Chapter 10

 ISSUE 

 BROOKS GLOBAL LTD

"Pardon? Where exactly did he go to?" Marie asked.

"That can't be disclosed miss, all I can tell you is that Mr Brooks left for a business trip and he didn't say when he will be back" his secretary replied as she eyed Marie suspiciously.

Marie had used the whole morning preparing her resignation letter and when she finally finished and is prepared to give it to him, he went on a trip probably to visit his mistress.

"And if I may ask? Why do you want to see him?" The secretary asked.

"Its nothing" Marie replied as she turned to leave only to hear his secretary laugh behind him.

" You must think you are special because you are the girl currently in his life" Romeo secretary said.

"What do you mean by that statement ?" Marie asked.

"Trying to play dumb right? It doesn't suit you. Romeo uses girls like you and dump you when they've got no other use for you, so don't think you will be staying permanently in his life cause you will soon be history" the secretary said.

Marie wanted to lash out at her but instead she kept her calm and move towards the girl desk.

"You must have also been dumped like that right?" Marie asked which got the girl looking away nervously.

" Thats none of your concern" Romeo secretary replied quickly.

"Really? Then why were you concerning yourself with me?" Marie asked.

"Cause you were acting insolent and I just wanted to advise you a little. Romeo isn't a guy who believes in love and he isnt one to keep a woman for long" the secretary said.

"I know " Marie replied.

"And you still insist on staying with him? Are you crazy? He's just going to hurt you" she said.

"I know what I got into when I got involved with Romeo and so you can keep your advise to yourself. Just focus on your work and stop trying to meddle in your boss life,it's sickening" Marie said as she walked off leaving the secretary looking dumbfounded.

She must be one of Romeo lovers cause she knew him well, Marie thought as she head back to the Kitchen.

Well it's none of her business in whom Romeo chose to sleep with, all she wants right now is to get a divorce.

Learning about her sickness made her rethink a lot of things and Romeo was one of it.

She hadn't refused their marriage in the past because of his mother and grandmother. She hadn't wanted to ruin the happy moment for anyone and instead chose to go along with the whole thing.

But she thought about everything last night and she realised that she isn't happy with the life she's chosen and if she wants to be happy, she has to get away from everything and everyone which led her to asking for a divorce.

She would get a divorce from him and ask him to search for Develene so that once she's found, she would be able to leave and begin her life somewhere else.

She was still clutching the resignation letter in her hand as she walked into the kitchen.

"Can we talk Marie?" Charles asked as he was the only one in the kitchen. He noticed the resignation letter in her hand before she could hide it.

"You are quitting right?" Charles asked and she nodded gently.

"And does it have to do with this?" Charles asked again as he showed her her test result of yesterday.

"How come you have this?" She asked as she snatch the paper from him.

"It fell off right after you left last night" Charles told her.

"And so you went through it right?" She asked feeling a bit hurt that someone knows about her condition..

"I did. I didn't understand what you meant when you said those departing words last night but now I do, you intend to quit right?" He asked.

"Yes. You must be happy right? It's what you've always wanted" she accused him.

"I was angry, angry to have a female working in our midst but I never would have wanted you to quit and I wouldn't have wish such an illness on you" Charles said and she stared at him wanting to see if he was saying the truth or not.

She didn't get the chance to do that because he moved towards her taking hold of her hands.

" You love cooking, you shouldn't let a thing like this stop you from doing what you want" he told her.

"How do you know that I love cooking? You've always been ignoring me" she said.

"It's true that have been ignoring you but have also been watching you secretly too. You should see the way your face lit up each time you are preparing a food, I can fathom that feeling cause it's the way I feel too" he said to her.

"So you shouldn't resign yet, you shouldn't give in to your condition" he told her and by now Marie was already crying again.

"My eyes are all puffy from crying" she said as she tried to wipe the tears away but instead Charles did it himself.

His hands was still on her wet cheeks when he pulled out an envelope.

"What's this?" She asked.

"List of some of the vegetables we need" he told her.

"Why are you giving it to me?" She asked in return.

"I want you to take it to our production company" he told her softly.

"But the production company is a little far from here" she told him and he nodded.

"You need the trip to think and get to rest for today. All you have to do is to get there and make an order for the vegetables which would be brought here through a carrier" Charles told her.

"You can do that by calling some..."

"I can do that by calling for someone but I want you to take the day off today. You need it and what better way than for you to go a day trip " he said taking the resignation from her hand.

"No buts, just go and who knows you might change your mind when you return" he told her softly.

"It's just a one day trip, it certainly wouldn't change my mind" she said as she decided then and there to leave.

"What's going on here?" Caleb asked as he stood by the door way starring at Marie and Charles.

"Seems like they've made their peace" James replied.

"Or they are doing something that we all don't know behind our backs" Jacob added starring at them suspiciously.

"It's not what you are thinking Jacob" Marie corrected as she smiled at them.

"It's true. Marie and I have just decided to become friends" Charles added as he put his arms around her while Marie stared at him in surprise.

