KAREN
"Take me home, please," I settle in with a sigh of relief.
What a day!
I unbuckle my silver strapped heeled sandals and slip my feet out of them with a quiet moan of relief.
One of the worst days yet.
A day filled with nothing but pretense and disappointment.
..but what's done is done..
I now know where I stand in my family.
I'm the one who's life has to be sacrificed for a family that has no sympathy whatsoever.
A waste of time and effort.
Now I know what all those years of intense grooming really were for.
I wasn't groomed to be the perfect wife for Mr Right, I was groomed to fit in front of the cameras. To keep up pretense.
Ever since I was born, I have done everything for them and what do I get in return?
Nothing.
Responsibility. Duty. Loyalty.
All an excuse to hide their selfish intentions.
When do I get to do something I really want to do?
At this rate if I keep sucking it up to them, it'll be never.
That'd mean giving up my entire life all for nothing.
No can do.
I won't do that to myself and my future. And my future will definitely not be with an abusive husband.
A man who has refused to kiss me since we met.
He obviously doesn't care for me, I see it in his eyes when he looks at me.
An image of Jason with that horrible look of silent scorn in his eyes flashes through my mind and I cringe visibly though involuntarily.
Our relationship is just business as usual.
Fake.
He could at least pretend to care off cameras.
I haven't been with any man before and the one I'm contracted to marry doesn't even want me.
I close my eyes and lean my head on the head rest of the seat as the Jeep cruises smoothly down the road.
It really hurts.
But not for long.
I am taking charge of my life and that is it.
*** *** ***
"...like the circus meets the clouds, it's game on…" I hum under my breath as I step out of the bathroom.
The popular pop song playing softly from the speakers.
A very warm shower helps on bad days.
I just figured that out.
I am such a genius.
I smile at my reflection in the floor to ceiling mirror stationed in my very big master bedroom as I pat my hair dry.
My quick movements slow down as I take a thorough look at my face and body in the mirror.
Almond shaped eyes, light brown eyes, a small nose standing proudly – and which has also been called cute by Dad many times – , full luscious lips.
My hands slowly make their way up to my lips and immediately flashes of Henley's lips on mine fill my mind.
I close my eyes, a soft sigh releasing from my lips as I don't try to banish the images in my head. Instead I let them run free.
Henley's lips on mine..
Henley's lips trailing down my body..
Henley taking me against a wall..
Henley..
My phone rings loudly jolting me from my reverie.
I sigh again, loudly this time as I make my way to where the phone lay ringing on the bed.
It's Henley.
My already racing heart picks up speed and begins to beat wildly in my chest.
Unconsciously I lick lips that have already gone dry as I answer the question.
"Hello," my bath robe is damp but I sit on the bed anyway.
"Hello Karen," the way my name rolls of his tongue is like music to my ears.
I suddenly feel weak in the knees.
Thank goodness I'm sitting already..
"Um, hi," I giggle.
"I called to apologize for my behavior the last time we spoke,"
"Oh," I say.
"Yes. I didn't mean to snap at you the way I did and I am sorry," his voice had already taken on a sombre tone.
Does this mean he's backing out?
He won't chase me like he promised?
"You didn't snap at me though. In my opinion," I reassure him.
He draws in a deep breath and the sound in my ears puts forbidden images in my head.
"I did, Karen. And I haven't been able to think properly ever since. My conscience wouldn't let me," he confesses.
I smile though he can't see me.
"I forgive you," I say with a giggle as I am overcome with a giddy feeling of happiness.
"Thank you, Karen,"
"You're welcome,"
"I meant what I said. Though I didn't plan to say it the way I did but my plans to get you remain the same," a pause, "I want you and I'll do everything to make you mine."
With words so raw and direct, who can resist?
I release the breath I didn't know I had been holding on a shudder.
"Hmm," I say after a long pause.
"Does that mean you want me too? A yes?" He asks.
"It means I'd love to see what you'll do to claim me," I smile smugly.
Of course I want to be his.
No doubt now that I want to live my life on my terms.
But…
I also want him to chase me.
I need to feel wanted, desired, claimed.
"Oh," he laughs softly and I wish he'd keep laughing like that.
I like everything he does.
What's wrong with me?
