Chapter 9
Chapter Nine: The New Love Interest I
“I heard about the campaign and I knew you would be here. Ever since our meeting at the hospital, I have wanted to see you again.” He replied in a calm and very composed tone. “You weren’t picking up my calls and I wanted to reach out to you.” He added when he noticed the look of surprise and confusion on my face. “I wanted to come over and personally congratulate you though.” He paused and made a little smirk.
“But why?” I should be the one you should be congratulating?”
“I have seen your works. You’ve made this campaign much easier for Mr Miles. If you were the one going for the Mayor’s position, I would be sure you’d win.” My cheeks turned red 1 blushed.
“You think so?”
“Yes, look at you. Smart, intelligent with a big heart. Everyone would want to vote for you.
“No, I can’t possibly go for that position now that my husband is going for it.”
“Well, yeah. However, I’m so happy to see you. Also, I work with the Teen Centre and knowing the next Mayor is an important part of the club.”
“Now, that’s why you are here.”
“Trust me, that’s just a bit of the reason. I wanted to see you.” He held my hands and I took it away
from him.⠀
“You have to stop Evans, we are at my husband’s campaign.”
“Yeah, I get that. I will try to keep my hands to myself.”
“So you run a children’s club, you never mentioned that.”
“I don’t run it, I just support them. We are launching our new Teen Centre next weekend. You should.
come.”
“Oh no, I’m quite busy.”
“Okay let me make it official so you’ll include it in your to–do list, Dear Mrs Regina. I wish to extend an invitation for you to join us at the Club to speak to our kiddos and for a tour of the new Teen Centre. Please say yes the children would love you.”
“Okay fine, I think I’ll take you up on that,” I smiled, offering my hand for a handshake. He had a firm grip which sent a few waves through me which made me feel a little tingly down there.
“I’ll be impatiently waiting for your call,” Evans said in a flirty tone and with a curt nod. I felt a great wave of joy and pride which made her feel wholly feminine and sexy.
“Give me a minute,” I walked out to greet an acquaintance who had just walked in but as I returned, he wasn’t there anymore. I scanned the whole room for Evans if he lurked around somehow but all efforts to find him proved futile. Still a little disappointed by my inability to find him among the large
Chapter Nine: The New Love Interest
crowd, I turned to leave when I heard someone whisper his request to dance with me, from behind me. I smiled and didn’t bother to turn back as I knew who it was. It was the one person I’d been searching for; Evans. I nodded and gasped in excitement when he grabbed my waist turned me around and stared deep into my eyes. We were close to each other although I felt a little uneasy as he poured some warm breath on me but at some point, I didn’t mind who was watching.
My heart pounded heavily and was more than relieved when he held my hand over her head and spun me around. He placed one hand on my waist and extended the other upwards as they joined everyone else gathered there to a slow waltz.
“I’d take my wife now.” As I heard Thomas’s voice towards us my smile suddenly went down and it was too obvious that Evans noticed as he looked at me. He took a few steps backwards and waved at
me,
his eyes filled with confusion, I knew he had so many questions already.
“I see your little boyfriend is here.”
“You don’t have to pretend that you love me in the eyes of everyone.”
“I wish so much that I won’t.
Even pretending to love you irks me. Look at the other ladies out there. They are the definition of true beauty. Young and vibrant.”
I looked up at him as tears filled my eyes.
“I hate you,
Thomas.”
With those words, I fled to the bathroom staring at the reflection in the mirror. I was perfectly dressed in one of my best gowns, convinced about the perfection and flawlessness of my hair, and mirror makeup. But now, a shadow of elegance and uniqueness was what Thomas had turned me to. Just as I heard someone flush down their waste, I quickly rushed out before they could see me.
“Why do you let him hurt you that much?”
Evans stood just beside the door.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“That night at the club, you left the house because of him right?”
“I still don’t know what you are talking about. Why did you follow me?”
“I heard everything he said to you. I watched the joy in your face dry up as soon as he came. It’s glaring. You don’t deserve all of this. But the question is why do you let him do this to you?”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then make understand. That man is about to be voted in as the mayor and the people love him because of all the things you did anonymously. I know quite well that he let people know this to buy their love. Why can’t you just let this man go?”
“It’s not as easy as you think.”
Evans‘ phone beeped, “Excuse me I have to take this.”
Chapter Nine: The New Love Interest I
3/3
After a few minutes, he returned..
“What’s wrong?
“It’s the hospital, there is an emergency and I need to go now. Please pick up when I call.” He hurried
off.
That night I returned home with mixed feelings. Evans‘ presence was the reason for my happiness but I was still in the claws of Thomas as he used him as his pawn. Evans was right, I shouldn’t let him use me the way that he did.
I awoke the next day to a message from Evans.
“Morning sunshine, I’m about to call now, please pick up.” I read through the text as I walked to the bathroom then my phone rang. I answered the call with a joyful expression on my face. It was still early hours of the day and I had just woken up, I was already convinced that the day was going to turn out perfectly for me.
“Siri, Play Me Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys,” I said as soon as I entered the bathroom and settled into the
bathtub.
I arrived at work with a cheerful smile on my face and dived into work with my mind fixed on positivity. Jane, my new secretary, even noticed my mood. She stared at me beyond her glasses and was surprised by my unusually cheerful disposition.
“I woke up like this, I woke up like this.” I chanted a line of Beyoncé’s Flawless. Smiling all the way.” Flawless,” I said with a refreshing dose of happiness.