Chapter 35: CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

KIM's POV

Without opening my eyes, I rolled towards him but felt nothing. I reached my hand out to feel his ripped body but he wasn't there.

He left?

He left after last night? How could he even drag himself out of bed not to think of leaving? I slowly opened my eyes but someone had left the blinds open because the bright ten am sun forced me to close them again. I laid there spent and slightly confused. To get up and face my day or lie there and reminisce on everything that had happened last night.

I finally choose to reminisce. I closed my eyes again and the searing feeling of his tongue on my clit hit me again. I shook my head to clear the images and again, his mouth taking both of my nipples in his mouth at the same time flooded my mind. I stood, deciding I was doing myself no good by lying there and letting my mind wander.

The temptation to go looking for him was teasing my mind again and again but I knew I was only going to hurt myself If I did that. I knew Craig. He only did things as he saw fit, as they pleased him. The only way he was going to come back to me was that he chose to. That he decided on his own accord that he needed me more than his desire to punish me for the things that had happened in the past.

Away from those, I was better off on my own.

Today was Jane's mom's birthday and we had planned a surprise for her. Alongside the surprise we had for Jane's mom, I had thrown in a surprise for Jane. She deserved all the love she could get. I was the one in charge of the surprise vendors and I needed to get there before noon.

We had slated an invite for early evening. We had invited all her mom's friends from within and outside the state. We even went as far as making bookings for flight and accommodation arrangements for the ones coming from out of town.

I wanted Jane's mom to have the best birthday ever. I wanted everyone to have a good time. I had to be at the airport in the evening to receive a couple of the women who couldn't be in town yesterday. I had to shower and call my service person to get my room tidy.

I barely had an hour before meeting the vendors when my phone started ringing incessantly. It was Jane.

"Heloooooo bunny, the birthday girl's assistant" I knew she was blushing on the other end of the line.

"Hey, darling. I'm calling to confirm that the vendors on your end will deliver and on time too. Also, the party has been moved to 6 pm to accommodate people coming on today," she said with laughter in her voice.

"I just had a shower. I'll go get the cake in a bit. The woman handling the hors de voeurs will be at the venue soon," I informed her. I believe the service providers on your end are also ready?"

"Yes, I have the bases covered. My only concern is the lady doing the decor. She literally just started the tiny details and I was really worried about that earlier. I actually did tell her about my concerns and yet she showed up late. I'm kinda worried that she may not pull through but I hope she does."

Her concerns were valid. A lot of event decor people in Paris had a problem with turning up on time. Their attitude in the past had led to the delay of many parties but I just wanted Jane calm and not worried so I reassured her instead.

"Don't worry, everything is going to go as planned. I need you to just relax. It's only a party and the whole plan is to have fun, you know?"

"Ok, mamiii. I'll do as you said. So let the party begin!!" She was laughing when we ended the conversation and I was glad.

When I arrived at the baking complex, they were done. They were contemplating the best way to package and deliver and so my anxiety level really dropped.

"What are your methods of transportation, it's quite a tall cake and I want it to arrive exactly how we ordered". I wanted things in perfect shape by the time o got to the venue from the airport.

"Yes ma'am. We do have a delivery truck provided specifically for tall cakes," the manager was saying.

"That's perfect then, thank you very much." I was already at the door. I didn't want the women in flight to have a long wait time and the airport was about an hour away.

I had considered having my driver go and pick them but I wanted them to have the warmest welcome especially because I knew them growing up. They were Jane's mom's besties.

Luckily things went as planned and I was in the airport twenty minutes after their aircraft landed. The push was wild. The airport was crowded, and everyone had somewhere to be. It was either they were rushing to catch a flight or they had someone to pick up. I was still trying to figure out how to find them when I caught sight of Aunty Killian waving from the corner of my eyes. They both looked so excited. I really wanted to be as fine and as perfect as they were at fifty.

They looked so radiant and beautiful.

"Hello, Mrs Killian. It's such a pleasure to see you again after all this time," I greeted enthusiastically.

"Look at yourself, Kimberly! You've grown so tall and beautiful. I hear you're married now," she said and winked.

Aunty Killian, as we fondly called her when we were younger, was a mischievous slim, blonde, and beautiful woman. The first impression one got from being in her company was that was fun-loving, easygoing and everyone's favorite aunty. I knew however that she had a strict side because that was the only way all her sons turned out as beautifully as they did.

Mrs Tessy on the other hand was the chilly beauty who rarely spoke to anyone who wasn't in her class, she had the kind of aura that suggested she would pay you to leave her son alone. The thought made me chuckle a little bit when I greeted her.

"Mrs Tess, pleasure to see you again" I kept our pleasantries short and soon we were in my car heading to the hotel where all the guests were lodged. They both barely had an hour to get ready before the event started. I made sure they were properly settled in before I headed out to confirm that all the service providers for the event were on ground and doing the job they were paid to do.

"Sorry ma'am but I don't like the placement of these flowers." Only a couple of minutes in the venue and I already had five complaints but they weren't major disasters or anything so they got fixed pretty quickly.

Guests were already arriving when I realized I had not gotten dressed, I summoned my driver and made a mad dash home. My stylist and wardrobe assistant were already waiting when we got to the house.

"Hello Mrs Lionel, we've been waiting for you. We know you've been running around all day. I really hope you're too exhausted," Mira, my hair stylist enthused. Mira was always so caring and I was glad to have her today.

"No Mira. I'm just alright. I just need a warm bath and I'll be ready for the both of you," I said calmly.

When I got to my room, I had a warm bath waiting for me already. I had my bath, did a couple of personal things and was ready for my glam team. I called downstairs and had them come up to my room.

In no time, we decided on an outfit, the right hairstyle and make-up to go and within the hour, I was ready.

When I got downstairs, I saw Craig leaving. Our eyes met across the room and I felt him swallow hard. That was all the response and validation I needed. I knew he was in his head about how good I looked and how much he would love to rip every single stick off and devour me but instead, he went out to his car without breathing a single word to me.

I knew him too much already or else all my confidence would have really deflated about how good I looked. But I knew he ate it all up and was fighting a losing battle.

When I arrived at the party, the event was in full swing already, the guests looked like they were having a lot of fun so I gave myself a little victory dance. Like ohhhh, we did that!