"Well, challenge accepted," he says.
I can't help it, a loud giggle escapes and he laughs along.
"I am so happy you're giving me a chance Karen. You don't know how long I have dreamed of this happening,"
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I saw how you were with Jason. You didn't have eyes for anyone else,"
I wince at the memory.
How foolish of me, falling in love with a man who ended up not caring if I ate or not.
I pause for a while.
"I was fooled and taken for granted. It took me a long time to realize it," it hurts to confess and I have never said this out loud to anyone's hearing before.
There must be something in the air.
Love is in the air..
A voice in my head says suddenly and I let out a single laugh at the thought.
Surely this isn't love, it's just two adults attracted to each other.
After my last love attempt, falling in love is out of the books for me.
"Why are you laughing?" Henley asks me.
"At how foolish I was," I reply.
"You were never foolish, you just fell for the wrong person,"
Is Henley the right person?
Only one way to find out.
"I know you're probably wondering if I'm the right person for you," he says suddenly as if he just read my mind, "I may not be perfect but all I ask is for you to let me show you how much I care,"
"Uhm..when will you begin…the chase?" I bite my bottom lip and suck on it.
"It has already begun. But I have to warn you..,"
"Yeah?"
"You have always known me to be the perfect gentleman which I still am, no doubt," a pause.
"Go on," I urge, eager to hear the rest of the sentence.
"I am going to let go and show you parts of me that you didn't know existed. Can you take all of me, Karen?"
Why and how his voice has suddenly gone deeper, I have no idea.
What I do have an idea of is how wet I'm getting at the prospect of knowing all sides of Henley.
Everything about Henley turns me on and it's too late to deny that.
"Yes,"
I hope.
"That's a good girl," he praises me.
I squeeze my thighs tight in a bid to ease the tension down there.
Does he know what he's doing to me?
"I have to finish up work," he says.
"Oh!"
He runs his own company.
I forgot.
"Oh, okay," I say in a rush.
He chuckles.
"We'll talk very soon, Karen. In person. Have sweet dreams."
"Drive safely," I tell him.
I stare into space for several minutes wondering what the hell I just agreed to.
I am flush and wet down there.
It's time to drown the sexual tension in movies and popcorn.
I get up from the bed and make the trip into my closet that's big enough to house two masters.
I need a night gown and it's going to be a long night.
HENLEYMeetings back to back, it can be tiring. I don't know which is more tiring.Online meetings or physical meetings. My eyebrows rise and fall in a quick move, my eyes feeling like lead. Both type of meetings are tiring, that's for sure. Especially when you have to attend several in a day on two hours of sleep. I really do need to sleep properly.But I have to keep it up until I achieve my goal.Defeating my brother and Mother in the business world. Mostly mother because, come on, she basically runs the company through her puppets Jason and Father.Mother would prefer I kiss Jason's ass and lick his balls at his beck and call. No can do. Not after she's told me several times that I am a nobody. Well, I'm someone now mother, how about that?It's not a usual thing for one's mother to hate her child but that's what fate cursed me with. I feel nothing for her.I heave a sigh. Their surprise when they found out I carved a path for myself outside of MERC still remains a strong m
KAREN It's been exactly one week since Jason's proposal without a word from him since lunch. So much for happily ever after. If he thinks I'm going to cower while he lords his half hearted proposal over me then he needs a rethink. If my family is so poor and getting married to me won't benefit MERC, why did he agree to marry me? What's in it for him in all of this? What deal did my parents make? I don't want to imagine things but my parents wouldn't even talk to me especially since the confrontation with my mother. Father's heard of it by now already. At least they know what my intentions are now and if they think I'll be the obedient daughter this time then they're in for a surprise. Which is why I agreed to go out with Henley, especially after that kiss we shared. At least he's not boring like his brother. I suck on the straw attached to the juice carton I am holding in my hand as the sweetness of the fruit juice slides over my tongue. I'm going to have to be discr
EIGHT YEARS AGO…: MERC PUBLISHING FIRMHENLEYI don't really know how to feel about this. Jason has always been one proud prick but I really do need the support I can get from him.At this point, I am in dire need of support. Someone to believe in me and back me up.I could use a confidence boost."Why would you even think of running a publishing firm?"Mother had demanded. Apparently not liking the idea of me running a company similar to the family's business.Well, Mother never likes any of m
