CAPTIVE OF LOVE - CHAPTER 3&4
CHAPTER 3💞4
★ HER ANSWER★
<< MINUTES EARLIER >>
Jerome was in a deep conversation with Matthew James when Devon came downstairs looking dashing in her figure hugging gown.
“Isn’t she lovely?” Matthew enthuse obviously proud of his daughter but Jerome was far from feeling that way.
What had attracted him to Devon was due to the way she carried herself. He had first met her when she got a modelling gig to launch one of his cosmetic product.
One thing led to another and he ended up going out with her and when the pressure started coming from home, Jerome had no choice but to propose to her but he should have known that girls like her aren’t the wife material.
“She is” Jerome voice out as Devon walk towards him wearing that alluring smile of hers.
“What have you been telling my fiance, dad?” Devon asked as she held his hand.
“That you are probably the most envied girl on earth right now” Mathew said making her laugh.
“Where’s mom?”
“Probably in the kitchen, I heard there’s a problem with the caterer?” Mathew answered and through all their conversation, Jerome kept looking around for Pearl.
“What’s it sweetie? Who are you looking for?” Devon asked having noticed him.
“Your sister. Isn’t she coming? ” Jerome asked hoping she will be present since she has an important role for tonight’s party.
“Probably in her room doing her dumb stuff. Focus on me will you, I put a lot into dressing up tonight” Devon said, kissing his lips.
At that moment Matthew took the podium, addressing the guest until he mentioned the engagement.
It’s time….Jerome thought as he stood with Devon beside him while the guest attention was on them.
“I know you all took a great deal by coming to tonight’s party but there’s been a change” Jerome began as he disentangle his hand from Devon.
“Am calling off my engagement to Devon” he announce, startling everyone in the room and it was then he noticed Pearl arrival.
“What do you mean?” Devon asked which got him smirking.
“You are not dumb Devon, you know what I mean” He replied.
“But why are you doing this to me? Why are you calling off our engagement?” Devon asked as tears glimmer her eyes.
“Because have found someone better, someone who suits my taste and also, am madly in love with her” Jerome said, his gaze drifting to where Pearl stood and slowly, he made his way towards her.
“Don’t tell me that the girl you are talking about is my sister?” Devon cried out.
“Correct, am ending my engagement with you to marry your sister” Jerome replied enjoying the moment.
“What are you doing!” Pearl said but instead of replying, his arms went around her waist and pulled her towards him. He wouldn’t deny that she looks more beautiful with make up.
“You heard me” he whispered.
Devon felt dizzy and would have fallen if her mother hadn’t held her.
“Err…I think there’s been a misunderstanding and we would like to talk about it as a family and so…I kindly ask you all to leave” Mathew said as the guest began to leave.
“What is the meaning of this Jerome!” Grace yelled still holding onto Devon.
“It is what it is Mrs James, I find your younger daughter to be more attractive” Jerome replied as Pearl pulled away from him.
“But this isn’t what we agreed on, Mr King” Mathew spoke.
“Can’t I change my mind?” Jerome shrug in return.
“You are entitled to do that but how…how can you go for Devon sister and what the hell did you do to make him look your way? Did you seduce him?” Grace yelled at Pearl.
“It isn’t what you think, Mom. I don’t even…”
“It’s the other way around Mrs James, I was the one who seduced her ” Jerome stated.
“Will you stop it! Quit with the lies and tell my parents the truth!” Pearl yelled at him.
“What’s there to tell? It’s obvious that you’ve been scheming to steal my boyfriend which you succeeded in doing” Devon said in between tears.
“Steal? I would say that phrase is better used for you since you are the thief here” Jerome said glaring at her. ” Like I said am not ending the engagement, I just switched my bride and if you still want us to work together, you will give me what I want. See you!” He said blowing a kiss at Pearl before leaving the room.
As soon as he was out, Grace walk towards Pearl and slap her hard on the face.
