Billionaire Daredevil In Love

NADINE.

I slept very little that night, even though I was exhausted. It was almost morning before I fell asleep, and even then, my rest was ridden with nightmares. I kept seeing Anna in a pitiful state of debilitated health. In one of the dreams, she walked into the room wearing one of those light blue gowns they give in-patients at a hospital. Her cheeks were sunken and her bulging eyes were bloodshot. She walked with measured steps while I sat on the edge of the bed. Then she stretched her hand towards me, as if in supplication and said, “Nadine, don’t let me die.”

I started to scream and woke up to see that the butler was in the room, dropping my breakfast on the table.

“Good morning,” he said, but I was too flustered to answer. “Had a bad dream?”

I nodded.

“Have a coffee,” he said, and gave me a mug from which wafted the rich smell of coffee.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Are you going to be fine?” He said, and I could tell that he wanted to leave.

I nodded, then asked, “why are you always so kind to me?”

He shrugged and began to walk out. Just as he opened the door, his phone buzzed. He hastily pulled it out of his pocket and looked in it. When he raised his head, he looked at me with furrowed brows.

“It’s your sister,” he said as he walked briskly to me and handed me the phone.

I took the phone from his hand. It was not Anna; it was Naomi. He must have thought that both of them were my sisters.

“Naomi?” I said.

“Nadine, shit!” Naomi said. There was a panic in her voice that made my heart race and made the blood in my ears pound so loud.

“What is it, Naomi?” I said, my voice shaking. “What is it now?”

“It’s … Anna, she-” she stopped.

“She what, Naomi?” I asked her, raising my voice.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“She passed out,” she said. “We were just having lunch, I swear to God, and she got up to get a glass of water from the fridge and she just slumped. I called the ambulance; they already took her to the hospital. I’m going there now.”

“Shit!” I said aloud. I looked at the butler, who just stood unmoving, his hand folded. I felt a chill run up and down my spine and spread to every part of my body. The tears came fast and very soon I was sniffling.

“Nadine, I think this might be as a result of Anna not getting the medications she needs,” Naomi said.

“Fuck yes, I know,” I said, snapping at her for telling me the most obvious thing in the world.

“Ohh, okay,” she said. “We’ll talk later. I gotta go.”

I handed the butler the phone and he slipped it back into his pocket and turned and left. My mind went to Clayton and I was filled with overwhelming rage, so much that I screamed so loud my voice cracked afterwards. I didn’t care who would have heard me, I was so angry. But I knew that my indignation would do Anna no help. So I dried my eyes and decided on what to do.

Clayton:

Lisa left the next day. I gave her a bundle of cash and had my butler accompany her to the gates. But that was it. It wasn’t like the sex had been great, it was mediocre at best. I was still dazed from having my proposal rejected by Nadine. It made me hate her more. I had everything, I could give her the world, I could save her sister. But she still said no to me. Such a bitch!

Trent called as I was on the way to work.

“Had a nice night, didn’t you?” He said with a hint of mischief in his tone. I was going to tell him about being unsatisfied by Lisa.

“It was fine,” I said. “She was cool.”

“Ahh, beautiful,” he said.

After we hung up, my mind wandered off to Nadine again. I was just so unhappy. Work was a drag, like it always was, and unbearably so. It was the same routine – meetings after meetings, and documents to scrutinize and sign, people to give orders to; it was monotonous. After work I went straight home. I had it in mind to go see Nadine, see if she had had a change of mind, but I didn’t want to seem desperate. Just then the butler walked in and said that Nadine wanted to see me. I smiled mischievously to myself.

Nadine:

I had reached a decision. I couldn’t stand and watch Anna die when there was something I could do about it. I had tried to call Naomi and find out the state of Anna’s health, but she had not been picking and this made me frustrated. So I told the butler that I would like to speak to Clayton. He strode inside of the room about two hours later, all pomp and pride. I knew he was gloating, underneath the stern look he wore on his face.

“So, what do you want?” He said. He didn’t sit this time, just stood with his hands inside his pockets.

“I’ve thought about what you asked for,” I said. “I mean, the proposal.”

He said nothing. His face was blank and I was a bit nervous.

“I accept your proposal, Clayton,” I said. “I will marry you. You might as well call the lawyer now, and I’ll sign whatever documents you want me to sign, long as you help me save my sister.”

He remained still, quiet. His silence was a mystery, I wondered what he was thinking. Clayton was not the quiet, contemplative type, he was loud and boastful, so I expected him to say something any time soon.

“No, Nadine,” he finally said.

“What?” I asked.

“You heard me, bitch,” he said. “The answer is no. It’s too late. I withdrew the proposal.”

He turned and stepped out of the room, leaving me shocked.