Chapter 26: BANKRUPT

I was very grateful for Xender. He took care of me all throughout the day and even dropped me off at my parents house the next day. I didn't know what I could have done if it weren't for him. 

My dad was surprised to see Xender drop me off the next morning.

“Wow, what a present surprise! You brought a visitor home.” My dad said this when he saw Xender.

“Good morning, Mr. Barnard.”

“Good morning, Xender, I didn't know you both were this close.” I could see the teasing in his eyes.

"Come, Dad, Xender happened to find me in a tight position, and he helped me out.” I said this as I tried to clear the coast.

“Hmm, thank you for looking out for my daughter.”

“It's pressure, sir,” Xender replied.

“Are you sure you don't want to come in? I could fix something for breakfast.” I said to him:.

“No, I better get going. I have a few things I need to settle at the company before meeting you up this afternoon.”

“Okay, I guess I will see you later.” He said goodbye to my dad before he boarded his car and left.

“He's a nice guy, right?” My dad asked.

“Yeah, he is," I replied to him without even thinking twice about it.

“How would you like me to set you up with him after the divorce?” 

“Dad, I need one breathing space before I can consider dating someone else, and besides, Xender might be dating someone.”

"Fine, I will give you some breathing space, but don't ever judge other men who will show interest in you based on the experience you had with Seth.”

“I will try, Dad. I will try.” Thanks to Xender, I was able to put a smile on my face at a time like this. He even gave me one of his sweat jackets to cover up the bruises on my body.

“Your mum is waiting for us inside; let's go in." I followed my dad in and met my mum, who was setting the table for breakfast. 

“Good morning, mum.”

“Morning sweetie, trust your night was good?” 

“Yeah, it was,” I replied in a very small voice as I tried to hide the sadness in my eyes.

“Less I forget, I have already sent Seth the divorce papers. He has until the end of this week to sign those papers up, or I'm involving my lawyer.”

“Thank you, dad,” I said, letting out a sigh of relief. I just need to figure out a way to get my belongings out of that house. I will just have to ask Anna for help. She hasn't called me since the night of the business gathering.

“Go wash up and come downstairs for breakfast.”

“Okay mum.” I headed for my room as I ran a hot bath for myself. I still felt sore all over; my body aches at every joint, especially my neck and arms.

Taking off my clothes, I soaked myself in the hot water in the bathtub, as I felt it did justice to the soreness. I had no idea how long I stayed inside the tub, but I just loved the hot water against my skin. 

After much time of refilling the tub with hot water, I decided to stop and go get dressed. Staying long in water might not really be what I need right now.

I grabbed my bathrobe and covered my body before heading out of the bathroom. I walked up to the mirror, sitting close to my wardrobe, and took off the bathrobe. I stared at my body in the mirror. The skin around my neck was still red and swollen, but it wasn't as bad as yesterday.

I touched the affected area slightly with the tips of my hand and still felt the pain. Grabbing my body oil, I massaged it into my skin as I tried not to let out a cry from the pain.

“Alda?” On hearing my mum's voice behind me, I froze at the spot.

"Alda, what happened to you?” She asked again, and I could hear the worry in her voice. I quickly covered my body with the bathrobe before facing her.

“Mum, what are you doing here?” I asked, trying to change the topic, but she ignored me and walked up to me, dragging the bathrobe away from my body.

“Oh my God,” she cried out with her hand covering her mouth. Tears clouded her eyes as she stared down at my body with shock.

"Mum, I'm fine; it's just a minor injury.”

“Did Seth do this to you?” She asked, but instead of answering her, I averted her glance at me.

"Oh, my goodness. How could this have happend?You didn't even bother to tell us!?” My mum asked in between her sobs. I covered my body with the robe as I refused to look at my mum.

The tears were already running down my face just from seeing her cry. 

“Honey, what's happening?” I turned away immediately. My dad entered my room and headed for the bathroom. I shut the door behind me as I rested my back against it. 

“She, Alda, has been getting abused by Seth, and we didn't even figure it out.” I could hear my mum say to my dad.

“What!? Alda! Alda, open up. Did Seth lay his hands on you!?” My dad asked as he started banging at the door of my bathroom.

“Dad I'm fine; I'm really okay, I promise.”

"Alda, open this door right now!.” I could hear the anger in his voice. I know better than to mess with my dad when he is angry, so I opened the door, letting him in.

“Show me?” He commanded. I drew the robe a little away from my shoulder, exposing my bruised skin. My dad went weak in my eyes. He was furious.

“Seth did this to you?” He asked, but I looked away, as I couldn't look him in the eyes.

“I'm going to make him pay; I will make sure he regrets the day he ever raised his hand to abuse my daughter!” His anger rolled off his words. He angrily marched out of my room.

I walked out of the bathroom and found my mum sitting on the floor of my room with tears in her eyes.

“Mum, I'm sorry.”

“How could you keep such a thing away from us?”

“Because I know you and dad will react this way. I didn't want to cause any trouble for anyone.”

“Alda, how could you say such a thing? Your father and I will do literally anything just to see you happy.” 