“What exactly did you do, huh? Why is he suddenly going after you?” Grace shouted.
“I have no idea why he’s doing this, I don’t even know why he’s claiming me his wife when I hardly talk to him” Pearl said just as Devon walk towards them pushing Pearl.
“You ?îtçh! You thieving slut! ” Devon yelled as she pulled Pearl hair.
“Stop it!” Mathew shouted which got Devon letting go.
“But honey, she…”
“Let the poor girl be” he said as he help Pearl up. “If you hadn’t done something, Jerome wouldn’t have change his mind!” Mathew said to Devon who dash upstairs in tears.
“I can’t believe you are supporting her over your own daughter” Grace said and went after Devon.
“I don’t know anything about this, dad” Pearl said as she wipe her tears.
“I doubt that. If you didn’t do a thing then Jerome wouldn’t have change his mind…am not in support of you, all I want is that you set everything right, I can’t afford to lose this deal” Mathew said and went to his study leaving a crying Pearl.
*****
<< NEXT DAY ~ KING COSMETICS COMPANY>>
Back to her plain image, Pearl got out of the elevator heading to the PR department.
“So how did the engagement party go” Charlie asked having left the make up department.
“Engagement? Is Pearl getting engage?” Cassie, a colleague of Pearl asked as she came to join them.
“It’s not Pearl but her sister. Tell us how it went?” Charlie said lightly hitting Pearl arm.
“What do I have to do to see the boss?” Pearl asked.
“If it’s King devil then there probably won’t be a chance” Charlie said referring to Jerome with the nickname they created.
“Only executives are allowed to the twelfth floor, mere staff like us wouldn’t be given an audience” Cassie inform.
“Then that policy would have to change” Pearl said as she head back to the elevator which whisked her to the twelfth floor.
*****
“Pearl wants to see me?” Jerome who was seated behind a large desk in his office asked.
“She does and turns out she’s one of your employee” Opal inform.
“Really? How on earth didn’t I know that?” Jerome asked surprised by this revelation.
“Forget about that, let her in ” Jerome said briskly and a while later, An angry looking Pearl came into his office.
“Tell me why you did that last night?” She said, hitting the desk in anger.
“I fell for you and want to marry you” Jerome replied.
“Does that even make sense, you leaving the more sophisticated sister for the plain one? Have work long enough in your company to know what you like and don’t like”
“Really? It’s a shame then since I don’t know anything about you and we will be getting married soon” he said and got up.
“Am not marrying you. Stop with your madness and go back to Devon. You’ve caused her enough heartbreak ” she said as he came to stand in front of her.
“And how did you think I felt when I saw her f-__-king someone else yesterday?”
“What? ”
“Turns out your sister has been cheating on me and she’s been doing it for a while now, I just happen to catch her yesterday, don’t tell me you didn’t know ”
“Well I….I….it all makes sense now. What you did last night was to get back at Devon, right?”
“Bingo. Heartbreak is the last thing I will feel for a cheating slut like her, it’s only right that I get back at her”
“By using me? I have nothing to do with….”
“Really? Is it me or do I think you are the kind who let people walk over you?” He asked which got her angry.
“Am not!”
“Then why on earth do you keep acting like a fool. It’s so obvious that the James family don’t see you as their own, they treat you like an outcast isn’t it time you get back at them?” He asked.
“They are family. You know nothing about us, how dare you!” She said wanting to hit him but he held her hand and pulled her towards him.
At that moment, Opal walked in with two men.
“Oh, am sorry boss. It’s just that I…”
“It’s okay. My fiancee and I are trying to come to terms with something,escort the gentle men to the board room, I will be there soon” he said and when the door close behind them, Jerome pulled Pearl closer.
“Let go of me! ”
“Not until you agree to be my wife”
“I can’t be your wife, I already have a boyfriend who I love!” She shouted.
“And are you sure he loves you?” He asked letting her go.
