Chapter 13

★★★★★

~TWO WEEKS LATER~

Time's flight seemed like a dreadful nightmare to the Williams and it was beginning to seem like every fortune they'd ever acquired was expiring with the passing seconds..

Now their story was one that could be defined as..

'Gone are the days we had lots of food options to deliberate on.. now we have to eat anything we see and can afford'

Those were actually Dorothy's words to the lady she was walking home with from the bus stop.

They actually decided to walk home since they couldn't catch up with the free bus and though they were just meeting today, it seemed as if they'd been friends for a long while.

"I'm so sorry about that but what happened to your parents?.." the lady asked and Dorothy scoffed.

"Those cats and dogs are the reason why we're in this mess. Dad got into a debt and mum isn't even ready to help.. they're both threatening to divorce" She replied sadly

"This is bad.." the lady beside her replied..

"I know right.."..

"What's your name by the way?.." Dorothy asked, remembering she hadn't asked for the lady's yet.

"Vivian Finn" The lady replied with a smile.

"Nice." Dorothy smiled too.

"I hope Iris will be fine, wherever she is, we really made her suffer" she muttered but Vivian heard.

"Iris?.." She said aloud immediately, stopping in her tracks.

"Yes?.. what?" Dorothy asked confusedly.

"As in, Iris Norbert?" Vivian's eyes widened.

"You know her?!" Dorothy asked.

"You're from the cruel family who mistreated her?!!!" Vivian asked back.

Their eyes remained widened..

*

•NOVASPIRE INC•

"I told you I'll come back for you, do you think I was joking, huh!"

His angry growl made the earth tremble and for the millionth time, Iris took a step backwards in fear..

Her face was terribly wet with beads of her sweat and her hands were quivering in fear as if she was being haunted by the whole world.

The environment was void of anyone else but them and worst of it all, there wasn't any hope that anyone would be coming around soon.

It was a deserted street..

The exact street he had taken her to the day he was trying to molest and dump her..

"Don't come closer!" She shouted, feeling so weak and exhausted.

"You think I won't, after ruining me and causing my family and I to run into debts?You still think I won't come closer!" Gilbert yelled aggressively.

His face was so red and perfectly described the amount of fury and burning rage in him..

He was moving towards her his belt and the clanking sound of the metal part seemed to make her head ache more badly.

"Stop right there, else you'll regret it!" He threatened as she took another stop backwards with more sweats pouring out freely from her forehead..

"Leave me alone!" she cried but unfortunately, she tripped over a stone and fell backwards, giving Gilbert full opportunity to come closer.

"You'll suck this till you pass out, understood!!" He ordered, taking out his organ.

"Give me that damn satisfaction I couldn't get before running into debts!" he said, getting above her despite being on the tarred road with no single form of conformability.

"Noo.." Iris cried as he began bringing it closer to her mouth.

"Take it!!" he said harshly, forcing her mouth open..

"Noooo.." she screamed..

However, she didn't just scream this time..

She screamed out of her sleep and sprang up immediately..

She had actually slept off some minutes ago while trying to work on a file..

"No.. no.." she muttered breathlessly, holding her neck while beads of sweat on her forehead mixed with the tears coming out through the corner of her eyes.

Harrison came out of his office immediately, rushing over to her desk.

This wasn't her first time screaming all of a sudden from her sleep but this time, she was looking more scared..

"Velvet.." he called worriedly, settling on her table and right in front of her.

"Take a deep breath.. calm down.." he said to her, raising her chin up and causing their gazes to snag.

"I had.. the dream again.." she said, still shaking due to the amount of fear she still had inside her.

"It's the second time this week.." he reminded and she nodded slowly, still trying to catch her breaths with more of her tears pouring out freely..

"It's okay. He can't harm you anymore because you aren't with him again, okay. The dream is just as a result of the dark memory he made you keep of him…" he said, gently patting her shoulders..

"Come here.." he said again, hugging her to himself despite being in such a position.

Her palms were as sweaty as hell and her lips were really still shaking.

"I think I'm fine. Thank you" She said after they broke the ten-second-hug.

"You're sure?" He asked and she nodded.

"My head aches and I think I'm having a stomach upset.." she admitted.

"Get up, let me drop you home, you need to rest" he said, getting up from her table and trying to pull her also.

"You don't have to.. I'll be fine" she hesitated.

"Dad called and insisted I meet him right now. I'll just drop you off on my way now because I definitely won't return back to office today" he responded, successfully pulling her up.

"Ouch.." she winced a bit as he pulled her out of her desk.

"Is it cramps?.. I heard menstrual cramps can be so painful" he said and she turned to him with narrowed brows.

"Menstrual cramps?.. is that a sickness?" she asked innocently and his eyes widened

"What!."

He scoffed silently.

