Chapter 134. FIONA

Chapter 134. FIONA
It was seven o'clock, and I was in the gym with that freak, Joshua Craig. My eyes could barely stay open on this stationary bike. I was still fucking sleepy! We'd only slept about two and a half hours. He'd actually dragged me out of bed at six. He was so excited. He threw me a black workout clothes. Joshua told me to put it on and drag my ass over here.
Joshua had turned off all the security cameras in this room. He was still the same old maniac who didn't want to share his fiancée's body with his guards.
"You said you wanted to burn the pizzas you ate last night."
"Incorrect, the pizzas I ate three and a half hours ago, not last night. I'm still sleepy, Josh."
I nearly fell off the stationary bike if I hadn't been holding on tightly to the handles. If I were in bed, it wouldn't have taken me long to fall asleep. I'd be asleep the second my body hit the mattress.
"Get off there. You should start with pull-ups to keep your eyes open."
"I don't want pull-ups. I want to sleep."
"Wow, look at my favorite couple. You're already in the gym this early. Awesome."
Erick appeared, clapping his hands excitedly. He clearly hadn't come here to work out. He was wearing a gray formal suit and sunglasses.
“I don’t want to exercise, but Joshua forced me. Look at my eyes. They’re so heavy. I can barely keep them open.”
“Ugh. Did Joshua keep you up all night?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Why do you have to ask?”
I crawled onto the mat after giving up on the stationary bike. My body fell flat on my back onto the soft mat.
It felt so good to lay my back on the mat and close my eyes. I didn't care if this was a gym, and I wasn't on a comfortable bed. I just wanted to sleep.
"What did you do to her, man? You need to give her a break."
"She's been sleeping longer than I have.”
I heard what sounded like Erick smacking something. He was probably smacking Joshua's arm, his stomach, his chest, anything except his back, which had four broken ribs held together with pins.
"You're used to not sleeping, and she isn't."
"She should be too, considering she's been an agent for two years," Joshua said nonchalantly.
"Gosh. You two confuse me. One moment you look like a lovey-dovey couple that makes me want to vomit. Other times you're fighting like cats and dogs. And sometimes you look like a horny couple who can't keep your hands off each other."
"That's life, Rick. You'll be like that too if you fall in love."
“Agreed,” I shouted hoarsely, raising my hand.
“Go, get Mia before another decent, civilized man does.”
“I told you I don’t like her. She’s too young for me.”
“Age doesn’t matter,” I shouted once more.
The topic of him and Mia got me excited. I was curious about the continuation of their story.
“Roberto doesn’t like me.”
“That’s just your feeling. He likes you,” I lied.
"You think I couldn't sense his dislike for me when he forbade Mia from sitting next to me at the dining table yesterday? He made it obvious. Only an idiot wouldn’t see it.”
“Hey, why do all the guys here keep calling me an idiot?”
“Sorry, it’s the truth,” Erick shrugged nonchalantly.
My eye caught a five-kilogram dumbbell nearby. I picked it up and pretended to throw it at Erick. Joshua immediately snatched it from my hand and gave me a look, Baby, don’t be crazy.
“I was just kidding. I wouldn’t do that. Well, I probably would have if he hadn’t dragged his ass so quickly to win Mia’s heart.”
“Forget about my feelings. Focus on your wedding preparations with Joshua.”
“So you knew we were getting married again?”
“You’re wearing a diamond ring that wasn’t on your finger before. How could I not have known Joshua had just proposed to you?”
“You really are a very sensitive man. I'm sure Mia likes you too.”
Erick snorted.
“Forget about that. I'm in no rush. I don't plan on starting a family anytime soon, either. I want to enjoy my time as a single man.”
“How long?”
“Until I’m bored with my life. But I can’t be bored because I have so much work to handle.”
Erick glanced at his watch, then looked up to call Joshua.
“Josh, we have to go to the factory and meet some important people in an hour.”
“What factory?”
“Just ask your husband.”
“He won’t tell me.”
“Then I won’t tell you either, because it’s not my place.”
“Why are you hiding it from me?” I whined. “I didn’t install any bugs around here.”
Erick ignored my whining and stood up.
“Come on, Fiona. Let’s go back home. Melissa is probably awake and looking for you.”
