★ THE ARTICLE ★
<< JEROME’S RESIDENCE >>
As soon as Pearl walk in, she notice the smile on Jerome’s face and couldn’t help but to ask the reason for his smile.
“For one, am glad that you’ve finally met your father and for another, am happy that you introduced as your husband” Jerome said, moving towards her.
“Did I? I don’t really remember ” Pearl denied, turning away from him, but he caught her by the arm and pulled her to him.
“At least to your father, am glad he knows am your husband though I would like it if everyone else know about it too but then, am willing to wait until you are ready to tell everyone about us ” he added as he palm her cheek in his hand, bestowing a light kiss on her forehead.
A smile left Pearl lips as she snuggle close to him.
*****
<< NEXT DAY ~ MORNING >>
“Sebastian, come see this” Alexander called from his room and slowly, Sebastian went to join him.
“It’s about Pearl and Jerome’s marriage. It’s all over the net” Alexander said reading the headlines.
★ MULTI BILLIONAIRE JEROME KING IS THE GOSSIP OF TODAY NEWS AND THAT IS DUE TO HIS MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE TO PEARL JAMES, A GIRL FROM NOWHERE, WITH NO BACKGROUND AND MOST OF ALL, SHE’S AN ADOPTED CHILD. WHICH LEADS US TO THIS QUESTION, WHY WOULD JEROME KING BE WITH A GIRL FROM SUCH BACKGROUND ★
“Who the hell did this?” Alexander let out in anger.
“I did” Sebastian answered and that got Alexander starring at him in surprise.
“Is this the plan you had in mind?”
“The one and only” Sebastian replied.
“But why…”
“If you want Pearl to leave Jerome and go back with us to Mexico then this is the best option. Hearing from other people how unsuitable she is for Jerome will make her get a divorce from him”
“If we were to tell her about it, she will ignore us but if others were to tell her about it, she will definitely see reason” Alexander conclude.
” It doesn’t seem like a bad idea since it will get me my daughter but the background thing is what is putting me off, did you really had to add it?” Alexander asked and Sebastian sat on his bed, watching him intently.
“Just trust me Godfather, Pearl will be coming with us to Mexico, leaving behind everyone and everything here” Sebastian assured with certainty.
*****
<< KING COSMETICS COMPANY>>
Pearl stiffled a yawn as she walk into the company.
A smile tilt her lips when she recalled everything that happy last night.
Not only did she find her father but things were going well between her and Jerome.
A sudden hit on the shoulder jolt her out of her reverie. She looked at the lady who had purposely bump into her and instead of apologising, the lady hissed at her and walk off.
“What was that for?” Pearl muttered as she continued her walk to the elevator but she couldn’t help but to notice that people were starring at her.
Some were whispering and she had no doubt that it had to do with her.
The elevator was about to slid shut when she press on the button.
“Oh! I will take the next one” Pearl said on seeing how filled up it was.
“No! You can go with them, I will wait for the next one” A man said as he got out of the lift.
“But….”
“It’s no bother. Anything for you, Madam” The man said, ushering her into the lift.
A dumbfounded Pearl stood in the lift wondering why that man acted that way.
When she got to her department floor, she was given the same look by most of her colleague.
🗣️ “It’s really her”
🗣️ “I wonder how she manage to do it”
🗣️ “What else? She seduced him”
On hearing that last remark, Pearl heart began to thump fast.
When she got to her desk she met Cassie and Charlie there.
“I say we ask her” Cassie said unaware of Pearl arrival.
“I don’t think we should ” Charlie answered.
“Why shouldn’t we? It’s not like…there you are” Cassie said as she finally notice her and the look on her face told Pearl that she was angry.
“There’s something we would like to know. Are you really married to the boss?” Cassie asked ignoring Charlie.
“What? H…how did you know about that?” A stunned Pearl ask.
“It’s all over the net, don’t tell me you didn’t know” Charlie was the one who answered her question.
“I didn’t know” Pearl said wanting to browse the Internet but Cassie got her attention.
“So, you are married to the boss and you didn’t bother to tell us about it? Great, just great” Cassie let out in anger before storming off.
“Cassie is just angry about finding out the news on the net. She’s….” Charlie pause, looking for words.
“Go and stay with her, she’s angry” Pearl said and immediately, Charlie went after Cassie.
Pearl let out a sigh and went to her desk to set her bag on it but on seeing the other employees watching her, she quickly left the room.
*****
“When I get back to France, I will get my secretary to give you a call. It’s nice doing business with you” The French investor said as he shook hands with Jerome before leaving.
Jerome left the board room and went back to his office and as soon as he settled on his chair, Larry came in.
“Am sure you told Pearl not to come to work today” Larry said quickly.
“Why?”
“Don’t tell you haven’t seen the news” Larry asked in return.
“Ever since I woke up today, have been so busy that I didn’t even have time for my phone but what’s on the news?”
“Have a look at it yourself” Larry said and gave his phone to Jerome.
“Where’s Pearl?” Jerome said and immediately, stood up.
“Probably at her department but things doesn’t look good. Everyone knows about it” Larry inform.
“I need you and Opal to do your best and get every article about us off the net. Am going to see Pearl” Jerome said and left the room.
