanked back her cell phone from me.
“Who is this?” She repeated and glanced at me while I rolled my eyes. Was this not the same question I asked and the caller chose not to utter a single word?
After a few minutes of silence again, “Give me back my bunny, Gardy!” A familiar deep and terrifying voice hit my eardrums.
And I abruptly yanked her phone away from her gripped and threw it across the wall, which dispersed into pieces all over the floor. My chest rose and fell.
“Mob Derek?! Joanne how did you get involved with him?.”
Her eye almost fell out from its socket and they were a glint of fear and anxiety visible in her eyes. And all these were caused because of me.
“What hell have you brought upon yourself?!” She voiced cracked up in tears.
I stood still right on my track as my gaze dived into her teary-eyed. If there is one thing I have noticed in Gardy; is that she easily got emotional and wouldn’t stand by to watch her close ones get hurt.
“Cat got your tongue, huh?!!!” She suddenly yelled to my face.
I ignored her question and hurriedly rushed to where my dollars were leaning on the floor. I bent over and began picking them up and dug them back into the bag.
“We have to leave this city and go to where he can never find us.” I rushed my words and made my way to the inner room but she pulled me back in my arms, and her grip tightened around me.
“Did you slept with him?!” She finally dropped the bombshell.