Chapter 55

"Elodre!" Jigyasa beamed and waved at Elodre who seemed to not notice her at first.

Walking arm in arm with Roberts, she glanced around and her heart leaped to her throat upon seeing Samantha who was glaring at her, raising a brow.

Noticing her agitation, Roberts asked, "Do you know them?"

"Yeah," She answered steadily, glancing at him but her heart was pounding. Noticing Jigyasa who was smiling at her, she gazed up at Roberts and said, "Urm, lemme go say hi to them."

"No biggie," He shrugged, smiling down at her. "I think there's a vacant table behind them…"

No! She won't sit anyway close to Sam. She thought, glancing around. But it appeared Robert's choice of seat was at a comfy spot. "Alright, then," She shrugged.

She stopped at Jigyasa's table while Roberts passed to the other table. "Hey, Ji…gyasa, right?"

"Yeah," Jigyasa smiled, admiring her.

"Hi, Sam!" She gazed at Sam who was engulfed in her phone.

"Hi," Samantha mumbled, glancing at her.

***

Elodre forced a nervous smile at Roberts as she pulled the chair across from him and sat.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I am…"

A waitress came over with two mugs of coffee on a tray.

***

"What's up with you, Sam?" Jigyasa leaned forward, placing both elbows on the table and cupping her jaw in her palms.

Raising a brow, Samantha said, "What?"

"Your attitude toward Elodre wasn't very nice."

"How?" She was still operating her phone.

"Like," Jigyasa said. "Your response was kinda rude. You were so cold."

"Nah, I wasn't," Samantha said and picked up the mug. Sitting a few distances away from them while the guy was backing her, she could only see Elodre's face.

"Wow!" Jigyasa said.

"What?" Samantha sipped her coffee.

"She's so cute!" Jigyasa grinned. "And warm."

Rolling her eyes, Samantha dropped the mug on its saucer.

"Sam?" Jigyasa raised a brow questioningly. "I wonder what's going down between you both. You're blessed with a gorgeous sister-in-law."

With a smirk, Samantha shook her head slightly. "Sister-in-law," She echoed Jigyasa. "I have no fuckin sister- in -law…"

Jigyasa blinked.

"Well, unless you tie the knot with my brother," Samantha said.

"What do you mean you have no sister-in-law?"

"You called her a blessing," Samantha laughed softly. "She's a curse!"

*******

"Elodre," Roberts covered her tiny hand with his big hand on the table. "What's wrong? Since you saw those girls you have become so moody."

Elodre sipped her coffee and dropped the mug on the saucer. "The red-haired girl is my sister-in-law."

Wait. Is Elodre married?! Oh! He sighed. "So, what's the problem with that?"

"My inlaws keep reminding me of how much of a failure I am." She said,

His brows furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know what it feels like to get married into a family who has hated you from the first sight?" Lowering her gaze, she was fumbling with the mug's handle. "That's one of the greatest nightmares a woman should never have in life."

Roberts couldn't take his eyes off her beautiful features. She's so young and tender. She looks just like a teenager. And this wasn't the sort of conversation he'd expected to have anyway. "So, you're saying your husband's people hate you?"

"Yes," She lifted her gray gaze upon him. "But I dunno why." She could feel her chest tightening.

He shrugged. "So, what's the red-haired girl's name?"

"Sam," She said. "Samantha." She fumbled with the mug's handle. She could feel the burning tears stinging her eyes. "It's just hard…so hard b…because things are not going on smoothly between my husband and…and me." She quivered.

"Hey, hey, Elodre, take it easy," He tried to cheer her up but she was reddened with grief.

Swallowing hard, she was trying her hardest to stifle the cry. Her lips were trembling. "Sam has been very hard to deal with from the onset. She and her mom keep accusing me of being every man's wife…if you grab what I mean…"

"Of course, I get it," He nodded. "Like a prostitute or something."

"Ro…Roberts, I…I shouldn't be saying this to you…"

"Why not?" His hand was still on hers. "Trust me, Elodre. It's just the both of us…and you can confide in me."

"Roberts," She whimpered. "I'm like a fish outta water right now…I don't just know h…how to please my husband anymore." She was broken.

Roberts never imagined she'd been carrying so much burden in her heart. His eyes were glittering with much emotion.

"My husband used to love me dearly," She smiled shortly and sniffled. "He was so tender t…to me…and always stood up for me. B…but now…"

*

While Roberts was placing his hand on Elodre's, and talking to her, Samantha took a picture of them both.

"What are you doing, Sam?!" Jigyasa tried to snatch the phone from her but couldn't.

"She's cheating on my brother!" Samantha said.

"So, are you tryna implicate her?"

"Never," Samantha said, gazing down at the photo on her phone. "Far be it from me to implicate her."

"So, what do you wanna do?" Jigyasa asked.

"Nothing," Samantha slipped the phone into her jacket's inner pocket.

Studying her, Jigyasa sighed. "That dude over there could be a friend, Sam."

"Never said he wasn't," Samantha shrugged.

Poking her fingers into her thick black hair, Jigyasa turned back to glance at Elodre. Then she gazed at Samantha and sighed.

"Now," Elodre sobbed. "My husband is furious at me. H…he now believes the nasty lies his family has been holding against me."

"Who's your husband?" Roberts asked.

"Cayden," She quivered. "Cayden Brooks."

"Mr. Brooks?!" He was surprised.

"Do you know him?" She asked curiously.

"Not personally though," He said. "So you're Mr. Brook's wife?"

"Yeah," She nodded slightly.

Oh damn! She's married! She's damned married!! Not just married to a mediocre, but a multi-billionaire?! Wow! She must be so humble to sit with him. He just thought she'd be his, one day. He thought.

"I'm sorry, Roberts," She said and lifted her watery gray gaze upon him. He looked so disappointed. "Sorry, I never mentioned being married to you. M…maybe I kinda led you on."