CHAPTER FOUR

Lucas It's been 2 months since Marie left, and all I have to say is I’ve been miserable. Truly, you don’t appreciate what you have until you’ve lost it. I have to put on a brave face because you don't run a billion-dollar tech company by wearing your heart on your sleeve.

I’ve been going to see her and the boys at her new place where she stays with some friend of hers, Ashley, I think her name was. The boys are doing well, and their mother too, I guess she needed the space away from me...and that's what hurt the most.

Jana has been living with me but in a separate room because well...her doctor said she needed constant supervision and support, although I have my doubts about the child in her womb I will do my very best to make sure she and the baby are both healthy and strong.

I hate her, I swear I do. She ruined my life, but at the same time, I knew that I couldn't heap all the blame on her. I made the first move, so I had to bear my loss in peace...or pieces.

I was in my home office working- that's all I have been doing lately when Jana came into my office in some sexy lingerie. It has become a routine for her to do this, always trying to seduce me. I sighed and tried to remind myself to bear with her and that she’s pregnant...it wasn’t working. The moment she opened her mouth to start spitting trash, I ripped into her verbally.

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop trying to seduce me!!! Haven’t you done enough, you conniving little shit!?!?!”

“But Luke...”

That did it, only my Marie calls me Luke. No one else!!!

“Don’t you dare call me that again!!!”

I slammed my hands on the table and stood up forcefully causing the chair to fall backward. Jana took careful steps backward and ran out of the room. Smart girl.

I picked up my seat and sat down relaxing backward causing the backrest to arc downwards. I rubbed the heel of my hands over my eyes and finally left them there, I don’t know how long I was in this position but by the time I decided it was time for bed it was past 11:00 pm.

I sluggishly stood up and quietly made my way upstairs to my room. As I passed Jana’s door, I heard her on the phone. Now it doesn't bother me who she talks to but what caught my attention and held it was when I heard her say something along the lines of ‘...he doesn’t know about the baby and I don’t plan for him to know...if everything goes according to plan which it will, he would be mine sooner than later...’

Now that got me thinking, what is she hiding? What about the baby she’s carrying? What plan is she talking about?

Now only one person could give me answers to those questions, so I continued to my room, and after securing all the locks, I picked up my phone and called Daniel, my PI. He picked up on the first ring.

“Good evening sir, how can I help you?”

“Good evening Daniel, sorry about the late call. I need you to find out something for me...”

I told him all about the situation at hand and how I suspected that the child Jana carried isn’t mine. He listened and then told me to expect results by the same time next week.

Until then I guess I just had to cross my fingers and wait, and also try to win Marie back.

...............................................................................................

Daniel reported back within the next two weeks and I held the results of his investigation in my hand.

I tore into the envelope and connected the tiny flash drive to my laptop., what I saw made my blood run cold. Right on my laptop screen was Jana speaking to her doctor, and what I heard could make the devil blush.

“So, doctor, you’re saying that this drug will terminate the pregnancy without too much pain and within an hour, right?”

“Yes. When you wish to frame the lady in question, take it about an hour before your arrival and fake a fall. The damage would be so severe that people would think she did something to you."

“Impressive. I can’t wait to use it already.”

“I can’t wait for my payment”

Jana stood from her position opposite the dock and sunk to her knees before him and his moans could be heard through my screen.

After paying off Daniel and seeing him to the door, I made my way over to Jana’s room. I made my way inside without knocking and went straight for her closet.

“Lucas, what are you doing?”

“You think you can come here with a fake pregnancy and break up my family?”

I began stuffing clothes into any bag I could lay my hands on.

“I know the truth, Jana, you’re fucking your doctor to help me frame my Marie, you sick bitch!! You leave today!!”

Jana ran out of the room, I followed her and found her in the kitchen with a knife to her chest.

“I’d kill myself!!!”

“Jana put the damn knife down!!!”

"She doesn't deserve you, doesn't love you as I do!!!"

My shouting alerted my house staff and Abbey, my driver sneaked up on Jana from behind, successfully disarming her and pinning her down. I picked up my phone and dialed a psychiatric home. This lady needed help.

Marie The past two months have been torture for me, and the boys too. They miss their father so much, they miss us been together as a family. When I left Luke, I came straight to Ashley's place. We've become pretty close. In fact, I would say we're like sisters. I told her that I just wanted to stay for a week, till I’m able to get an apartment for myself, but she would have none of it, she insisted I stay with her. I couldn't refuse considering the boys had taken a liking to her and she lamented how empty and lonely her 4-bedroom house is. I had to give it to her, she drives a very hard bargain.

So here I am, living with Ashley. I have been looking for a job not because I need the money but because I just wanted to feel independent, I’ve had to rely on Luke for almost everything most of my adult life I almost don’t know how to live without him.

