CAPTIVE OF LOVE - CHAPTER 7&8
CHAPTER 7💞8
★ SAVAGE ★
<< PREVIOUS DAY ~ BEAUTY SALON >>
A make over Pearl walk out of the salon with Opal trailing behind her.
She was wondering about the sudden make up thing when she got into car.
She waited until Jerome ended his call before asking again.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere”
“That was what you said when we left the company an hour ago. You need to tell me where we are going” she demanded.
“To a boutique to get you a dress for our wedding which will be taking place this afternoon” he said.
“What? Why are we suddenly getting married?”
“We never really talked about the date or time our wedding will take place, if you remember ours isn’t really a real marriage” Jerome said.
“It isn’t like you said but….aren’t we rushing things?” Pearl asked.
“Time is the one thing I value most and this is the only time that I am free as from next week, I will be busy as hell and I want nothing intruding” he told her as Opal stop the car in front of a boutique and this time, Jerome went with them.
It was almost evening when they left the boutique with Pearl dressed in a white knee length gown.
This isn’t how she dreamt of having her wedding day but she has no choice since this particular wedding is a lie.
They got to the court and the ceremony began.
With Opal and some hired witness to sign for them, they were joined as man and wife.
When the judge told the groom to kiss the bride, they both stared at each other in silence.
Pearl didn’t want him kissing her and she didn’t want to kiss him either since everything they did just now is based on lies and contract but Jerome had a different thought.
He pulled her by the waist towards him while her eyes widen in shock.
“What are you doing?” She whispered slowly.
“It took me a great deal convincing this judge to marry us, I had to lie about us being in love just to get him to do it. It will be odd if we don’t kiss in front of him” he said bending towards her but she quickly stop him.
“Let me take the lead” she said and cup his face to kiss him.
It was well into the night when Opal drop them at the estate before retiring for the day.
Pearl turned to him asking for the card in which she can use to open the door when she saw him watching her.
“What’s wrong?”
“You never cease to amaze me. It’s our wedding, you should have at least given me a kiss” he said remembering their kiss from earlier.
He should have known that she had something in mind when she decided to take the lead, what he didn’t expect is that she will put her finger in between just to prevent their lips from touching.
“Did you forget that it’s a fake marriage?” Pearl asked.
“But there are times when we will have to act real and then you wouldn’t be able to prevent a kiss between us” he said as he pulled out the card to open the door.
“Is it always like this between you and Max? Are you the shy type or the bold type?” He asked making her feel uneasy.
“Our contract states that we don’t meddle with each other lives” she reminded coolly.
“But am not meddling, am only curious. Don’t tell me that you and Max have never… You know what I mean” he asked looking at her mockingly.
Blushing to the root, Pearl made her way to the fridge and pulled out a bottle to gulp down it’s content. It wasn’t until she tasted it that she realise that it’s not water.
“This is alcohol!” She said glaring at him.
“Why didn’t you have a look at it before drinking it?” He said in return.
“That’s because I….never mind” she said and began to head upstairs.
“Won’t we have dinner tonight, it’s our wedding day” he tease and she stopped.
“To me, everything that happened today is a sham and also…alcohol don’t sit well with me, you wouldn’t like it when am drunk and so Its best I sleep it off, good night!” She half yelled and went upstairs.
An hour later, his coat discarded, Jerome was busy with an important deal in his study when he decided to drink something.
He got to the sitting room only to see Pearl taking picture of herself.
“Why are you back in the sitting room?” Jerome asked as he approach her.
“To take pictures” she said wanting to fall off the chair.
“Are you drunk?”
“Just a bit tipsy….I told you that my body don’t sit well with alcohol” she reminded and let out a belch which disgust Jerome.
“You pig! Go to your room!” He ordered but Pearl shook her head.
“It’s the second time ever that am putting on make up, I can’t let it go to waste” she added and continued with her picture but Jerome took the phone from her.
“You are drunk! Go to your room”
“Why? You also think am ugly? You think that this get up doesn’t suit me? I know that even in a hundred years to come, I can’t match Devon’s beauty but still I can’t help but to want to try….is it a crime?” She said starring up at him and he had no choice but to give her back her phone.
“You think am pitiful right?” She asked as he sat on the other sofa starring at her.
“I already know that am pitiful…they kept making me feel that way for years and stupid me…stupid me still tried to get their love and affection” she said holding back her tears.
“You asked if I were the shy or bold type, well am both but have never been able to bring out the boldness in me. I thought I could with Max since I thought him to be in love with me as much as I love him but then…he was never in the mood, I thought the problem was his job I never knew that Devon was having fun with him” she said sniffing lightly.
“I must have been a fool right?”
“If you consider yourself a fool then am also one since I failed to see Devon as the cheating slut she is” Jerome said wistfully.
She stood up suddenly, startling the poor man.
“What now?” He asked as she stared at him mischievously.
“Can I do something?”
“Wh@??ver you have in mind it’s best you forget it and go back into your….” He stopped talking when she sat on his laps.
“Do you want me to show you how bold I am?” She asked as she wrap her arms around his neck.
Jerome watched as she move her face towards his, he knew what she wanted to do but he didn’t try to stop her.