"You don't menstruate?.." he asked slowly, wondering if she was even comfortable with him talking on such a topic.

"Is it an exercise or what?.." she asked again still with that innocent face.

Harrison's shock couldn't be explained at that moment.

What the –!

"Is there another term you ladies call it huh?.. it's this thing you do once in a month. I mean, you'll have blood… You know.. coming out of your V area and then, you'll have to pad up.." He tried explaining but to his surprise, not even for once did her expression change.

She was still looking so innocent?!...

"Velvet you've never been on your period?!" he raised his voice a bit without realizing and she nodded.

"I've never had such an experience…" she said, shocking the hell out of him.

"I mean.." she paused, shrugging.

"I might have done it before but since I lost all memories, I've never done anything like that before.." she said and Harrison couldn't help but stare in awe..

She was just too different!..

"You'll still do it, definitely" he said, trying to change the matter.

"I don't want to. Why will I have to bleed from my private part?" She spoke freely, without showing any form of sacrifice.

"Well.. every lady does it" he said with a shrug.

"Thats —"

"Let me take you home now, My dad is waiting" He interrupted and she nodded.

"Okay.." she replied and with a short smile, he led her to the door, walking behind.

.

They arrived at her apartment in a short while and he stopped his car right in front of it.

The house wasn't the one his private guard found as that didn't suit his taste. He actually bought her this and also employed a few maids to help her with the cleaning.

"Thank you.." She said as the car halted and he nodded..

Thankfully, she was now much better than she was after she had her scary dream.

"See you tomorrow boss" she said again, opening the door and proceeding to get out.

"Velvet.." he called, stopping her movements and she turned towards him immediately.

"Huh?.."

"We'll be leaving for the business trip in Spain tomorrow, you know right?.."

She nodded.

"Pack what's necessary and choose the best clothes. Lots of business partners will be at the summit" He said and she mouthed an'ohh'..

"Alright, I will." She reassured and he nodded.

"Goodnight boss" she added and attempted to leave again but without realizing, he grabbed her by her forefinger, stopping her..

"Uh?" she voiced again, swiftly taking a glance at the contact.

"It's nothing, sorry.." he said and she swallowed hard.

"Is your house so lonely?" she asked without warning.

"Why?.."

"You always seem so reluctant to go" she admitted and he breathed heavily

"My house isn't the problem" he sighed.

She stared at him with anticipation, as if expecting more words from him.

"I have lots of things on my neck, Velvet. I think I'm losing my mind infact. The truth is even now, I'm scared of going to meet dad. I only pretend like I'm fierce but honestly I'm not. The pressure is becoming too much.." he said all at once.

"What pressure?.."

"He wants me married to his friend's child!" he replied frustratingly.

"What?.." Iris exclaimed gently.

"But I don't want to and now, he threatens me with my right.. I just need a bride to shut him up.." he said, staring deeply into his eyes.

"If I have my woman, it will be easier to erase the betrothal.." he added and she pressed her lips together.

"I'm sorry about all this.." she said innocently.

"Just tell me you'll help me play my fiancee. Do it please" Harrison thought, staring at her innocent flawless face.

"I think you should find a bride as soon as possible so he won't keep forcing you.." she said and he gently narrowed his brows, before leaning in a bit..

"The kiss we both had that day to deceive my dad. Do you think it will forever remain unremarkable?" He asked and she took in her lower lip cutely…

"I kissed you to deceive dad. That day, my sister, Karen saw us in the kitchen and also thought we were a thing. My family identifies you.." he said intentionally..

It wasn't easy trying to tell her to try faking his woman till he gets out of this mess, so he was trying to tell her stylishly but..

She was just too innocent and dumb to understand!

"I …" she was speechless for a second.

"That's all in the past. You're my boss so your family would definitely identify me as your secretary.. right?" she shrugged.

"They identify you as my lover.." he finally released the bombshell, getting frustrated with her dumbness.

"What?!.." she gasped.

"My father wants an explanation about us because of what he witnessed that day.." he said and she blinked shyly, remembering how she had demanded for the kiss to continue that day.

"I'll triple your pay and give you everything you want. Just agree to pretend to be my fake fiancee. I just need to cancel my betrothal and make my father sign the will in my favor, that's all, then the deal will be over" he said..

"Pretend to be your fiancée?.." she found herself saying slowly in a questioning tone.

"Yes, but .. it will include romances. I mean, I'll have to kiss, touch, hug, you know… do things to make them convinced" he said.

Iris was dumbfounded..

"Your current salary times three.." he said and she turned to him..

"I'm not a good actress. I might not do it well" she said and he raised a brow…

"Do which part well?.." he asked and she took her lip in, giving it a gentle bite.

"The romances, I guess.." she said slowly

"Should we start practicing it now?.. we'll start from the kissing stage" he said naughtily.

"Uhhh???"

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