Ashley has been of great help, she prepped me up for interviews, and also help me get them, helped me out with my wardrobe, and helped every day of my nightmare a little bit more bearable.

I was broken out of my reverie by the sound of my phone ringing. I started and picked it up. Seeing it was an unknown number, I wondered who it was.

“Hello, am I speaking to Mrs. Johnson?”

“Yes, this is she. How may I help you?”

“I’m calling from Edge Corporation and I want to inform you that you have gotten the job. Congratulations.”

I did a little celebratory dance in the kitchen and then went back to the phone call.

“Yes, thank you.”

“You’re expected to report to your post first thing Monday morning by 8:00 am, and let me tell you this from one woman to another, Mr. Jameson hates tardiness”

“Thank you so much, I’ll be there and on time”

“See you then.”

I dropped my phone on the counter and ran around the house. I couldn’t wait to tell Ashley. I dialed her number and told her the great news, and I swear she was more excited than I was.

“I’m so happy for you darling, you deserve this. Now we have to celebrate, just get dressed, we’re going to the movies and then we’re getting drunk!!!”

I laughed hard, Ashley maybe a 26-year-old lady but she could be a huge baby when she is excited.

My mind strayed back to Lucas and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing at the moment and how he was faring. I know I shouldn’t, but you can’t just forget someone who’s been a very active part of your life for 17 years. I don't want to forget him, I just want to be able to look past what he did and start on a fresh page. I feel like we should talk, but I don’t have the balls to place the call and every time he came to see the kids, I felt like my tongue was tied.

Anyways, now is not the time to think about him and our marriage, this is the time to be happy and I fully intend to do just that.

....................................................................

I slammed the door shut as I came into the house and slumped on the couch, I've been working for Edge Corp for 2 weeks now and it's has been stressful. Mr. Jameson is a slave rider and that is me putting it mildly. I work in the marketing department as the deputy director, and it hasn't been easy, but it gives me fulfilment, something I haven’t felt in a long time. I finally stood up and made it to my room to take a bath, I had the house to myself because Ashley was at her boyfriend’s place and the boys were spending summer break with Lucas’ sister and her husband in France. I came down from my room and headed for the kitchen and after reheating some spaghetti from the fridge, I sat on the couch and settled on a movie. I was done with my meal and was halfway through the movie when the doorbell rang, I looked at the time then at the door. Who would come visiting by half-past nine at night?

I stood from my very comfy position on the couch and opened the door, right there on my front porch looking like a million dollars was Lucas holding a bunch of red roses in his hand and two boxes of pizza in the other.

“Hi...”

"Hi...its late. What are you doing here?"

“Um...I just wanted to check on you.”

“Okay, I’m doing quite well as you can see...”

He smiled but I could tell it was a sad smile.

“Yeah, I can see that. You look great. Can I come in?”

I started to refuse but thought better of it, I mean we really won’t get better if we kept ignoring the pink elephant in the room.

He let out his breath like he had been holding it in and stepped into the living room, and I have to say this, he instantly made the room look like a playpen. The house felt like it shrunk.

He sat down on the love seat and placed the pizza on the side stool after giving me the flowers. I put them in a vase of water and sat beside him. The silence was so loud and so awkward, someone honestly needed to break the ice.

“Umm...I heard that you got a job...”

“Oh yes, I did. How did you know that?”

“You don’t live with me anymore doesn’t mean I will stop looking out for you, Marie.”

He smiled, this time a genuine one.

"I'm proud of you, word around says you're doing a mighty fine job over there. Jameson must be a very happy man right now.”

I looked up at him in shock.

"You know Mr. Jameson?!"

“Of course I do, he markets for my company.”

We talked about mundane things, how his family is doing, the boys, and even Ashley wasn’t safe in our little gossip session. But then I felt this overwhelming urge to ask about Jana. I knew I was going to destroy the peace and all, but it had to be done.

"How are Jana and the baby?"

Lucas laughed long and hard at this to the extent that when he looked at me, tears were falling from his eyes.

“Jana is out of the picture.”

“How...why?”

“Because she’s a conniving bitch, that’s why!”

“What happened Luke?”

Lucas took a deep breath and rested his head in the palm of his hands for some time before raising it back up and folding his arms across his chest.

“Jana got herself pregnant by another man, the plan was to get you out of her way. She planned with her doctor to tell me that the baby was in danger and needed to be watched closely, that’s how she began living with me... and no Marie, we never had sex.”

I was so shocked and so sad, all this time, all the pain all because she wanted to claim something that honestly wasn’t hers. I didn’t know how long I was silent or how long I had been crying until I felt Luke’s warm hand on my cheek wiping my tears away.

"I'm sorry for all the pain I caused, my love”

He pulled me into his lap and wrapped his arms around me. I held on to him and let the tears fall, I feel like after all the lost time I deserve to cry like a child.