Thirty-Four

Crystal came out of the car, hugging herself. It was chilly and she had just her v-necked gown to shield her from the cold. She sighed as she walked into the mansion, her head seeming to spin.

Seeing him again made her happy.....damn it did.

But it hurt when she saw someone else on his lap.

He...he had forgotten her.

He broke his promise to her that he would come for her....he never did.

A tear slipped from her eyes as she entered her mansion, but she cleaned it immediately.

No....she was not going to cry....she won't cry.

She had cried enough....she did not want to cry anymore.

She entered her vast living room, staring at the house as if it was her first time here. All this she had laboured for....she had worked hard for this hadn't she?

But she was empty....she felt so empty that riches meant nothing to her.

"Madam welcome back" A girl greeted as Crystal forced herself to smile at her.

"Adaobi, how are you doing this night?"

"I am fine. Should i go make your bath?"

"You do not have to stress yourself, i can do it, just go rest"

"What is my duty as a maid then? You saved me from the hands of people who took me as slaves. This is what i can do for you to show my immense gratitude. So do not treat me like a friend, treat me as a maid"

"Lisa...." Crystal raised her hand to wipe the tears that were already on Lisa's

cheeks. She remembered how she had seen Lisa right at the airport when she was coming back from a conference.

She remembered how torn her clothes were, how disheveled her hair was; It was hard to recognize her.

This reminded Crystal of her days in that hell. She knew what Lisa was going through and she had picked her and carried her to her mansion.

Despite the fact that the people who treated her as a slave came to her mansion to take Lisa from her and further took it to court, Crystal still did not give in.

Lisa was like a sister she had never had and there is no way she would let her go back into hell.....she won't come out....

She might not survive if she let her stay there.

Crystal had chosen to pay a huge fine for Adaobi and she never regretted it. She was glad she had found Lisa and she will not let her suffer anymore.

Since then, Lisa had tried to make up for what Crystal had done for her. She had begged Crystal to take her as a maid just to show how grateful she was for rescuing her....

Out of that hell.

"You are my sister....i can't treat you as a maid"

"For my sake"

"Will that make you happy?"

"More than anything"

"Fine! Go and ready my bath for me and take out my clothes for the night"

"Okay ma'am, i will also get your food ready" Lisa bowed her head and turned to walk away"

"And Lisa...."

"Yes Madam"

"Do not call me madam or ma'am. Call me sister and when you talk to me, do not drop your head"

"But...."

"That is an order"

"Okay Madam....i mean Sister"

"Better, you can go"

Crystal watched her leave as she held her head. She still has a headache. She walked upstairs and entered her room.

"Your water is ready Ma...Sister. I will go get your food now"

"Can you get me some paracetamol please? I have a headache"

"Okay Sister"

Lisa said and made her way out of the room.

Crystal sighed as she entered the bathroom, getting rid of her clothes. Entering the tub, she gave a sigh of relief.

Closing her eyes, she let her body soak in the soothing water as she tried her best to get rid of that scene from her head.

She wanted to get those eyes filled with hate out of her head.

Why was his eyes filled with so much hate?

She had gone outside after she had seen him and those hateful blue eyes she still loved. She made sure she was far away from the venue before she broke down in tears.

Why? Why would the only person who had mattered to her be like this all of a sudden?

He didn't even acknowledge her presence as he continued to touch Martha intimately. When she could not take it anymore she had left back to her mansion.

Despite the fact that she had promised herself she will not cry, a tear still fell from her eye. She wanted not to care....her life of emptiness and void is far more preferrable than meeting him this night at that party.

She cleaned her body and tied a towel around herself, making her way back into the room. She wore the clothes that Lisa had put out for her and sat down on the bed.

She got up again and walked to her cupboard, opening it as she looked for it.

She heaved a sigh when she found it and wore it around her.

His Jacket.

She checked again and soon found his secondary school jacket and wore it on top. She hugged herself as she walked back to the bed and sat down.

It brought back memories.....hurtful memories.

But it made her whole....more complete than she ever was.

Her eyes went to her iPad when she heard it ringing. Picking it up, she saw that it was a video call from Laura. She sighed as she answered the call.

"Hey....you're back. That is nice. Well i was wondering if you will help me with choosing a cloth for my date. You wouldn't believe what happened today. I met a very handsome guy and he told me to see him at the park. But i still don't know what to....."

Laura stopped when she saw through the camera that Crystal looked gloomy.

"Are you okay Crystal?" But Crystal did not answer.

"Crystal...." She called again, making Crystal look back at the screen. She forced a smile and looked at Laura through the screen.

"So let me see the clothes then?"

"Are you okay Crystal?"

"Of course i am?"

"Aren't we not too close for you to lie to me?"

Crystal but her lips as she turned away.

"It..it really is not important"

"Please tell me. Breeding it will only hurt you the more. Please share it with me"

"He...he is back"

"Who is back?"

"Justin....i saw him today and it...it felt like he hated me"