Billionaire Daredevil In Love

Nadine:

Her eyes were tired and her voice sounded even wearier than they had on the phone. She looked thinner, as if she was not eating well, and there was something off about her dressing, as if she hurriedly put on her clothes.

“Nadine, hi,” she said as she gave me a side hug.

“Naomi,” I said, trying to sound as cheery as possible.

“Guess what, Naomi,” Anna said, her voice vibrant with the promise of life.

“What, baby?” Naomi asked, leaning in to listen.

“So the doctor was here earlier,” she began, “and he said in about a month’s time, I could be cancer free.”

“Oh, God,” Naomi said, cupping her mouth with her hands. I saw the tears stream down as her eyes crinkled. I saw the sincere happiness for my sister’s recovery and I was touched by it.

“Yup, he said it,” Anna said, nodding. “But only if I keep up with my medication.”

“Yeah, you’ll do that,” Naomi said. “We’ll do that.”

Naomi pulled Anna into a hug and for a while all they did was sniffle in each other’s arms. I reached out to them and, soon, it was the three of us crying, sniffling, and then when we broke apart, we were laughing joyously.

“This is so good,” I said. “This is the best news I’ve received in a long while.”

“Me, too,” Naomi said. I could still see the tiredness in her eyes, but only a trace now, for it had been replaced by joy.

A nurse walked in, greeted us stiffly and examined the machines that were plugged into Anna’s body. She drew an injection and administered it while Anna winced. I thought about the night before, of sex with Clayton, how it had felt more like a violation rather than lovemaking, even though I was his wife. I had planned on telling Naomi about it, at least to get it off my chest, but the three of us were so happy together and I didn’t want to ruin the moment, so I kept mum for the meantime. Very soon, as a result of the injection, Anna fell fast asleep, leaving Naomi and I to talk.

“So, how’s it been?” I asked her.

“Well, so-so,” she said with a shrug. “If you mean work, though, it’s been hard. But I’m holding up, aren’t I?”

I nodded.

“Mmm. You look quite tired, though,” I said. “You like you need some rest and you need it now.”

“I’ll be fine, Nadine,” she said with a weak smile. “You worry too much.”

She was seated on the chair, her head slumped backwards, and immediately the conversation died down, she started to snore. There were still a lot of things I wanted to tell her; not just about Clayton, but also just to appreciate her, tell her what a wonderful friend she was by taking care of my younger sister while I was away and even while I am back.

As I looked at her, an idea that had been cooking in my head started to bubble more ferociously.

“Yes,” I said sharply under my breath. I grabbed my phone to make a call.

Clayton:

Natasha’s outburst made me mellow that night and my mind roved. By the time we got home, I wasn’t so angry anymore. I was just deep in thoughts. I had a glass of whiskey before climbing into bed, and by the time I woke up, I had a small headache. I called in sick to work. After breakfast, I wanted to see Nadine. I had decided that she would have to work, and not just laze around in the mansion doing nothing. I called on the butler.

“She’s not at home, sir,” the butler said when I asked him to call Nadine. “She left about an hour and a half ago.”

“Really?” I said as I sipped a mug of tea. “And where did she go?”

“I’m not so sure, sir,” he said. “But she might have gone to her sister. Remember? The one in the hospital.”

“Mmm,” I nodded. “Don’t worry now. You can go.”

The butler gave a small bow and turned to leave. As he walked out of the door, my phone buzzed – it was Nadine.

“Where are you?” I asked immediately I picked up, hoping that my tone was stern enough.

“Out to see my sister,” she said. “I’m sorry, I should have told you.”

“You should have,” I said. She sounded suspiciously polite, and I knew right then that she wanted to ask for something.

“I need something from you, Clayton,” she said, the plea in her voice even more desperate.

“What is it you want this time, Nadine?” I asked tiredly.

“My friend, Naomi,” she said. “I was wondering if she could get a job at the company. A job that she can comfortably work, you know. She still works at that bar, and they’re stressing her out, far more than they pay.”

“I see,” I said, stroking my chin that was dotted with bristly hair; I needed a shave.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“So?” She said, “Are you going to help out?”

There was a certain joyful expectation in her voice, as if she expected me to just agree to it. But I decided to be a spoilsport for a show.

“Well, Nadine, that wasn’t part of the contract, you know?” I said in a hollow voice.

There was a silence, an obvious one that told that she was surprised.

“B-but-” she stuttered.

“No buts, Nadine,” I said. “In fact, come home. I want to speak with you.”

“Fine,” she said sharply and hung up. I laughed mischievously to myself. Of course I could help her, but I had to have her be miserable first.

I decided to try to talk to Natasha, to see if she had also mellowed, but when I placed a call across to her, I discovered that she had blocked my number.

“Well. Well. Well.” I said to myself, shrugging. “That’s the way it is.”