One day at work, Stephanie was sitting in her chair with her back leaning on the back wrist and her head fell backwards. "Ahhh..." She groaned out of tiredness. She has been working since morning. Ever since she got promoted, her work has added up many times but not as much as today.
When her closed her eyes to have a little bit of rest, someone knocked on the door. She opened her eyes and sat up right before asking the person to come in. It was Phubert's secretary. She held in her hand a file. "Hey Bridgets" Stephanie greeted first. "Hello, Miss Stephanie. Please Mr Phubert wants you to sign this." Bridget said handing defended Stephanie the file. "Okay." Stephanie took the file and because she was too tired she didn't read it thinking Phubert, has already read it.
Three days after, the file Stephanie signed was handed to Andrew by his assistance. "Boss everything is done." "Good. Your salary this month will be tripled. You can leave." Andrew voiced. When the assistant was gone, Andrew opened the file and the moment he saw Stephanie's signature his heart skip a beat. "I am sorry but I cannot let you go. I won't loose you lily." He mumbled to himself.
On the weekend, Stephanie and Michael could be seen sitting in a high class restaurant. The launch they schedule turned into supper.
"So you have twin siblings? Michael asked. "Yh, Deana and Dean. It was really heart breaking, leaving them." Stephanie cooed. "Yh. When I was eighteen, I had to leave my sisters and further my education." "Oh, that must hurt than mine. You guys were so young." "So how did you know that Phubert is your cousin?" "That is a long story." Stephanie told. "We are here to converse too you know." Michael encouraged.
The two spent their time talking. They had long finished their food. In the end, Stephanie told him half of the truth of the main reason why she came there. "So you are thinking of starting a new relationship? One that you won't be used as a beneficial item. And a man that will not love you only, but your kids as well." Micheal asked eageredto hear her positive respond. "That will be great, but relationship is not on my list now." "Oh, that's not good cause you need a companion and your kids also needs a father too." "Maybe in the future, but not now..." The vibration of her phone, interrupted her. "A sec please..." She took her phone from her bag and check it. It was a message from an unknown number. Stephanie lifted an eyebrow, not understanding what the person meant. She was about to go back to her conversation when another message in. The first message said 'Come here' and the second one said 'look outside'. When she looked outside, she saw a familiar face, but she could not remember where she knew him from. The man stared right back at her verifying she was right.
Stephanie didn't know what to do. The man outside with few men also dress in black and white suit were strangers and she could not just leave Michael.
On the other hand the man that stood beside their black range over called Andrew, telling him Stephanie refused to cooperate. "Then take her out of there by force. But to make sure she doesn't loose a single strength of her hair." Was what Andrew said as a respond.
Stephanie ignored the man and went back to her conversation with Michael. Even though she acted as if nothing was happening, but her heart was beating so fast in her chest especially when the man began to walk straight towards them. "Good evening, Mr Cruz, Mrs Lionel. Please I am here to pick you up." The man said with respect. Michael didn't understand so he asked, "Steph, did you ask someone to pick you up?" "No,I don't even know..." Just then she remembered who the man was. She stared at the man in astonishment and exclaimed, "Eric?...You are Eric. If so then it means one thing...he sent you here." "You got it right. You are still that clever and brilliant girl from school."
"Thanks, but I am not going with you." "He told me to take you by force if you refuse." Stephanie chuckled. "That is silly, she took out her phone and called Andrew. With just a few rings, he answered the call. "Hello Lily..." "Did you tell..." "Yes. I will see you at home?" He didn't allow Stephanie to say whatever she was saying before he ended the call. "Please Miss, can we leave now?" Eric asked. "No... I can't leave like that. I am here with someone and I can't just leave him and come with you to a place I don't even know. Eric turn to Michael and said, "My apologies sir but we need the Miss to come with us. It's an emergency." "I don't mind her going with but she doesn't seems to want to go with you." "If so, then we have to apply force. Eric was about to take out his gun when Stephanie said, "I firmly know he won't like you to hurt me." "But he won't mind if this man here gets hurt, but you will definitely care." "Okay, fine." She turned to Michael and added, "Everything is fine. I will be okay, so don't worry." "Are you sure? I don't want you to get hurt because I will let you go. Phubert will never forgive me if anything happens to you." Stephanie forced a smile before bidding goodbye and stand up from her seat. she walked to the exit with Eric behind. When they entered the car and closed the door. Eric said" Sorry, but you cannot know where we are going tso I will have to put you to sleep and before Stephanie could understand what he meant. Eric covered her nose with a high tissue continuing sleeping substance. In less than a minute, Stephanie was sleeping in the car.
Stephanie could be seen laying unconscious on the king-sized bed. Andrew entered the room and took slow steps toward the bed. He was in a plain white t-shirt and shots. He climbed the bed and laid beside her. He cleared the hair off her face to have a better view of her early morning face. He stared at her for what seems like forever? It has been so long since he saw her like this.
When Stephanie begun to move, indicating she was about to wake up, Andrew pulled away.
Stephanie blinked a few times and stretched herself. Andrew wanted so much to laugh, but he knew the moment she woke up and realise her surrounding, things won'tbe good.
Stephanie looked around her surrounding and the please look on her face turned into a frown. "Where am I she asked herself?" She muttered to herself. She remembered what happened last nights. She quickly stood up from the bed and tried to walk outside, but the moment she stood up straight, she felt dizzy and almost fell back but a strong arm's caught her. "Ahh..." she cried. She pulled away from him and the moment she saw Andrew's face, she took a step back away from him. "Why did you bring me here? I have given you the chance to be with the kids. Isn't that enough? You should be grateful." Stephanie said. "No Lily, I want you...you and the kids together, just like what planned when we were young." Stephanie chuckled. "That can never happen. If you wanted those plans to come true, then you wouldn't have used me a left. You wouldn't have lied to me, let me wait on the street like a maniac for hours. You wouldn't have let me get humiliated by your mother. You wouldn't let me leave my family and lie to them. You wouldn't have let me go through emotional torments all by my own. Did you know how hard it was for me to leave my family?!" At that point, tears welled up in her eyes ready to flaw off like river. "Lily I never left...!"" Stop... please just stop. I won't ever believe you so don't waste your energy." "Lily I am telling the truth. I didn't lie when I told you I love you, when I told you I will marry you and all those future we planned together, it wasn't fake..." "Please, I want to go home." Stephanie voice. "No...let's talk about this, please..." Andrew insisted. "There is nothing for us to talk about. I have to go home and take care of the kids. Yes, she had to go home and take care of the kids. That sentence convinced Andrew. Dress up and come down for breakfast. After that, I will take you there myself." Andrew said and walked out. Stephanie took a deep breath and calmed down.
When she went down down stairs, she refused to eat so Andrew had to take them to her apartment without both of them having anything.
When they rushed her apartment, Stephanie stepped out of the vehicle and walked away without looking back or saying a word.