He drove home that night, furious, his mind racing with bitterness. The sound of laughter and clinking glasses from the living room pained his heart.
As he entered, the two ladies at the dinner table smiled. There, his fiancee sat, sipping wine and chatting with his mother.
He was seething with anger over her showing up at his house uninvited.
"Baby,"...his fiancee called out, jumping up to hug him. But he stepped back.
She Played cool to avoid alerting his mother, and then she said, "You look so tired." His mother chimed in from the dinner table, "I told you he's been working tirelessly and needs you around."
Mike didn't even glance at her. When she tried to help him with his briefcase, he dodged her touch and went straight to greet his mother. "Goodnight, Mum," he said, his voice strained. His mother sensed the mood but said nothing, exchanging a look with her son's fiancee, hinting that she should follow him.
The silence between them was oppressive as she walked behind him in distance to his bedroom.
Exhaustion seemed to weigh him down, his movements heavy as he sank onto the bed, his head leaning back against the pillows.
She knew he was still upset with her so she sat at the far edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on him without a word.
The room fell into an uneasy silence, with only the soft hum of the air conditioner breaking the quiet.
He removed his shoes, which landed on the floor, with a soft thud and he began to unbutton his shirt with a slow trembling fingers.
She cared deeply seeing his weakness but the atmosphere was really poor for her to communicate yet she did broke the silence.
"Your dinner's in the kitchen," She spoke calmly, breaking the stillness. "Would you like me to bring it in?"
Her words hung in the air, unacknowledged. He continued to strip down, his belt jingling as it hit the floor and then he walked into the bathroom, his fingers splayed across his forehead as if holding in the weight of his thoughts. He was so pissed.
The water poured down, as it couldn't wash away his thoughts; his mind remained stuck, torn between the weight of his company and the woman he once loved.
His fiancee paced back and forth in his bedroom, her confusion obvious. Three months of silence had passed since he'd asked for space, and though she'd respected his decisions, she now sensed a gap between them that seemed impossible to bridge. The uncertainty in her eyes mirrored the turmoil she felt, unsure what to say or how to reach him.
With a resigned sigh at the thought of facing her in the bedroom, he turned off the shower, dried himself, and stepped out, knowing tomorrow's tasks awaited him.
His towel tied around his waist as he stepped into his bedroom, he saw her pacing back and forth, his eyes met hers,but he didn't say a word.
He walked over to his dressing table, sat down, and applied his body lotion.
His chest and muscular body revealed and she wanted to ride one him so badlybut the thought of him pushing her away played in her head. Once done, he rose and headed to his closet, where he selected a comfortable pair of nightwear.
Just as he was done dressing, he picked up his laptop; it wasn't because he had something to do, but because her presence wasn't welcome. As he was about to leave the room; her voice halted him verbally, but he didn't respond, continuing toward the door. She quickly caught up, her hand on his arm halting his escape.
As she held his hands, her voice trembled with emotion. "You asked for three months of space," she reminded him, her words laced with hurt and accusation. "I gave it to you, respecting your boundaries, hoping you'd come around." Her eyes welled up with tears. "But you didn't call. You didn't check up on me. Not once." Her voice cracked. "I arrived here, to your house, to be with you, and what do I get? Silence, you ignore me like you don't see me. You've barely looked at me, barely spoken to me." She pulled his hand closer, her grip tightening. "Is that how you want it to be between us? Her words, her voice was a mix of pain and pleading, as she waited for him to respond, to acknowledge her presence, to show some sign of love or care. But he remained still, his expression unreadable, leaving her wondering if she'd made a mistake by coming back.
His voice was low and controlled,..."Three months of space," he said finally, his words measured. "You think that's enough to erase everything?" He looked at her, his eyes flashing with resentment. "You think showing up here, expecting everything to be fine, will make me forget the pain put me through?" His tone was even, but the tension in his body betrayed his emotions. She couldn't even utter a single word but let go of his hands.
The memories flooded his mind, fueling his anger. "You got pregnant with my child, our child" he said,...his voice laced with bitterness. "I pleaded with you to have the the baby, that we'd figure it out, that I'd take care of us. But you... you chose to end it, for your fashion life, your modern life , your so called celebrity lifestyle." His words dripped with anger, he couldn't bare the pain and so he slammed his laptop on the floor and continued questioning her…
"So, what brings you here?" he asked. "Are you done with your celebrity life now? Want to destroy mine some more?" His eyes narrowed. "Or did you come to talk to my mom? What did you tell her about... about what you did?"
She began to cry and he screamed at her.
"Answer me now Edna"...
