Chapter Twenty-One

Zoe POV:

We had made love all morning until we both decided it was time to get through with our plans for the day.

We took a bath together and made breakfast together like a married couple. I was fully recovered and down for anything.

"Where are we going today? Don't tell me anything I want." I pointed my fork at Philip, and he chuckled.

"Don't worry, I drew out a plan for each day before we even came here. We're going shopping today and we'll have dinner at my favorite restaurant," Philip said.

"Hmm, sounds fun. Do they have ice cream there?" I asked.

"No ice cream today, Zoe. Just healthy food."

I pouted at him. "You're not nice. But can we have ice cream later?"

"Maybe," he replied. "Eat up, Zoe before you lose your appetite."

"You're so bossy."

"But you love it," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Whatever."

"Let's go swimming before we head out. Pool sex is nice," Philip said with a mischievous smile.

I rolled my eyes again. "Do you ever get tired of sex?"

"Not with you. And stop rolling your eyes at me."

"Or what?"

"I'll fuck your brains out," Philip replied in a serious tone and I felt a tingle between my legs.

He smirked. "Did that turn you on?"

"No."

"Liar. Should I check if you're lying?" He grinned. I could never get over the sight of him grinning.

"No." I said in a heartbeat and Philip threw his head back in laughter and I threw a berry at him. "I hate you!"

"I love you too, baby."

We finished up our food and got dressed in matching outfits. Philip made a call for a rental car, and it arrived a few minutes later. It was a black Ferrari.

"Wow," I breathed as I stared at the beautiful baby.

"You like it?" Philip asked.

"Duh! Who wouldn't? I love black cars, there's something about them that I can't explain."

"Do you want to drive?" He asked.

"Can I?" I asked excitedly. I had never driven one of these before.

"Sure, you can." He tossed the key and I caught it.

I pressed the button and the doors spread open. "Sit tight, baby. I might drive a little too fast."

"You might get pulled over. Please, don't kill us, baby," Philip said.

"At least if we die, we die side by side," I smiled sweetly at him.

"How about you drive safely, and we don't die? Huh?"

"Fine. You're such a scaredy-birdy," I said as I pressed the ignition button. The sound from the engine drowned his words. "This is so fun!"

I pulled out of the beach house and hit the road. Contrary to my words, I drove slowly and carefully, obeying all road signals.

"What happened to driving recklessly?" Philip asked.

I shrugged and smiled mischievously. "I changed my mind. I didn't want you to pee in your pants out of fear."

His face scrunched up in disgust. "What?" He exclaimed dramatically. "Philip MacArthur and scared cannot be in the same sentence. That's so absurd.

"Do I make a turn or go straight ahead?" I asked as we approached a U-turn.

"Straight ahead," Philip replied.

I stepped on it and Philip went ballistic. "Zoe! You're going to get pulled over!" He exclaimed.

I burst into laughter. "Fine. Calm your balls down."

"Don't fucking tell me to calm down when you're driving like a lunatic."

We arrived at the boutique and shopped for anything nice we laid our eyes on. Philip made me try all the dresses he laid his eyes on and had me walking in and out of the fitting room.

"Philip, if you keep making me try all the dresses they have in this boutique, you'll end up spending way past your budget," I told him when I came out of the fitting room, dressed in an exquisite knee length red dress.

"Frankly speaking, I never came here with a budget," Philip.

"What?" I exclaimed.

Philip burst into laughter. "I'm kidding. You should have seen your face."

I let out a sigh of relief. "These dresses are enough," I pointed to the heap of clothes. We also got a few jewelries.

"Alright. Can we add the one you're wearing? Red looks amazing on you."

"Okay."

I went back into the fitting room and changed into my clothes. "We'll take these," I told the lady standing beside us.

"Okay, ma'am." The lady couldn't take all of them at once, so she beckoned on her colleague to help her.

"Where's the restroom, please?" I asked the lady at the counter.

"Right over there," she pointed to the left.