Her mouth was almost close to his when she slept off instead. A smile tilt Jerome lips and he carried her into his arms and to her room.
*****
<< MORNING~ DAY OF THE PARTY >>
“Are you really sure about this, Devon?” Grace ask as she watch her daughter get ready for the party.
“It’s the only way for me to get Jerome back”
“Don’t you think this guy is not worth the trouble, if he could choose that loser Pearl over you then he’s a loser just like her” Grace said in anger.
“He is not a loser mom, the only loser around is Pearl and the earlier I get him away from her, the better. Just do me a favour and get dad out of the house, I don’t want any interruption”
“The reporters are coming right?” Grace asked and Devon nodded.
“Pearl h@??s having the spot light on her, Once Max propose to her in front of everyone, she will be too scared to refuse and so, Jerome will end up being mine again” Devon stated with fierce determination.
*****
<< KING COSMETICS >>
“Have you come up with a name for the new brand?” Jerome asked as he went through the file submitted by the development team.
“After much idea we’ve decided to go with bold, is it to your liking sir?” Stacey, who’s the head of the development team asked but Jerome was thinking about another bold.
A drunk bold to be precise, a smile lit his face as he remembered how Pearl behaved the other night.
“Mr King” Opal called which jolt him to the present.
“Am sorry, what did you say?” He asked as he tried to focus on what’s on ground.
When they ended the meeting an hour later, Opal approach him.
“Am sorry to bother you sir but you have to listen to this, it’s about your wife” Opal said.
“What’s wrong with Pearl?”
“Actually it’s Devon, I got a call from a reporter friend of mine and she told me about attending an engagement party this evening. Turns out it was organized by Devon for Max and your wife” Opal explain.
“What the hell is Devon up to?” Jerome muttered as he stood up.
Just then he remembered something Pearl said to him.
*I h@?? being the centre of attraction*
“Where is Pearl?”
“She went to her adopted parents home to get her things” Opal answered.
“Get the car ready”
*****
<< PRESENT TIME ~ JAMES RESIDENCE>>
After the arrival of Jerome who claimed Pearl as his wife in front of everyone.
Devon had no choice but to tell the guest to leave and it wasn’t until the last guest left that she went back to Jerome and Pearl who were in Pearl room packing her belonging.
“So you two ended up getting married or is it that you both are pretending!” Devon yelled as Max came to join them.
“If you don’t believe us, I might as well show you our marriage certificate” Jerome replied.
“Must you go far to hurt me? Can’t you see that she’s just using you? She doesn’t love you!” Devon yelled glaring at Pearl.
“I told you not to mention the word love to me, you know nothing about it” Jerome replied steely.
“Okay, I know why you are acting this way. I know that it’s because you found out that I was cheating on you but…it wasn’t serious, it’s you I only love” Devon said trying to get to him.
“Are you done packing?” Jerome asked Pearl who zipped her suitcase.
“I won’t let you leave until we’ve cleared this misunderstanding! I now realize how much I love you, so kindly forgive me and take me back” Devon pleaded as she stood in their path.
“Stop making a fool of yourself, he’s not going to listen ” Max spoke for the first time.
“If he’s a fool for getting involve with a girl who only wants to use him then you should let him be” Max added smirking at Jerome.
Jerome was about to give a reply but stop when he Pearl walk towards Max and gave him a slap.
“Pearl?” Max said, holding onto his cheek.
“How dare you insult my husband? You might think him to be a fool for choosing me but you are d@mn wrong since he chose the better one” Pearl said as everyone kept starring at her.
“You chose to mess around with Devon, you chose to leave a warm hearted girl for a shallow being who only love herself. If you had told me about your promotion, I would have gone heaven and earth just to help you but you chose to get help from Devon cause she’s the real daughter”
“You’ve lost a caring and loving girl who dedicated her all to you and though you might not regret it now, I can assure you that you will regret it someday” she added and went back to Jerome.
Holding onto his hand, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“How does it feel to lose someone important to you? ” She directed the question at Devon.
“Hurt and frustrated right? I felt the same way each time you stole the people I love from me. Jerome and I are legally married now and there’s nothing you can do but to eat and choke it up!” Pearl said as Devon did her best to choke back the tears that thr_@tened to spill.
” For the first time ever, you lose to me and I will keep on making you lose from now on,mark my words Devon” she added and took her bag to leave with Jerome.
Jerome stopped and said. ” Tell your father that am no longer interested in investing in his company. I told you not to mess with my woman but you went ahead and did it, now face the consequence” he said and left the house.
They were in the car when Jerome began to clap.
“That was fierce, you were amazing back there. I love the way you dealt with Devon, I couldn’t have handled it better” Jerome praised which earned him a smile from her.
Jerome couldn’t help but to continuously stare at her face, it’s the first time she will ever smile and it’s…her smile is beautiful.
*****
<< MEXICO CITY >>
“Married? That darn brat is married and he didn’t tell me!” The lady said, hitting her desk in anger.
“He must have wanted it kept a secret” her informant replied.
“A secret my foot. Do your best and get me a flight to London, it’s time I pay that grandson of mine a visit” She said…..
❣️ TBC❣️