I exhaled heavily. None of them would tell me what they were doing out there.
It worried me, and scared me at the same time.
Joshua was a mobster, after all, and his name was already on the FBI’s blacklist. Even though they hadn't found any evidence to arrest Joshua, they wouldn't stop looking for evidence of his involvement in any illegal activity.
“Relax, baby. Whatever I do out there won't put us in danger.”
“Yeah, I hope so.”
\-00-
This afternoon, as I was flipping through wedding dress catalogs from several designers, someone suddenly rang the doorbell. I was the only one in the living room. Mia was in the kitchen, peeling apples for Melissa. Roberto was busy tidying up the plants in the greenhouse.
I looked around to see if a guard could open the door, but no one was there except me.
I'd never been this lazy before. But since returning to Joshua's house, I've become a spoiled and lazy woman. I even left Melissa in Mia's care. She bathed Melissa, changed her clothes, and prepared breakfast. I just sat at the dining table watching Mia feed Melissa. The two of them became close and inseparable. Joshua didn't ask for anything from me, either, except that I was always there for him whenever he needed me.
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Are you Mrs. Fiona Craig Lident?”
“Oh, actually, my name is Fiona Osborn.”
The man looked down at the crumpled paper in his hand, scratching his forehead in confusion.
“But it says Mrs. Fiona Craig Lident here. We’re delivering the items Mr. Joshua ordered this morning.”
“Actually… Yes, I’m Fiona Craig Lident.”
It felt like there was a lump in my throat when I said it. Once again, I had to get used to my new name.
“What did Joshua order? He didn’t tell me he was ordering something.”
“Mr. Joshua ordered some items this morning. Please sign here.”
I did as the man asked. I peeked over his shoulder to see what Joshua had ordered, but there was nothing.
“Where are the items?”
“The items are still in the truck.”
The couriers began unloading Joshua’s items and loading them into the living room. They walked back and forth, carrying various items. There were clothes for Melissa. Clothes for me. A variety of shoes for Melissa and me. Sandals in various styles. A variety of accessories for girls. A variety of designer bags that left me breathless. I knew the bags were incredibly expensive. They also brought two large boxes of toys for Melissa. There was a giant unicorn doll taller than me. A dressing table for Melissa.
Joshua was absolutely crazy. I didn't know how much it was, but it was clear that my two years' salary as an agent wouldn't be enough to buy all this stuff.
"More stuff?"
I was dizzy watching the couriers walking back and forth with seemingly endless loads of stuff.
"There are still bicycles and mini-cars in the truck."
"Okay. If you're done, sit down. I'll get you some peach juice and some snacks."
I massaged my throbbing temples. Mia noticed it and immediately approached me with a frown.
"Are you feeling sick, ma'am?"
"No, I'm fine. Thank you for worrying about me."
"Mommy."
Melissa waved from her chair. She was busy chewing an apple, her hands clenched tightly around the apple pieces.
"You got a lot of presents from your Daddy."
"Presents?"
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. She squirmed in her chair and prepared to jump down.
“Finish your apple first before opening your Daddy’s presents.”
I walked to the refrigerator and took out one of the jars of peach juice. The peaches were from the backyard. There were so many of them, they were all over the ground. I was planning on making peach crumble for tonight.
“Mia, could you get me four glasses? The delivery guys have been working really hard.”
“I’ll get them, ma’am.”
While Mia was getting glasses from the kitchen cabinet, I took out some cookies and placed them on a plate.
“Just sit down, Ma’am. I’ll handle this.”
Mia hurried over to me. Her face was tense, as if she’d seen me lifting two sacks of wheat.
“No, no. It’s just arranging the cookies on the plates. I haven’t had much work to do since I moved here. You and Roberto handled everything perfectly. I’ve just been lazing around on the couch.”
“Mommy, done. I want to see my presents.”
“Okay. Get off the chair slowly.”
Mia was about to help her, but I grabbed her arm and shook my head.
“Let her do it herself. I don’t want her to grow up spoiled.”
Mia looked like she was about to cry when I told her not to help me and Melissa. So I let her pour the peach juice into the glasses, then took them into the living room along with the two plates of cookies.