"Okay, thank you. I'll be right back," I told Philip and he nodded.

By the time I got out, Philip had already made payments and some people helped us carry out shopping bags to the car.

"How much do they cost? Let's split the bill," I told Philip as he pressed the ignition button.

Philip frowned. "Split what bill? You're not paying for anything. I brought you here, so I should handle the bills."

"Come on, just this once," I pleaded.

"No," he said. "Don't ask to split the bill again."

"Fine. I won't ask, I'll pay before you can," I said.

"Zoe." Philip turned serious immediately and I knew I had annoyed him. Philip never once let me pay for anything on our dates and I didn't like that.

"Fine." I said and looked out the window as he began to drive.

"Zoe?" Philip called as we approached a traffic stop and I didn't answer. "Are you mad at me?" He asked and I ignored him again. "I'm sorry," he said softly, and my heart softened. But I wanted to pretend that I was still mad until he made a bargain. "I'll get you ice cream."

I turned away from the window and looked at him. "Promise?"

He chuckled. "You're such a big baby."

"Promise or not?" I asked with a serious face.

"Promise," he replied and grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Don't talk to me until you get the ice cream," I pouted. "Put on some music, the car is way too quiet."

"Yes, your majesty."

He pressed a button and the soft sound of Bruno Mars's Marry you filled the car.

"Oh my God. I love this song!" I said.

"Why?" Philip asked.

"I don't know. I used to like this guy and he loved Bruno Mars a lot. I would listen to the song every time and imagine him singing it to me," I replied and smiled mischievously.

Philip frowned. "You like this song because of a guy? Who the hell is he?"

I threw my head back in laughter and laughed so hard. "I lied. I wanted to annoy you and I succeeded."

Philip shook his head as he fought back his smile. "Nobody else gets on my nerves like you do."

"That's because you love me." I stroke his cheek.

"That's why you're lucky. Stop stroking my cheek or I'll pull over and fuck you right inside this car, by the roadside."

"As much as I would love that, it would be so weird. Where are we going?" I asked.

"Home. We'll watch a movie and cuddle until it's time for us to head out to have dinner," Philip replied.

"Sounds good to me," I said and relaxed in the seat. "Do I have to dress fancy for our dinner?"

"Of course? It's a dinner date, babe. You have to dress fancy, I know you hate it but just do this once, okay?"

"Okay," I replied. "Do I get ice cream after that?"

"Sure, baby."

We arrived home and changed into comfortable clothes. It was a hassle trying to settle on a movie to watch. Philip didn't want anything sappy.

"You can't cuddle while watching action movies," I told him.

"Says who?" He asked.

"Says me," I replied.

I finally convinced him that we should watch a romantic movie and he agreed. It was a waste because we spent the entire time smooching and groping. Kissing Philip never got old. I still had butterflies whenever he kissed. My skin still tingled whenever he touched me. I was still a mess under his touch, and he knew it.

He would always smile smugly knowing how much effect he had on me. His smile alone could make me wet.

I had pictured us married with kids in a big house so many times and I loved the thought. I never had a complete family and I wanted to make one with the man I loved dearly.

I wanted things to remain like this forever, I didn't want anything to go wrong. We were a match made in heaven and I was so sure about that. Philip loved me in a different way, different from every other way I've been loved before. I had never loved someone this much before. Philip had shown me a better picture of life. He had taken me on a journey with him and I never regretted any step of the way.

I had never felt this safe in any other man's arms before. Philip was my knight in shining armor, a drop-dead gorgeous one at that.

Nobody knew my body the way he did, nobody gave me butterflies the way he did. I bless the day he walked into the coffee shop that day and saved me from those pesky men. I hated my job at that coffee shop, but thanks to it, I met Philip.

"I love you," I said out of the blue as we cuddled on the couch, ignoring the movie playing on the TV. I stared deeply into his captivating eyes.