“Am sure you already know the answer since you were at the hotel yesterday ” Jerome said remembering the crying lady he had seen.
“But you are free to ask him and when he breaks your heart, am willing to help you get back at him. Think about it and give me your feedback” he said and left her there in his office.
****
<< JAMES CORP >>
As soon as Pearl got to her father company, she went in search of Maxwell, her boyfriend.
They had both met in college and though it took a while, Max had finally asked her out.
She was at first hesitant since she knew that Devon always end up stealing any guy who showed an interest in her but when Max proved to be different, she found herself loving him more for it but then….all that ended when she went to the hotel yesterday.
Pearl was told that he’s on the rooftop and when she got to rooftop, she was surprised to see Devon just leaving.
“Max” she called and immediately, he turned to her, forcing a smile on his face.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming” he said.
“Why was Devon here?” She asked.
“Nothing important, she just came to talk about business and…”
“Did she tell you what happened last night?” She asked and he nodded.
“And you aren’t angry. Your girlfriend is suddenly marrying someone else and that doesn’t make you angry?”
“Why should I?”
“Do you still love me, Max?” Pearl asked knowing his answer already.
“Why are you suddenly bringing that up?”
“Answer me! Do you love me?”
“Must I answer that? Do I owe you an answer” he said and curse softly. ” I don’t know what’s wrong with you girls. One is a slut who throws herself at me and the other is a fool who thinks I love her”
“Max”
“It hurts right? You asked for it. If it were up to me, I would have kept messing with you two. If I don’t get Devon then I can at least get the adopted one since it will make me family and get me the promotion I want but you two are begining to get on my nerve” Max grated.
“Your involvement with me was all about getting a promotion and becoming a part of my family?” Pearl asked, shocked by the truth.
“Ding ding. At least Devon saw through me straight away while I had to keep acting like the perfect boyfriend for you. Am sick of it already” he said, turning away from her.
Pearl felt the tears coming but she held them back and when she turn to leave, Max held her.
“Am sorry, I didn’t mean what I said just now. It’s just that work have been stressing me out and I took it out on you” Max apologize but Pearl felt sickened at him.
Pulling her hand out of his, she left the company heading home.
****
It was raining heavily when Pearl got back.
Her mind kept going back to the things Max said earlier as she took the stairs to the front door.
“Why aren’t you doing anything!” Grace voice could be heard from where she stood inside.
“What do you want me to do. Your daughter messed up and it’s only right that he goes for the adopted one” Mathew replied.
“I can see that all you are after is the merger. As long as you get your company out of bankruptcy, you don’t care if your daughter is desolate”
“I do care. Am angry that Jerome chose the bastard instead of our child but we need Jerome and his company and when we get that, we can throw out that girl which is what you’ve always wanted” Mathew said.
Pearl who heard everything turned to leave only to see Devon standing under the umbrella, watching her.
“Did you really think my parents thought you as theirs?” Devon said cruelly but Pearl chose to ignore her.
“What are you doing about Jerome? Don’t tell me you are going to marry him?” Devon asked.
“And what if I do?” Pearl asked as the rain kept pouring down on her.
“Tch! You really think yourself worthy of Jerome? Wake up girl,not even in your wildest dream are you good enough for him. You are nothing but a bastard who came to us unwanted and then you grew up to become a plain loser”
“No matter what you do, you will never be a part of our family and neither will you be me, so go to Jerome and make him come back to me” Devon yelled.
“Shouldn’t you be asking me if I want to come back to you ?” Jerome asked and they both turn to see him standing under an umbrella, his gaze was solely fixes on Pearl.
He walk towards Pearl and covered her with his umbrella.
“Jerome I….”
“Calling her a loser is an understatement since she will be my wife, aren’t you sweetheart?” He asked,waiting for her answer.
Pearl stared at Devon who was glaring at her and at that moment, she made up her mind.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she snuggled into his arms and said.
“I will definitely be your wife”
❣️ TBC❣️