Chapter 27 Yours
Linda's POV
His mouth was slightly parted as he stood in front of me, his blue eyes fixed on mine as if he had dreamt of this moment years back.
My stomach tightened and I was already dying to let him touch me.
Only just touch me.
Then he did.
He slid his hands over my neck and brushed my hair aside. I closed my eyes, waiting for his lips to land a safe, soft kiss there. But he carefully lowered his face towards my neck, his hot breath blowing over my tiny hairs, inviting goosebumps to say hello. Then he whispered into my ear.
"Seems like you're ready for tonight."
I pulled him gently off my neck and looked deep into his eyes.
"We are married now. You can do whatever you want."
He placed his head on my chest and let me smell the sweet scent of his hair. Then he asked slowly, almost in a whisper.
"What do you want?"
I didn't even think before I responded.
"I want you. Just you," I replied and proceeded to kiss him.
He just let me do my thing.
My hands moved swiftly to the buttons of his shirt but suddenly he withdrew and held my hands.
"Not tonight," he said and I was confused, or rather disappointed.
He left me and began to walk towards the tray.
"Why?" I couldn't help but protest. "It's your wedding night and that's what I'm here for. To do what Nikki's supposed to do." I didn't know when it fell out of my mouth.
"So now you agree that you're not Nikki?" he asked, unbothered.
My eyes twitched and I realized I had just made a fool of myself.
"No, it's not..." I stuttered but then I realized it was useless.
He had known right from the start that I was pretending to be Nikki. He was just playing along. Everyone was. Hiding under the shadow of lies, fooling ourselves.
I took a deep breath and steadied my voice.
"There's no point denying it, Charles. You already know that it was me right from the start," I said calmly.
Then he stopped mid-track and turned to me.
"Why?" he asked slowly, his voice yearning for truth.
"What?" I blinked.
"Why did you let them do it to you? Why did you let them trample on you like that and all you do is stand and watch?" His voice was filled with both frustration and anger.
"I've known them all my life," I replied quietly, lowering my head.
"I wouldn't accept that as an explanation. It is not enough," he said.
I raised my head gently and our eyes met. His eyes begged for answers, shining fiercely red. Tears crawled into my eyes and then rolled down my cheeks.
"How long are you going to cry? How long would you break down instead of breaking out?" he asked, furrowing his brows.
"It's my mum, Charles," I sniffed, wiping my tears immediately.
Crying wouldn't solve any part of the problem. Telling him wouldn't turn back the hands of time.
"Nikki gave me an offer when my mother needed surgery. You know what it was. I had to do it because I had no other choice."
He placed a hand on his waist and rubbed his forehead.
"Now she needs a kidney transplant," I continued, "and they're the ones taking care of it. So tell me, why won't I dance to their tune?"
"If that was the only reason, why did you have to lie all this while, knowing fully that I could take care of the hospital bills?" he asked and I was thrown off balance.
My lips parted then closed back.
"Linda, these people abused you your whole life. Even before your mum got sick. So why did you stay?" he pressed on.
"My mum made me stay. She always told me that the Jenkins were doing us a favor. I was confused. I challenged her but she made me promise that no matter what, I would never leave Nikki's side."
"Why?"
"I don't know!" I yelled. "You think it's my fault? Then fine!" I cried, falling to the floor.
In the blink of an eye, Charles was already by my side, pleading with me to stop sobbing. I buried my head on his chest and soaked his white T-shirt with my tears.
"I'm so sorry, Linda. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, stroking my hair.
"It's not your fault, Charles. Don't apologize," I replied with muffled tears, my voice cracking.
"I understand, baby. But you don't have to cry anymore because you're mine now," he whispered into my ears and my heart flew away. Then came back slowly.
I wiped my tears and raised my head carefully.
"Yours?" My voice was shaky.
"We are married now and you are my wife," he said firmly.
"Your wife?" I stammered, looking so lost and confused.
"Yes. You are my wife," he said this without blinking, without a second thought.
Did he even know that he was putting me in more harm than I was already in?
But somewhere in my heart, I wanted him to be mine. All of him.
"What about the Jenkins family? What about Nikki? What would happen when she recovers?" I asked, still confused.
"They breached the whole thing from the beginning. You gave me your virginity, not Nikki. I wedded you at the altar, not her, and here again you are, performing the marital duties," he replied and I sprang up to my feet.
"You don't understand, do you?" I asked, my voice rising.
"I understand fully. And I can decide that the beautiful young lady in front of me right now is my wife and the mother of my unborn children," he replied, standing up.