Philip smiled and began to stroke my cheeks softly. "I love you too. I don't think I've ever loved anybody the way I love you. Thank you for coming into my life and bringing the light with you."

"If you had never stopped by the coffee shop that day, do you think our paths would have ever crossed?" I asked.

"Yes. As long as it was meant to be, our paths would have crossed even in the weirdest way."

"Do you think we're meant to be?" I asked, wanting to hear his opinion.

"Of course, I wouldn't have gone this far if I didn't think we were meant to be," he replied. "I love you, Zoe. No matter what happens always remember that," Philip said and my heart melted.

"What was your childhood like?" I asked.

Philip snorted. "What's with all these questions?"

I shrugged. "I'm just curious."

"I didn't grow up like normal kids would. I had no time to play around except when my cousins came around. My dad wanted me to be the best in everything I did, so he made me put extra effort in everything. I had home lessons every day except on weekends. My mum always helped me escape my dad's wrath. Most times when I wanted to do something that I knew Dad wouldn't want, I would beg my mum to talk to him.

“College was an escape for me. Even though he hired Mark to act as his eyes, I was still able to escape because Mark always covered for me. Now that I'm grown, I realize why he did all that. It was just a little too much for a kid. What about you?" Philip asked.

"My childhood was the best before my dad died. He was an amazing father and I wished he had stayed longer," I said, remembering the old days.

"How did he die?" Philip asked.

"He happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was shot dead at a gang clash," I replied. "Then, my mum remarried a complete monster four years later. Rocky was an asshole. He moved into our house and started controlling everything. He never went out to look for a job, he just kept demanding money from my mum and beating her up for the slightest reasons."

Philip stroked my cheek lovingly. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that."

"It's fine. I wish my mum didn't remarry. Maybe she would still be alive. Something tells me she's still alive."

"Do you want me to hire someone to look into it?" Philip asked.

"There's no need for that. I hired someone to do that, but it was in vain," I said.

Philip kissed my lips lightly. "Enough of the sad talk. We have a dinner date to prepare for."

***

The restaurant Philip took us to was amazing. The Maldivian dishes tasted heavenly. We had finished our food and we were waiting for desserts when I had the urge to use the restroom.

"I need to use the restroom," I told Philip.

"It's right over there," Philip pointed to the door straight ahead.

"Alright. Give me a minute." I grabbed my purse and headed to the restroom. I eased myself and stood in front of the mirror to reapply lipstick. My phone buzzed in my purse. I opened the purse and stared at the caller ID. It was a private number. I had a bad feeling about this, but I picked the call anyway. "Hello?"

"Hello, Zoe. How are you?" a strange voice asked.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Someone you'll never know," the person replied.

"What do you want?"

"You're so smart. All I want is for you to end things with Philip. As simple as that. Pretty easy, right? You think you can do that for me?" the man asked.

"What if I don't want to?" I asked. My heart was racing.

"Then things will get very bloody, my dear Zoe. First, I'm going to kill Henry and I might come for your beloved Aunt Emilia," the man said calmly, making me wonder if this was an actual threat or if he was pulling my leg.

"How do you know Henry? How do you know my aunt? Who the hell are you?!" I asked a bit too loudly and the lady beside me gave a weird look.

"Do as I say, and everything will be fine. I'll give you thirty-six hours to do so. Enjoy your little vacation for now. One more thing, don't say a word to your boyfriend." The man ended the call before I could say anything else.

Were we being followed again? The person had to be someone that was closer than we thought. It's like the universe senses my happiness and sends someone to destroy it. I had never been this confused before. What was going to do? What if I ignored the threats and he did something to Aunt Emilia or Henry? I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened to them. Why did things always go wrong whenever I used the bathroom in places that were not my house?

There were a lot of unanswered questions in my head.

I reapplied make-up and headed back to our table.

"What took you so long?" Philip asked. "I was going to burst into the lady’s toilet if you took any longer."

"They would probably arrest you for that," I told him.