HENLEY "What? What do you mean you can explain?" I stuttered. Mr Daniels Snr heaved a sigh from his end and took a very deep breath. "I promise to explain everything to you when you come over. This is not a conversation that can be discussed over the phone. Please, son, hear me out." He pleaded. I shake my head repeatedly, still in denial even though it's beginning to make sense to me. "It means it's true, right?" Mr Daniels Snr said nothing to that. "It means that woman speaks the truth," I say strongly, a faint echo of the British accent that normally slips out without notice especially when I'm stressed. I am pretty much stressed right now. "Henley, just come over. I'll be waiting," the call goes dead. My phone drops to the table with a clatter as I groan in frustration and bury my head in my hands. "No, no, no, " I say over and over. I have two options, stay here and wallow in denial and ignorance or get out there, face the press that have no doubt assembled at
KAREN"Drugs, Karen,"Henley's voice echoed in my head as I stared blankly at my computer screen. Apparently I still haven't digested the news properly. How could I?I see no reason why Jason would want to destroy my family and all we have worked for. I just don't get it. None of it makes any sense. I force myself to concentrate on the task at hand which is finding out for myself if Henley is right. I don't want to believe him, even though a small but significant part of me believes everything he told me. Why would Henley lie against his brother? To paint a bad image of him, maybe?Jason's image is rotten where I'm concerned. Henley is not the kind of man who back bites and certainly not the type to spread rumors about his rival just to get the girl. No, he's not that type of person. There's a stiff muscle in my neck and shoulder that makes itself known as I type in a search word. Turning my head this way and that, I wait for search results. As expected, nothing unusual pops up
JASON"I'm calling off the engagement.."Karen's words echoed as I stared hard at the blank phone screen. I couldn't have heard her correctly, I heard wrong. Right?I'd only be deluding myself if I actually believed that bullshit. "What the fuck?!" I roared suddenly, sending books and files flying in the air, my breaths coming out in short pants. "What has gotten into this woman?" I wonder out loud. Why can't she be the fucking submissive her parents painted her to be. "She's very understanding, the perfect woman for the perfect man," I said out loud, echoing the words spoken by her mother who wholeheartedly assured me that there wouldn't be a problem at all. "You all fucking lied to me," I swear, picking up my phone once more. She'd better be joking because I'm not going to take it lightly with her. I click on her contact, automatically placing a call to her number. It rings and rings and rings, no answer. She doesn't pick up my call and a tiny trickle of dread and fear sli
HENLEYMy phone rings and vibrates on the table as I get ready to leave the office. It's been a really rough week so far, especially when I have to be extra careful in order to avoid those nosy reporters. I am really, really trying to stay off the news as much as I can. Nothing seems to be working though because it seems they're all hell bent on milking this piece of fodder thrown at them until all the juice runs out. Well, let them have at it, I'll be here trying to restore my peace of mind. Peace that my father didn't bother to restore himself and mother so calmly shattered what was left of it. At this point, I don't really know what to think of them anymore. It's getting really hard seeing them as my parents now and I really don't want to entertain some thoughts even though it seems I am already having an immense amount of clarity which is all because of one stranger. A stranger no one refuses to acknowledge. No wonder she had to go to the news to get my attention. Well, now
KARENShort, rapid knocks on the front door jerk me out of sleep making me jump off my seat with a startle. Who could it be?Glancing at the clock over my head to see what time it is, it is fifteen minutes to midnight. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I walk as fast as my heavy legs can carry me, slightly irritated by the consistent knocking on the door by whoever the fuck it is. "Who the fuck are you?" I call out angrily. The knocking ceased immediately. "Karen, it's me," though his voice was muffled, I recognized it immediately. "Henley? What the fuck?" I hurriedly opened the door to find an exhausted Henley leaning heavily on the door post. "Hey baby girl," he offered a weak smile. This man is really stressed out."I have a lot of questions, but come in," stepping to the side to make way for him to pass, I wondered if he's alright. "I didn't know you could swear," he said to me. "Hmm, now you know," I replied sarcastically which only made him laugh. In a goofy way. "It's