His mother rushed to his room, her face filled with worry and concern. The commotion had been audible, but the specifics of their argument were unclear. She reached the room, flung open the door – it wasn't locked – and she stepped inside. The scene before her was tense: her son's laptop lay shattered on the floor. "What's going on here?" she asked, her voice firm yet laced with maternal concern, as she took in the strained atmosphere.
Mike's anger seemed to deflate slightly as his mother entered. He opened the door and walked out, leaving the argument behind. "I need some space," he said curtly, vanishing into the walkway.
His mother noticed Edna's tears, moved with empathy . . "Oh my sweetheart, come here", she said opening her arms to hug her.
Lolo noticed a car pull up – the Uber driver who usually dropped Anabel. It was 11 PM, and Lolo's eyes widened slightly. She wondered why Anabel was working such late hours lately. When Anabel knocked, Lolo opened the door. Anabel looked exhausted. "Hey," she said softly.
Lolo's expression turned concerned. "What's going on with this new development, You're coming home so late these days," she asked gently.
Anabel's response was a tired "Please, not tonight."
"Hmm, hunky dory, but at least you will take your bath and eat" Lolo assured her.
Lolo ensured Anabel relaxed in the warm bath, then microwaved dinner and brought it to the living room. They sat on the floor, Anabel eating gratefully. Lolo said, "Let's not discuss work; I know it's exhausting. but please tell me, you are fine "
Anabel smiled weakly. "I'm fine, seriously and we could talk about work."
Lolo nodded, and Anabel began recounting her day – the challenges at the meeting, Mike's abrupt departure after receiving a call. Lolo listened attentively.
It was a night like any other, but little did Lolo and Anabel know that their ordinary evening was about to take an unexpected turn.
The clock struck 12am, and Anabel, aware of her early morning the next day, decided it was time you sleep.
Just as she stood up, the doorbell rang, and both women exchanged a questioning glance.
"Are you expecting anyone by this time".. Anabel asked...
Lolo responded reaching the door... " Hello no. "
Lolo opened the door to find Mike standing there, his eyes locking onto hers. "Mike, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprise and curiosity mingling in her tone.
Mike's response was a humble request to come in, and Anabel, after a brief moment, welcomed him.
"Yes please, come in"...As Mike settled into the couch, Lolo and Anabel exchanged silent glances, their unspoken questions hanging in the air.
Mike's words broke the silence –
"I really don't know what I was thinking I'm so sorry to bothered you ladies, I could have gone straight to my hotel room but I just felt I will be fine here with you guys…I think I'm going mad," he confessed, his words were heavy. Lolo, ever the gracious host, offered him the spare room, assuring him that there was no problem at all.
"Oh no, please, Mike, You're family and you're always welcome here. You don't need to apologize for anything." She gestured towards the spare room. "That's a spare room, you can make yourself comfortable."
Her concern didn't stop there. "Have you eaten?" she asked, and Mike shook his head. Lolo nodded and left Anabel's side, heading to the kitchen to prepare a meal for him.
Meanwhile, Anabel's expression softened as she watched Mike's vulnerable side emerge. "Please, you'll be fine," She said, her voice reassuring. "You're safe here." Her words were a gentle comfort, and Anabel's eyes locked onto his, filled with empathy and understanding.
Before Lolo brought the food, Anabel had already wished Mike goodnight, sensing his exhaustion…
"Goodnight, Mike," she said softly, before heading to her room.
He responded.. Goodnight Anabel, thank you so much.
Lolo appeared with a tray, carrying a simple yet nourishing meal – fruits, boiled eggs, and noodles. She handed the plate to Mike, who ate gratefully. She watched him eat in silence, a lot going through her mind.
After he finished, Lolo took the plates to the kitchen, washed them, and cleared the space.
"Let's get you settled," she said, directing Mike to the spare room.
With a gentle smile, she ensured he had everything he needed for a comfortable night's rest. "Goodnight, Mike," she whispered, before leaving him to sleep.
Lolo switched off the lights and headed to her room, wondering if Anabel was already asleep. She slipped into bed beside her, feeling the warmth of the shared space.
Without disturbing Anabel, Lolo settled in, her own exhaustion catching up. She closed her eyes, and soon, the gentle rhythm of sleep enveloped her.
The night wore on, quiet and still, with Mike resting in the spare room and the two friends sleeping peacefully in their own bed.
At Mike's home, his mother was frantic, repeatedly trying to reach him on his line. Her worry was palpable as she waited for him to answer.
Meanwhile, Edna had already spilled the beans about the pregnancy and its abrupt end without Mike's input. Mike's mother was furious, her anger directed squarely at Edna for terminating the pregnancy without consulting Mike.