Our desserts arrived a few minutes later and we dug in. I couldn't get my mind off that man. Who was he and how did he know us so much?

"Is there a problem?" Philip asked as we got into the car.

"Not at all. Why do you ask?"

"You've been acting a little weird since you returned from the restroom. Did something happen?" Philip asked with worry on his face. I hated seeing him worried and I didn't want to give him a reason to be worried. He was almost knocked out from worry while I was in a coma, and I didn't want to repeat that.

"No, nothing happened there. I'm just so tired and a little sleepy," I said. That wasn't a lie at all, but it was a perfect excuse.

"Let's get you home then."

Philip pressed the ignition button and drove us home. I could barely keep my eyes open when we got home. I was in deep thoughts throughout the ride home. Philip helped me upstairs and also helped me undress so I could take the shower. I showered hurriedly and went straight to bed. Tomorrow, I would continue to worry.

The following day, I woke up and Philip wasn't beside me. I stood and stretched my arms. Then, I remembered the threat and I knew my mood would be ruined for the entire day. Time was ticking and I didn't have much time left.

I brushed my teeth and took a bath. I went back to the room and Philip was there. "Good morning."

"Good morning, baby. I ordered breakfast. Let's go downstairs." Philip held my hands and led me downstairs. He held out a seat and I stared at the strange food in front of me that smelled nice. "What's this called?" I asked.

"Mas Huni. I saw how much you loved the food yesterday, so I decided to get us a Maldivian breakfast," Philip said.

"You're so thoughtful. Thank you. What's this made of?"

"Shredded smoked Tuna, chilis, onions, and coconut. This flat bread is called roshi and you eat them together," Philip explained.

"Okay." I took a bite and chewed slowly, and Philip stared at me expectantly.

"So? Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's so good," I replied.

"I knew you would." He dug into his. Philip watched me as I chewed on my food slowly. "Are you okay, Zoe?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Don't you like the food?" Philip asked with a worried look.

"I do! I love it, it's amazing," I assured him, and he looked a bit relieved.

"You look a little moody from yesterday? What's the problem?"

"Nothing, I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the bed," I replied.

"Will ice cream help?" He asked.

I smiled widely. "Of course," I nodded.

Philip chuckled. "Eat up and I'll go get you ice cream later, okay?"

"Okay," I nodded.

After breakfast, Philip headed out to get ice cream and a few other things. I stayed back to clear my thoughts. I laid on the couch watching a movie, but I couldn't concentrate.

My phone buzzed on the couch. Surprisingly, it wasn't who I thought it was. It was Aunt Emilia.

"Hey, Zoe. How's your vacation?" Aunt Emilia asked.

"It's amazing. I love this place," I told her.

"That's nice to hear. Where's Philip?" She asked.

"He went to get something," I replied.

"Alright. Say hi to him for me. I have to go to the pastry shop. I'll call you later, honey. Love you."

"Love you too."

We ended the call, and I dropped my phone on the couch and I tried to concentrate on the movie. It rang again and I stared at the caller ID. It was a private number, and I knew it was the same man.

"Hey, Zoe. Time is ticking and I'm not a patient man."

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?"

"Why I'm doing this is none of your concern. Do as I say, and nobody gets hurt. You don't have much time left, so I would wrap this up as fast as I can if I were you. Ciao," the man ended the call before I could say anything else.

How the hell was I going to tell Philip and I didn't want him anymore and we should end things before any of us gets hurt?

Philip wasn't going to hear any of it and would try very hard to get to the root of the matter.

I had never been placed in a tight spot like this before, not even when Rocky kidnapped me. I had never been this confused, I didn't know what to do and it was annoying that I couldn't tell Philip about it. The man said not to mention a word to him. I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of my selfish decisions. As much as I loved Philip, I couldn't let anyone get hurt because of me. That man sounded like he would hurt someone if I disobeyed his instructions. I decided to do as I was told even if it meant losing the love of my life. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened to Henry or Aunt Emilia.