laughter of the past

laughter of the past
Violet’s P.O.V.

“Mrs. Whitemoore. Mr. Whitemoore is here.” Victoria informed me in a hushed tone while I was listening to the presentation of the team leader of the team which is working for Project Flood Gate.

“Let him wait.” I instructed in a low and stern voice, concentrating on what the person was trying to explain.

The competition for this project was fierce and I noticed that our competitors were very close to what we were offering to the base company.

I needed to solve this problem, as the final meeting was in 12 days. Because of my health, we were already behind schedule, and more delay could cost us this project.

I glanced at Victoria who typed something on her phone before taking her tablet back from the desk.

I was still angry with Dominic and had no intention of going and see him right now.

My heart already burned once because of his suspicious nature and now he had started the same thing again.

I corrected a few things that were necessary while asking them to improvise where they needed to and also discussed their suggestions to make our proposal better than ours.

Victoria brought a glass of orange juice in between the meeting, and I gulped it down without any hesitation.

I was still having a problem with digestion, and staying on an empty stomach only makes the condition worse.

We took almost two hours to wrap up the meeting and decided to have the next meeting in two days.

I sighed and closed my eyes while cracking my neck when other people started leaving the room one by one.

“He is still in your office.” Victoria whispered to me cautiously.

“Let him be there as long as he wants.” I replied tiredly and leaned my head back to the edge of the backrest of my chair.

“If you need to rest, you can go to the CEO lounge.” She proposed and I smiled tiredly.

“As if he can not go there.” I remarked and she growled in annoyance.

She didn’t know what exactly happened between me and Dominic, but she was so loyal to me that she got angry with Dominic because I was angry with him.

“O by the way, I will take Nat hospital tomorrow. It’s time to remove her cast.” She informed me and I immediately perked up.

“I am going with her. You take care of the work.” I instructed her and slowly stood up.

I had been sitting for more than three hours. Now, I really needed to lie down for a while.

“You are not in condition to walk or to stand for a long time, Violet. You always forgot that your health has always been fragile because of what happened to you during Nat’s birth.” I smiled while looking at her worried face, walking out of the meeting room with her.

“You don’t need to go anywhere.”

“Aaahhhh.” I screamed in fright when suddenly Dominic spoke over my shoulder from behind.

“What the hell, Dom?” I yelled aloud in fright, holding Victoria’s hand tightly to keep my body steady.

He grabbed me and pulled me into his embrace, holding me protectively.

My heart was now thudding hard against my ribcage.

“Mr. Whitemoore. It seems that you forgot your wife is pregnant and a pregnant woman shouldn’t be scared like this.” Victoria said to him sternly, suppressing her anger, but was failing badly.

Dominic took me off guard, but he didn’t know the real reason of my fear.

I held his hands tightly while my body kept on trembling hard.

My mind started playing the moments when I was on streets and had to stay awake all night, hiding behind a big trash bin or a pillar, looking around in the dark in alert so that I wouldn’t miss anyone who approached me by taking advantage of the darkness.

Yet they always found me, and suddenly popped in front of me from behind like a rabbit jumping out of a magician’s hat, giving me the scare of life.

Their filthy and rough hands roaming on my back and on my shoulders, trying to grab me, but I ran.

“Violet… hey… please don’t scare me. I am sorry. I am really sorry, okay. I … I didn’t mean to scare you.” I heard Dominic’s voice, but it was coming from far.

My head started spinning hard and I found myself running to save myself while those voices chased me.

Not one night, not two, endless numbers of nights until I got help and a place to stay safe.

“Violet… please don’t scare me, my love. I am sorry. I acted recklessly. Please, open your eyes and look at me.” Dominic was still pleading, but those sick laughters suppressed his voice.

“Violet…. Violet… listen to me… Listen to me… you are safe now. No one is chasing you now.” Victoria screamed at me, and my mind registered her voice.

“You are safe now, girl. No one can chase you to scare you… no one can touch you without your permission, girl. You are safe.” She continued and slowly those voices started fading in background.

“Please baby, don’t do this to me. I am sorry… I am really sorry. You are safe, and I promise that I will never let anyone hurt you again.” Dominic was next to comfort me, his voice choked and filled with pleas.

“I am tired.” I uttered in a weak voice.

“Then rest… don’t think anything. I will take care of you. Just sleep for a while.” He pleaded again. I felt myself restricted to move.

I realized that Dominic was still holding me tightly.

“I can’t breathe, Dom.” I complained, resting my head on his chest.

“O… okay. … I am sorry.” He immediately loosened his grip on my body.

I felt pain in my stomach but it was bearable.

But I was pregnant and there is no way that I will take the stomachache lightly.

“Call the doctor. My stomach is hurting.” I asked them tiredly, wrapping my hands around my belly.

“What?” both Dominic and Victoria yelled in panic.

I hissed lightly when I felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen.

“What are you waiting for? Go get a doctor.” Dominic yelled in panic.

“This is because of you. You …. Why didn’t you stay in her office? If… if anything happens to Violet or the baby…. You…..you.” Victoria retorted but paused when I winced in pain again.

The pain was still bearable, but it was now increasing.

“I am sorry. I am really sorry…. Just… just stay calm, love. Everything will be okay. Nothing will go wrong. Just stay calm,” Dominic asked me pleadingly.

“It hurts.” I moaned in pain, trying to curl up, but he held me. My eyes were still closed, but the trembling of her hands was enough to tell that he was scared to death by now.