"How could you do this without talking to him?" she demanded, her voice trembling with rage. The situation had unfolded in a way that left her reeling, and she struggled to process the news.
Edna stood her ground, defending her decision. "We talked about it, and I told him that's what I wanted. He didn't want me to terminate it, but my career is on the line. What do you expect me to do?"
Mike's mother wouldn't let it go, she was so upset after listening to Edna. "That's not an excuse," she said firmly. "If you wanted something serious with my son, you should have listened to him. The decision you made shows me that you don't truly want a future with him." Her words cut deep, and Edna's expression faltered.
Mike's mother rose angrily and left the room.
Darkness wrapped Anabel, suffocating her. She was bound, her wrists and ankles tightly secured. Panic set in as she turned around, her voice hoarse from screaming, searching for help... "Help! Someone, please!" The air was thick with a deathly silence. No footsteps echoed, no voices responded. Only her own desperate cries bounced back.
A low, menacing chuckle crept into the darkness. "Today's your end, Anabel"...
As the voice drew closer, Anabel's eyes strained to see through the darkness. A figure emerged, her features obscured by shadows. But the voice... it was familiar, yet Annabelle couldn't quite place it.
"You've meddled enough," the voice sneered. "It's time to pay the price."
And then, like a spark of recognition, Annabelle identified the voice - Mike's mother. A chill ran down her spine as she wondered, "What did I do to deserve this much hatred from her?" Before she could process the thought, the voice commanded, "Take her away. Bundle her up and get her out of here."
Anabel's scream grew more panicked, but her voice was swallowed by the darkness. The figure loomed closer, its presence suffocating.
Suddenly, Anabele's eyes snapped open. She was gasping for air, her heart racing. She looked around, disoriented, and realized she was in her own bed. It was just a dream, but the memory of the voice lingered, haunting her.
Lolo emerged from the bathroom, still wiping her hands. The soft glow of the morning light danced across her face but then she found Anabel's troubled expression. Anabel's face was mirrored with worry, her brow furrowed in concern as she sat in bed, the alarm clock still blaring its jarring melody.
Lolo quickly moved to silence the alarm, the sudden still welcomed Anabel back and Lolo turned to Anabel, her voice laced with concern. "What's wrong?"
Anabel's words fell out in a rush. "I had a terrible dream about Mike's mother." Lolo's response was immediate, a lighthearted laugh that seemed to mock the seriousness of Anabel's words. "Mike's mother? What's the drama in your dream?"
Anabel's expression remained serious, her eyes clouded with the memories of the dream. "It felt so real," she said, her voice laced with unease. But Lolo's tone didn't change, and Anabel felt like she was being dismissed, her concerns not taken seriously.
Without another word, Anabel threw off the covers and got out of bed, her movements swift and firm. She padded barefoot to the bathroom, the cool tiles a welcome respite from the warmth of the bed. She began her morning routine, brushing her teeth.
Meanwhile, Lolo wandered into the spare room where Mike had slept the night before. The bed was neatly made, but there was an air of emptiness to the room, a sense that its occupant had left in a hurry. The door was open, and Lolo's gaze fell upon the empty space, her mind working overtime to piece together the events of the morning. It seemed Mike had called for a ride and left very early, leaving behind only the faintest whisper of his presence.
"Well he better tie his mother out from my friends dream"... She murmured and shut the door
As Anabel came out from the bathroom, her skin glowing from the warm shower, she dried herself with a towel and slipped into a vibrant yellow gown that beautifully complemented her complexion. She styled her hair and applied a flawless finish to her makeup. She began to get ready for her own workday, her movements a testament to her morning routine.
Few minutes later, Lolo walked into the room, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Your boss already left, and he even tidied up his room – guess he wants to make a good impression. Maybe you should give him a call?" Anabel shook her head, a determined look on her face. "No, I'll see him at the office. If he has anything to say, he'll say it there. I'm not going to go out of my way to ask him anything."
Lolo shrugged, a playful grin spreading across her face. "Ah, sorry oh, I was just trying to let you know, madam seriousness!" She teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "And come to think of it, Lolo, this whole remote job and sit-at-home job – how much is it paying you, anyway?"
"Please, go to work, you're already late," Lolo said with a smile. "Don't ask me any questions, just get going!"
With a smile, Anabel grabbed her bag and headed out.
Lolo settled into her favorite spot, laptop and earpod in her hand, as she prepared for her morning online session. With a quiet smile; she sipped her tea, logged into her chat platform, where she often connected with clients seeking conversation and companionship. Her schedule for the morning was already booked – a client was waiting to talk – and with a warm greeting, Lolo initiated the chat, diving into a discussion that would brighten someone's day.