“I'm sorry, mum,” I said as my tears ran down my face like a river.

"Oh, sweetie, it must have been hard,” my mum said, pulling me in for a hug. I rested my head on her shoulder as I hugged her back.

“It's okay; no one messes with my daughter and gets away with it. I will make Seth wish he was never born.”

“Thank you, mum, for standing up for me at a time like this.”

“When did this happen?” She asked as she and I both sat on my bed.

“Yesterday, I went to meet him so we could talk. I thought I just needed to talk to him and know his opinion about getting a divorce, but it was a mistake I will never make again.”

“Did he attack you immediately after he saw you?” 

“No, I figured out he had brought another woman home, so I confronted him, but he didn't feel remorseful about it, so I told him about the divorce papers I was processing.

That didn't sit right with him, so he attacked me.”

“So he cheated with his secretary, and that wasn't enough for him, so he decided to have a home service, and then he used you to close up his day,” my mum said in anger.

"I will make sure he regrets the day he thought of raising his filthy hands on you.”

"Mum, please, I really don't want you and dad to take this issue too far.”

“Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor?” My mum asked, ignoring my words.

“Mum I'm fine, I promise. I'm okay; the injury is not as serious as it is.” I said. I was trying to convince her that I was okay.

“I'm really sorry, sweetie.” She said that and pulled me in for a hug again.

“Mum, I'm really okay. Now let's go eat; I'm famished.” 

“On your bathrobe?” My mum asked as we both laughed.

“Just give me a minute. Let me throw something on.” I quickly rushed to my wardrobe and dressed up as we both headed downstairs for breakfast. I felt sorry for my parents; my mum was barely eating her food, and my dad was nowhere to be found.

“Where is dad?” I asked when I couldn't hold it in anymore.

“How should I know? He might be outside, trying to calm himself down. Your dad is not going to let Seth off that easily, and you know that. What I don't understand is why you are still trying to protect him at this point. Alda, this man hit you; that makes him a coward.” 

“Mum, I'm not trying to defend him. I just don't want this to get out to the public. I will never defend Seth; I don't even want to hear his name.

I just don't want this to get out, and reports are going to come bugging you and dad.” I said. I was trying to make her see things from my own perspective.

“I understand your worries, Alda, but at this point, both your father and I don't care.” I sighed out as I forced my food down my throat. I lost my appetite immediately after Mum walked into my room earlier.

I managed to force all the food down my throat as I thanked my mum for the food. I offered to help her do the dishes, but she declined immediately. I had to start heading to my office. Xender and I scheduled our meeting for around noon.

“Mum, I have to go.”

“Can't you just stay home with me for today?”

“I'm sorry, mum, but I have a very important meeting and I have to meet up. I promise to be back early.”

“I don't want you anywhere near Seth, okay?”

"Okay, mum,” she said, kissing me goodbye before I headed outside. Albert was already waiting for me. How did he know I was going to need his services? I was going to call him to meet me at the company.

“Good morning, ma'am.”

“Albert, I trust you had a great weekend.”

"Yes, I did; what about you?”

“It wasn't the best, but here I am. Let's head for the office immediately.” 

“Okay ma'am” I looked around the compound, looking for any sign of my dad, but couldn't find any. I wonder where he is.

Seth's POV

Today is as messed up as ever. It wasn't enough that I had Alda's family lawyer present me with divorce papers giving me until the end of the week to sign them up, and now I just got news that I lost another of my investors.

I heard a slight knock on the door before my secretary entered with a frown on her face. 

“We have a problem.” She said this as she walked up to me.

“Is that problem bigger than the divorce papers waiting for me to be signed because of someone?” I couldn't help putting the blame on her. If Alda hadn't caught the both of us at my office that day, I wouldn't be in this case right now.

“With all due respect, sir, don't blame me for your infidelity.” 

“What did you just say to me? One more word from you, and I will make sure you lose your job.” I said to her, but she laughed.

“Lose my job? You should be the one bothered about losing your company. All the important investors that you have are withdrawing their support from your company. By this time next week, you might lose your company.” 

She said this as she tossed the documents she was holding in front of me. I didn't understand a thing she said.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“You are about to go bankrupt, and this is also my resignation letter. I can't keep working for an asshole like you. If I were your wife, I would have divorced you a long time ago.”

She said that and dropped an envelope, which I assumed to be her resignation letter. I wasn't sure what I heard. I ripped up the envelope containing the files she came in with.

The documents actually stated that half of the people who invested in my company were withdrawing their funds.

I nearly went crazy. What is happening? This can't be. There has to be a mistake somewhere. I was still trying to process what was written on the papers when my cell phone started ringing. It was Alda’s father. I picked up the call and placed it next to my ear.

“I hope you have gotten the first taste of my payback. You actually laid your hands on my daughter; I will make sure you regret the day you ever thought of that.” 

With that being said, he ended the call. Did he just hang up on me?

“Fuck! I am supposed to be the one saying those words to him and not the other way around." Fuck!!” I cursed and tossed my phone away as it hit against the wall.

How dare he do this to me? I am so not letting this go.