*****
Pearl ignored the looks being sent her way as she went to the lobby to join her Cassie and Charlie.
Charlie was consoling a crying Cassie when she got there.
“Why is she here?” Cassie asked immediately, she saw her.
“I told her to come” Charlie replied.
“Why? For her to rub it on our face that she’s married to the boss” Cassie snap.
“Cassie I….why exactly are you angry? If I wanted to keep my marriage a secret then I see no reason why you should be angry” Pearl snap in return.
“You see no reason ?” Cassie asked as she stood up to stare at her.
“We’ve been friends for three years now and stupidly I thought we are close enough to share secrets and that’s why I have no problem sharing my secret with you but you….you’ve always held back, sometimes I even felt you distancing yourself from us!”
“And that’s because we mean nothing to you. Do you know how I felt when our colleagues showed me the news? I felt like a fool and a thought occured to me then. What’s the essence of being friends when you can’t confide in one another”
“Don’t get it wrong,am not angry at you for being the lucky girl the boss chose but I am angry because you chose to keep it a secret. It only mean that you think less of us, you’ve never thought of us as your friend, right?” Cassie asked making Pearl feel guilty.
“You know it’s not true. You and Charlie are my…”
“Friends? friends wouldn’t keep secret from each other” Cassie said cutting her off before leaving while Charlie went after her.
The truth is that she has always distanced herself from Cassie and everyone else and today, she just realise how much Cassie care about her.
Choked with tears, Pearl went to the nearest restroom.
She stood by the sink trying to control her tears when she heard some girls talking.
🗣️ “I can’t believe he chose her to be his wife”
🗣️ ” Apart from the being from nowhere part and the no background part, I never thought Pearl to be adopted”
🗣️ *Laughs*
🗣️ “I don’t understand how he could have married her even with all that flaws. She’s a nobody, a nobody who doesn’t deserve a man like the boss”
🗣️ “Perhaps, she seduce him. She acts like she’s not interested and goes for him when he least expect. He must have fallen for trickery”
Pearl felt hurt while listening to them,this is the one thing she’s been trying to avoid when she got married to Jerome.
She walked out of the rest room only to see Jerome standing there and the angry look on his face tells her that he heard everything they said.
He was about to go in when she stopped him.
“Don’t make it worse, please” she begged, her eyes filled with tears.
At that moment, the three girls talking came out of the rest room. They were horrified on seeing Jerome and Pearl there.
Jerome took hold of Pearl hand and gave her a kiss on the lips before glaring at the girls.
“What’s your department?” Jerome asked,flashing them a sweet smile.
🗣️ “A…accounting, sir “
“And your name?” Jerome asked and the three girls gave him their name.
Pulling out his phone, he dialled Opal’s number.
“Get the human resources team to prepare this month salary for Peggie, Estrella and Martina since this will be the last day they work in this industry” Jerome said before ending the call.
He pulled Pearl off while the three girls went after him,begging him to reconsider.
By then, they were back at the lobby where everyone was watching with keen interest.
“Please sir, don’t fire us. We didn’t mean what we said” The one called Estrella said.
“Oh! So you are allowed to talk $h|t about my wife and expect me to believe that you didn’t mean what you said. Do I really look like a fool to you?” He yelled and they shook their heads.
“Sorry girls, but you messed with the wrong person. Is any one there?” Jerome called as four security men came running.
“Get them out of my sight” Jerome ordered and watch the guards take the crying girls away.
“Let this be a warning to everyone of you. Pearl is my wife and you are going to treat her with respect. If anyone of you talk $h|t or disrespect her, I will not only fire you but I will see to it that I ruin you for good” with that said, he went to the elevator with Pearl in toll.
Max who heard the whole thing couldn’t help but to feel so angry.
*****
Sebastian stood by his car reading the text sent to him.
★ SORRY SIR BUT ALL ARTICLE ABOUT MR KING AND HIS WIFE HAVE BEEN PULLED DOWN, I WANTED TO KEEP OURS BUT THEY thr_@tENED TO SUE OUR COMPANY ★
★ IT’S FINE, YOU’VE DONE MORE THAN ENOUGH ★ Sebastian texted in return.
He was about getting into his car when someone gave him a punch that sent him sprawling on the floor.
“You bastard!” Max curse, glaring down at him.
Sebastian wipe the blood off his lips and got on his feet.
“You really do have a strong punch” Sebastian compliment, a cynical smile on his face.
“What do you expect you idiot! Not only did you make things worse, you’ve ruined it all”
“Mind explaining” Sebastian said.
“Apart from me and Pearl’s adopted family no one else knew that she’s married to Jerome”
“Do, you think I did it? I just found out today like everyone else” Sebastian denied.
“Liar! At least when no one knew, I had a chance at getting Pearl but with your idiotic act, you’ve made Jerome the winner. It’s going to be hard trying to win her heart and it’s all thanks to your stupid decision”
“We lost the girl even before we could fight for her” Max added and storm off.
“Idiot. I didn’t lose” Sebastian muttered feeling the sting of his injured lips.
“You need to pay for laying your hand on me” Sebastian added and he pulled out his phone to dial a certain number.
“I need you to do a job for me. I don’t need you beating someone up, I want you to completely wipe him off the earth”
❣️ TBC❣️