Chapter 22
-NAOMI
“You get to meet Charles Dickson Maggie seems delighted, and it makes me feel pretty much the same.
It is a Friday evening and The apartment is in chaos and my boys are not helping by running around.
There are cardboard boxes everywhere and thankfully half of all of the boxes are filled.
We are finally moving into the Mccain’s family house, and by we I mean, just me and the boys.
Maggie doesn’t move from here.
11 miss living with her.
Now
I’ll never
leave her side when we meet at the company.
“So tell me again, how good looking is het Maggie press
“He’s very good looking” I say with no enthusiasm.
“You do not know how to describe” She says dryly
“And I do-
I pause and gaze into space.
The memory of my meeting with Charles Dickson just has to hit
“What?” Maggie asks.
m to her. “I still don’t know if it’s my imagination Maggie, but Charles Dickson did something very weird”
I surm
She raises her brow.
“Weird?”
“Yeah,” I scoff. “Maybe I am just being way ahead of myself but he-
1 nase again. I passe
“Speak child, what did he do” Maggie is not relaxing. “Did He slam you into a wall and kiss you”
Flugh.
“I would have worked on my self defense and attacks moves on him.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Maggie gasps.
“Anyways, hold out your hand” I say and she does so.
I shake her hand and caresses sofily, just like Charles Dickson has done to me
Marie looks at me weirdly.
I sigh, “when we shook hands. Charles did that to me and he kept forting me to use his first name, and when he wanted to leave he said ‘we looked good together out of nowhere”
“Whoa” Maggie squints.
“That sounds weird right?” task.
“Very weird. The fact that he allowed the collaboration splits to be equal was already too generous and suspicious and now he did your fingers like that and said something like that” Maggic is as shocked as I was then.
“See,” I scoff.
“I think he might like you or be interested in you. It’s not for the company. I know a willing collaborator when I see one” Maggie nods
“Takes me! Interested in me! Does he even know me! That was our first meeting” I whisper–yell “And he knows I’m married too, he caught me Bourbing my ning”
Chapter 22
“I don’t know, he sounds a bit weird. But don’t pay much attention to him and just focus on the project with his company. All you have to worry about now is how to satisfy your husband now that you’re moving to his home
“Goodness, Muggle.” I throw one of the twins stuffed toys at her and she laughs
“He is your husband,” She says as a matter of fact.
“And he will not be after six months, if anything I should be getting a man who will truly met with loneliness” I say in a playful manner and it causes her to laugh.
truly love me re
ready. So after stepping out of his life, I am not
The moment we finish setting up the boxes, the truck driver comes and our luggage is instantly moved. I don’t take all my stuff, just in case I might want to come back and crash with Maggie sometimes.
1 keep a few essentials with me, but leave some of my belongings behind, knowing that Maggie’s place will always be a welcoming space for me
As the truck drives away, I feel a sense of closure, but also the comfort of knowing that I can always return to this familiar place and the friend who has been like a sister to me.
The doorbell rings, and when I open it, I’m taken aback by the sight of Circen standing outside the door, looking effortlessly handsome in a
baseball hot
His usual formal attire has been replaced by a casual, laid–back look that suits him surprisingly well.
I can’t help but think that someone should tell him how good he looks in everyday clothes – the hat adds a charming, relaxed vibe to his usual intensity.
For a moment, we just stare at each other, and I’m struck by the warmth in his eyes.
“Hey,” he says, breaking the silence, and I step aside to let him in, feeling a flatter in my chest.
He comes into the almost empty apartment and sighs
“Daddy!” The twins rush to crash against him.
I never get
tired of that view.
“Are we ready to move?” He asks as he picks Blake up and makes him sat on the left side of his broad shoulders.
“Yeah” I nod, adjusting the cardigan on my body.
Circens is driving us himself to the Mccain’s mansion. And to be honest I’m a bit nervous
I don’t know why but I am
But I also don’t try to show it.
After our goodbyes with Maggie, it’s not like we won’t see her again.
We hit the road in an SUV Circenn had brought for the moving
The entire ride is a silent one, the only sound being the occasional bursts of laughter and playful shouts from the boys in the backseat, completely absorbed in their stop motion battles. Inside the car, however, it’s a different story.
The silence is so breezy, and a bit unsettling, if I’m being honest.
It’s as if Circenn and I are lost in their own thoughts, and no one knows how to break the ice.
That is, until Blake su
“Mommy,” He calls.
suddenly speaks up, his voice cutting through the stillness like a breath of fresh air.
“Yeah baby” I turn around.
“Can we stop for ice cream,” He says.
I sigh. “Not now hon
“But I want ice cream” He whines, “Daddy always gets us ice cream”
I pause and turn to Circen
“Really?” I throw my brows up
11:32 AM c
Chapter 22
I start to whisper- “That should be like a special treat to them. I do not let them have ice cream unless they’ve done something really deserving in
cam a reward”
“I’m new at this. They whine and I oblige, I can’t help it” He throws back.
Good thing we’ll be co–parenting soon.
“No ice
cream today” I make it clear.
“But I want ice cream” Blake starts to whine, and fake cry.
Circenn almost stops the car.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“He wants ice cream.” He says.
“I get that you want to spoil your kid. But no I shake my head.
He listens to me and keeps going. “Can parenting be this hard?” He shakes his head.
The McCain’s home is a magnificent definition of wealth, security, and stability.
The twins seem thrilled to finally arrive, their excitement is contagious as we approach the entrance.
But what appears to be the main gate isn’t actually the main gate – it’s more like a lead–in to the real entrance.
As it of
opens up, Circenn continues driving into an expansive open area, and I can feel a sense of anticipation building
Then, another gate comes into view, and as it opens up, we make our way into the compound of the mansion. My breath is immediately taken away as the grandeur of the estate unfolds before me. The sheer scale and richness of the mansion is awe–inspiring, with immaculately manicured lawns and beautifully landscaped gardens stretching out as far as the eye can see.
As we make our way towards the entrance, I can’t help but feel a sense of wonder and a hint of wonder at what lies ahead.
The twins are also love–struck with the place.
The car surrounds a fountain before moving to pass behind the beautiful mansion and another narrow gate.
The car stops moving and we all come down.
“Welcome home everyone,” Circenn beams, looking at his boys and the words draw a strain in my stomach.
Home?
How can just one word shred away every ounce of loneliness in my veins?
Before the gate in front of us opens, Circenn’s face is scanned.
“After meeting everyone” He begins. “you’ll undergo a facial recognition scan, which will generate a unique biometric signature to serve as your secure authentication token. This security protocol ensures seamless and password–free access to the entire house, it’s like saying you are welcome to being one of the Mccain’s”
“Got it” I nod.
We make it inside the mansion after going through so many security accessories and finally our legs step into the living area
I
1 gulp when I see the people waiting for us.
Shit.
