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While the meeting was at its peak, the marketing and advertising department manager, made an unintentional reference to the ugly incident at the Amzone city mall.

“Were you at the mall on the day of the attack?” Luke’s eyes burned with curiosity as there had been rumors of a red hair beauty being the target of the brutally murdered assassins.

“Y...yes, sir!” The manager nodded in apprehension. His eyes twitched and his heart was pounding erratically as he thought of the next question his stoned face boss would ask. He was scared that he had shot himself in the leg by making that reference.

“Did you see the face of the red hair girl that everyone seems to be talking about?” Luke questioned in a chilly tone.

“Y...yes, sir!” The manager nodded and wiped an invisible speck off his forehead.

“Do not get me infuriated by your idiotic two-word reply. Are you that daft that you need me to request a detailed explanation? Why do you keep nodding like an agama lizard?” Luke’s frosty eyes shot invincible darts at the manager.

“I am sorry, sir!” The manager cleared his throat while avoiding Luke’s piercing glares.

“As I said earlier, I was at the cinema section of the mall when one of our former staff ran in, acting as though she was been chased. So, I...”

.....

“What do you mean by a former staff?” Luke barked. Can’t you be more explicit? Who in particular?”

“By our former staff member, I mean Mrs. Ariella Treshvire, formally known as Ariella Porter.

Luke stared keenly at the manager before asking if he was one hundred percent sure of the information he just gave.

“I am one hundred percent certain, sir!” The manager said in a reassuring tone. ” Mrs. Ariella is someone who always stands out in the crowd due to her uniqueness.”

“Yes, she does,” Luke muttered to himself. He quickly rounded up the meeting and dismissed everyone. Then he returned to his executive office to brood on the information he had just received.

“Why was there no video footage of the hideous incident at the mall?”

“Although everyone kept saying that a red-hair lady was being chased by some assassin, how come nobody could identify her?”

“Is this lunatic manager saying the truth?”

“If he is, then how did Ariella get mixed up in what looked like a mafia attack?”

“Was she abducted or killed in the process?”

“Who would want to harm a beautiful lady like Ariella?”

Luke’s head throbbed with a thousand questions.

After heavily contemplating whether or not to call Ariella, he picked up his phone and dialed her number.

When Ariella didn’t take his first call, his heartbeat quickened as different scary thoughts flooded his mind. He bit down his lower lips in anxiety and tried her number one more time.

After the third ring, Ariella answered the call in a slightly irritated tone.

“Good morning, Mr. Luke, I haven’t forgotten about the meeting I promised you this evening. If that is the reason why you are calling, then be rest assured that I and my husband will see you today.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Ariella, I wasn’t calling about that. I know that you are a lady of your word,” Luke spoke in his most soothing and charming voice. His excitement knew no bounds when he heard Ella’s magical voice. He felt like teleporting to where she was so that he could kiss her sweet lips.

“Then why are you calling, because I’m very busy?” Ella’s harsh tone softened a little.

“Well, I wanted to apologize for my rude stares, the other day at the restaurant. It was never my intention. I only came up close to say, hi, and also to verify if you were the same Mrs. Treshvire I saw on television.”

“What are you talking about?”

Luke smiled when he assumed that she didn’t remember their strange meeting. He knew she would recognize him if they met again, and that might pass the wrong message, especially to her jealous husband. Hence, he proactively tried to correct her first impression of him by explicitly narrating their chance meeting.

“Oh! I see!” Ella’s cheerful and funny-sounding voice showed that she was amused. “Sorry about the way my bodyguards acted. Anyways, I will call you later this evening to give you the venue of the dinner meeting.”

“That will be lovely!” Luke gleefully beaming eyes could light up the night sky. “Thanks for taking my call and sorry I interrupted your work. I’ll be expecting your call this evening.”

“No harm done, have a great day.”

When the call ended, Luke covered his mobile phone screen with a lot of kisses. His heart was racing with a thousand emotions and he felt as though it would rupture with so many compressed passions.

“I love you, Ariella,” Luke whispered and placed his phone on his chest, close to his beating heart.

—————-

It was just a few minutes past seven in the morning, when Rex and Marissa left Carlpole on a chartered flight, to Islafub island.

All through the journey, Rex focused all his depleting energy to pamper Marissa. He treated her as though they were lovers going on a date for the first time. He spoke gently to her, gave in to all her whims, and showered her with unending gifts.

Rex’s last blackout caught him unaware and made him worried. He could tell that his doctor was trying his best to reassure him that things would be fine for the next two weeks; as long as he didn’t stress himself.

However, emotional stress and most often, physical stress, were something Rex had been struggling to manage for the past years. Stress was a natural attribute of the Treshvire bloodline, especially when you have a lot of enemies plotting to dethrone you from your kingdom.

Hence, Rex knew the blackout syndrome was just beginning. There was no mistaking the fact that the blackout would return every now and then. So, Rex decided that he would open up to Marissa immediately after they arrived at Islafub island.

Although Marissa was excited about the new Rex and his devotion toward her, she still felt apprehensive as though something bad was about to happen.

Severally, Marissa tried questioning Rex about his sudden decision to change his business management style. It was unlike him to work for long hours, all day, in his home office.

Rex was a workaholic; whose work entailed a lot of traveling and lengthy outdoor business meetings. Sometimes, Marissa would go on for days without seeing him. Whenever he was around, he would be busy working on his laptop in the lounge or concluding a few deals with his business partners in his home office.

However, Marissa started to observe slight changes in Rex’s work routine and behavior from the day he insisted that Leon must get married. Also, the fact that he now regularly worked from home troubled her greatly.

Marissa tried in vain, to persuade him to open up to her. She had a strong feeling that something was out of place.

Even when she confronted him angrily for the recent injury on his head, he waved off her complaint and cajoled her into believing that everything was fine.

Hence, Marissa decided to observe him from afar and note down all the changes she caught sight of. One of the particular changes that got her worried and riled up was his sudden withdrawal from things happening around him and his quietness. At times, he would confine himself to his office for the whole day, without coming out to the dining room for his regular meal.

So when he talked about a vacation with her, out of the blue, she was over the moon with excitement.

It was noon when Rex and Marissa safely arrived at islafub island. To Marissa’s greatest surprise, Nana Esther arrived early at the airport to receive them. This was something Nana Esther rarely did due to her old age and tight business schedule.

“Miatisa!” Marissa ran excitedly in Nana Esther’s open arm. “It’s so good to see you after a long while.” She kissed Nana Esther on both cheeks and released her.

“It lovely to have you both around,” Nana Esther stroked Marisa’s cheeks tenderly and hug her again.

“Hello mum, you look amazing as ever.” Rex’s face broke into an emotional smile. He walked up to her and hugged both her and Marissa together.

Both mother and son communicated with their eyes and shed silent tears.

“Come, I’ve prepared a great feast to welcome you both,” Nana Esther reluctantly pulled out from the squishing hug and led the couple out of the airport; where they boarded a modest but fancy car that took them to her bungalow.

When Rex and Marissa arrived at Nana’s Esther house, a crowd of old, and young people including children welcomed them with loud cheering, beautiful songs, and dance.

“Miatisa, you didn’t have to bother yourself with all of this,” Rex complained amidst heartwarming smiles.

“You deserve nothing less, my wonderful son.” Nana Esther’s eyes shimmered with tears. “Enjoy the party and then go into the house and open up to your wife.”

“Huh! Open up to me!” Marissa stared from mother to son in a perplexed state.