It was something the others did and she was used to it but it was quite strange from Charles, she thought as she stared at him while he also stared at her with a smile on his face.

*************

Marie set off to their production company which was just in the next town but due to the heavy traffic she got there a bit late.

When she got to the production company, she was told that they were closed for the day and that she should come back tomorrow and not wanting to have to drive back only to come back again the next day got her looking for a hotel to stay in.

Due to the town being a small one there were only three hotel there, the first and second one she went to because she found rather cheap was all booked leaving her to the last hotel whose exterior itself told her that it would be expensive.

She was making enquiry about the cheapest room when she got a call from Charles and while she was explaining to him she didn't notice the woman approaching her a distance away until her hair was pulled.

"You slut! You thief! How dare you come here with my boyfriend to cheat on me" the lady yelled as she pulled Marie hair.

By now her phone had fallen on the floor and she was clutching at the woman hand until she managed to free herself.

"What boyfriend are you talking about? This is my first time here and I don't know you!" Marie said as people were now starring at them.

"I knew you were going to deny it and that's why am willing to beat the truth out of you" the lady said pulling up the arm of her clothe.

"You've got it wrong miss, am not your boyfriend....." Marie stopped when the lady moved to her wanting to slap her but the slap never got to her.

"And who the hell are you?" The lady asked suddenly and that got Marie opening her eyes only to see Romeo standing in front of her.

"Who are you and why are you interfering?" The lady asked again as three of the employees ran towards them.

"Are you okay sir?" The male in uniform asked Romeo who had received the slap meant for Marie.

"Am fine" Romeo replied as he put his concentration on the lady again.

"She's asking for my identity and it's only right that I tell her" Romeo replied as he took out his card to give her.

On seeing the name written on it, the lady stared at him in shock before regaining her composure.

"Am sorry for hitting you but it was meant for that slut. She's been having an affair with my boyfriend" the lady said.

"The slut as you put it is my wife" Romeo said startling Marie who stood behind him.

She watched as everyone stared at him while wondering when he got married. Did he forget that their marriage is a secret to everyone? She thought starring at him too.

She was surprised when he took hold of her hand and pulled her to his side.

"She came here to see me because I called for her so when exactly did you see her with this boyfriend of yours?" He asked the lady who was now feeling embarrassed due to her mistake.

"Am sorry" the lady muttered.

"You shouldn't be apologising to me but to her" Romeo said and the lady quickly apologised to Marie before scurrying off.

Marie felt a bit strange at having him defend her and to top it all, she noticed that he was wearing their wedding ring.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his gaze on her.

"Am okay" she replied still feeling conscious about having her hand in his.

"Sir your suite is ready" one of the employees said as he walk up to them.

"We are sorry for not recognising you earlier. You should have only tell us that you are Mr Brooks wife and we would have provided you with a good room. We are really sorry ma'am" The employee apologised.

"It's okay. My wife and I will use the suite instead" Romeo said and immediately Marie gaze went to him.

"We will get everything ready for you both" the employee said as he walked off.

"Why am I using a suite with you?" She asked.

"They will find it weird if we use a different room, come along you look like you need a lot of rest" Romeo told her as he pulled her towards the elevator.

"Why are you here?" He asked as the elevator took them up.

She told the reason for her being there and fought down the urge to ask him why he was putting on the wedding ring again.

Your secretary told me earlier that you went on a trip, why are you here?" She asked.

"I went on a business trip and came here since there was a delay in a package production, I wanted to know what was the cause" he explained as he walk into the room with her following.

"This is nice" she commented as she walk into the room.

"I had it built along with the production company" he told her while she nodded still looking around.

" No wonder the employees were all over you" she commented as she now look his way.

"Why did you tell them that we are married? You could have just find something else to say instead of telling them about our marriage" she said.

"It is the simplest method I could think of" he replied starring at her in a strange way she couldn't fathom.

"Have you been working on our divorce?" She asked looking away not knowing why his stare unnerve her.

"I have but it won't be easy" he replied.

"Just do your best. Getting a divorce is important" she said starring out through the big window.

"Why this sudden decision on wanting a divorce? Is there someone you love?" He asked and immediately she turned to him.

"There is no one! " She replied quickly and it was a surprise for her to see him smile.

"Am glad" he muttered but she heard and wondered why he said that.

"We have a issue and it's much more bigger than the divorce right now " he said suddenly and she stared at him.

"And what's that?" She asked.

"The suite only has one bed room. What do we do? I can't find another hotel cause it's all booked am sure you know that cause you must have checked them out" he said and she nodded.

"And this hotel is also booked too which brings us to my suite. Am too big to sleep on a couch and am sure you won't like to sleep on a couch too....."

"And what solution will you give to something like this?" She asked knowing what will come next.

"We will just have to share the bed and I can promise you that I will keep my hands to myself" he said smiling at her but from the look she saw on his face, she knew that he wouldn't stick to his promise.