I shook my head and raised my hands. "Stop all this, Charles! The Jenkins family are very powerful and dangerous."
"Linda—"
"No, Charles. You don't know what this means! It means that the merger would not be concluded and your company might face financial downfalls. It means that my mother would die out there in the streets receiving no treatment..." I said as tears rolled down my eyes, breaking my voice at the end.
"Baby—" he interrupted but I cut him short.
"Don't. My mother means the whole world to me. I can't let her down all because of..."
With a long stride, he grabbed me gently and pulled me to his chest, enclosing me in a tight embrace, his hands holding my waist tightly. Surprisingly, I didn't protest. I simply melted into his broad chest, wrapping my hands around his back and soaking his chest with my tears.
"I've been there before. I know what it means to have a mother in a hospital and trust me when I say that your mother would never end up in the streets, not while I'm alive," his warm voice comforted me as he stroked my hair gently.
"What about your company?" the words fell from my lips.
He lowered his head and kissed my hair. "You don't have to worry about that, Linda. I'll take care of it," he replied.
I nodded and he tightened his hold around my waist.
"What matters now is that you're mine and no one can change that," he said and I nodded again, burying my head deep in his chest because I thought I hid the tears that couldn't stop.
"Stop crying, Linda. It breaks my heart to see you do that."
"I'm not crying," I defended myself.
"My shirt is already soaked," he replied.
I only sighed and held him even tighter, as though he was about to disappear into thin air.
"Are you a baby?" he teased.
"I'm your baby," I muttered and suddenly he carried me up.
"Then I have to feed you like my baby," he said.
"I'm not hungry!" I said but my stomach betrayed me with a loud grumble.
"You see? Your stomach won't lie."
He carried me to the dining room and placed me on the chair like an egg. Then he pinched my nose playfully.
"Don't go anywhere. Let me get your food," he said and hurried off.
I put my phone on the table and tried to do my hair into a simple bun. Halfway done, my phone rang.
It was Jessica.
My heart sank.
"Don't you want to pick the call?" I heard Charles's voice as he set the tray on the table.
"Nikki's mum," I said expressionlessly.
"Ignore it," he replied.
And that's what I did. I ignored the call, even though it kept ringing.
Charles took a seat beside me and began to feed me. I felt shy at first but what could I do?
Then a text message came through on my phone.
"You bitch, why are you ignoring my call? Make sure you come back to this house first thing tomorrow morning."
I simply lifted my phone and showed him the message.
"Don't mind them, okay? Just open your mouth and taste this delicious sandwich," he said, looking unbothered.
I opened my mouth and he slid the food in. It was very delicious.
"Hmm, this is delicious. Where did you order it from?" I asked, licking my lips.
"I made it personally for my princess."
"You made it for me??" I looked at him in disbelief.
"Yes, of course," he said, already looking proud.
"I'll have to admit you beat my cooking skills! Charles, this is superb," I exclaimed.
"Yeah, baby. Can't you see that your husband is the best chef in the whole world?"
"Of course you are!"
"Yeah."
We kept eating but I still felt unsettled and confused. Jessica told me to come back tomorrow but she was the same person who said I was here as Nikki. How would a married woman leave her husband's house the next day? Maybe Nikki was awake, or perhaps she wanted me to clean up the house.
Well, I just had to stick to what Charles told me. Ignore her.
After the meal, he carried me inside and laid me on the bed. He undressed and put on his nightwear. I thought he was going to make love to me but he simply laid beside me and cuddled me.
"You have to sleep, Linda. We're going to see your mother tomorrow morning," he whispered into my ears.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes, baby," he replied and within a few seconds, he dozed off.
I gently unwrapped his hands from around me and stepped out of the bed. I tiptoed to the mirror and looked at myself.
"Everything is happening so fast. I just want to check if Linda is still there," I told my reflection.
Then a smile crept onto my face.
"Your dream is slowly coming true," I whispered.
Just then, Charles's phone buzzed and with a stretch, I saw the text. It was from Harvey.
"Are you serious that the merger is cancelled??"
I couldn't believe my eyes. Did Charles cancel his merger because of me?
I felt a wash of guilt then his voice rang in my ears.
"You don't have to worry about that."
I tiptoed back to the bed and planted a kiss on his forehead. Then I climbed back in and wrapped his hands around my waist and c
losed my eyes.
"I'm going to see Mum tomorrow," I whispered to myself, and fortunately sleep came and stole me away.