The Billionaire's Secret Lover

THREE YEARS LATER

I stood gazing out of the window into the white mansion ahead of me, I could see Michael and Nina smiling as they watched their little girls play in the water across from them.

From time to time, I heard them call loudly to their parents" Come and join us, Mom and dad. The water is so warm"

I feel like matching up to them to tell them exactly what will be warm. My own definition of warm is when they and their mother will be six feet under the sand keeping my little boy and Austin company while I will have Michael to myself.

"Don't tell me you are still thinking of taking revenge on the Thompsons?" Xavier's voice called out to me from outside the balcony where he was seated with a book in his hands.

For the past few years since he had been going for therapy, I had seen a lot of changes in him. He felt more relaxed and confident with himself. He had changed most of the things in the room which lacked color to bright and beautiful. Even now, I scowled at the green window blinds in front of me hating the blind which was originally black.

"No," I replied, lying to him. Ever since Xavier had become good, I've been watching what I say or do in front of him cause I wouldn't want him reporting me to the police.

"I was just admiring how happy their family was. I wish I could have that" I continued shrugging as I replaced the blinds.

"We could have that but you are not giving us a chance to" I paused as I felt Xavier's breath fanning my neck. I didn't hear him come behind me. I guess something doesn't change. Years of training to be an assassin had taught him how to walk soundlessly.

I nodded and avoided his eyes. How do I tell him that I don't want to have that with him but with Michael? How do I tell him that even though after so many years of being apart from him, my heart still skips a beat for one man, which is Michael? I wish everyone could understand me, I wish everyone could know that only I could love Michael so dearly and not that stupid Nina.

"What are you thinking about, Deborah? Was it the things I said?" Xavier's gentle voice as he gazed at me brought me from my thoughts as I turned to shake my head at him.

I heard laughter across the building as I turned immediately to the window to see Michael and Nina already in the water playing with their two daughters. I caught sight of Joey holding a water gun laughing with them. They felt so complete and free which caused my throat to tighten in anger.

Every time I saw Joey, he was always the reminder of how my son would have been alive if not for Nina. I hated her so much especially after finding out that she had giving birth. I was so glad when I heard that there were complications during her childbirth, I had prayed for her to die with it but she was so stubborn. She had to survive that and now I, Deborah Melton promised her to die by my hands only.

"I wish you could let go of your revenge and see what a beautiful life we could have" Xavier called to me with a faraway look on his face. For a second, I was tempted to bid his request. I mean he was the only one that had stood by me in all my trying times. Even when I had told him countless times that I couldn't give up my revenge, he had stayed hoping that someday I will change but what to do, my heart was with Michael.

My heart skipped a beat as I saw Michael strolling to the other side of the building which was directly opposite my window. He was on a call that allowed me to stare openly at his now black curly hair which was wet from the water. He was in blue Tom Ford shorts and a matching shirt. He looks so handsome even as he ages.

As if sensing someone's eyes on him, his eyes shoot up to the window causing my heart to jump in my throat, he stares into the window but I know that he couldn't see us. Over the years, he had been trying to know who had rented the house across from them, and like always, I turned down their invitation. It wasn't yet time for them to know about me.

I saw him motioning John over as he pointed to my house. Something he had been doing over the years and like always John cleared his doubt. I watched his little girl, Nora, run to meet him, dragging him back to the pool.

I hated her so much, she looks exactly like Nina with her beautiful face and caring heart. She was always quick to love someone without judging them. I remember that one time I had met her in the elevator, they were going up after school. She had greeted me with a smile on her face and called me her godmother. If only she knew that I was her angel of death.

"Nora, daddy's a bit busy. Can you go play with your sister and brother?" I heard Michael tell her as he squatted down beside her but Nora, being like her mother, refused blatantly and Michael had no choice but to go join them.

I replaced the blind and stepped away from the door to see that Xavier was no longer behind me rather he was now in the kitchen seeing to lunch.

"What's the occasion?" I asked him pointing to the different varieties of Italian food on the table. I couldn't believe he prepared so much in such a short time. Another hobby he had picked up through the years.

"Nothing," Xavier replied, shrugging as he gathered the food into the flasks. He paused and suddenly turned to look at me with all seriousness on his face.

I had to avert my gaze knowing that look clearly" What is it?" I asked him as my hands shoot out to pick a slice of watermelon into my mouth.

"When are you going to visit your parents? They have gotten out of jail for the past three months now and you are not making any attempt to go see them" Xavier replied, his voice slightly scolding me.

I was a bad daughter. Even though I had missed my dad so much, I couldn't bring myself to go see them because I knew I had brought all of these upon them. I can't look into their eyes without feeling remorseful of my action and that's the one feeling I don't want. "Stop it, Xavier. Stop making it feel like I'm avoiding them. You and I both know I'm still wanted by the police" I told him walking out of the kitchen. I knew that he was taking lunch to my parents, something he had been doing ever since they came out. And I know he always told them stories about me.

"But

"I understand. I could never be free like you are.

Michael will never allow that. Every year, he made sure to renew my case with the police and increase the number of advertisement boards in the country that had my picture on it. Have you forgotten that one time, he made a billboard advertisement about me that I couldn't step out of the house for months?" I asked him before walking into my room. I slammed the door loudly without waiting for his response.

I was tired of him making me feel guilty instead of facing the fact here. As long as Nina and her babies were still alive. I could never be free. I knew she told Michael to renew my case every year and for that, I promised to make her pay.

I came out thirty minutes later, dressed in dark trousers and blacktop. A dark scarf covers my hair and face while I shield my eyes with a dark sunshade. Xavier frowned at me as he saw me step out of the room.

"You need some colors in your life, Deborah. Where are you off to?" Xavier asked me coming over to where I stood in front of the door.

"I don't need any colors in my life. This" I pointed to the color I had come to appreciate that it was part of me" Portrays my true feeling, my true self. I don't have any feelings. I'm empty and until I had closure, you'll need to get used to me being like this"

"I

"And to answer your second question, I'm going to say hello to my baby," I told him, cutting him off as I stepped out of the room without waiting for his response.

I flagged down the nearest taxi and gave the name of the cemetery before turning to relax on the back seat.

***

"Baby. I'm so sorry mummy is late for your birthday" I called sadly to him before bending down to drop the flowers at his bed. I turned to stare at Austin who was smiling at me. I had placed his baby beside him for him to take care of his son.

"Has daddy been taking care of you? I'm sure he would. He has always loved you" I called slowly to him while walking to Austin's resting place to drop another flower at his bed too before sitting down on the grass in front of them.

"Wait a bit more. Mummy promised to make all of them pay, it's almost time" I called gently to him while I turned to wipe the tears from my eyes.

Every time I come here I can't forget how he died. I couldn't stop blaming myself for causing his early demise. If only I wasn't obsessed with Michael, my baby and Austin would have been with me.

"I'm so sorry, son. I hope you will forgive your naive mother. I wish you were still with me, mummy would have been okay" I sobbed into his bed which was bare of pictures. I couldn't take any pictures of him. I didn't want anyone to know what he looked like. That was only for me to know.

"Happy birthday, son" I wiped my eyes and reached out to light the candles on his cake which I had brought on the way here. My baby was six, if only he was alive. He would have been in preschool now probably playing with Joey who was his age mate.

I forced myself out of my thoughts and turned to blow out the candles. Clapping my hands excitedly as I reached out to cut the portion of the cake and eat it silently with tears streaming down my face.

I had been doing all these, coming over to spend his birthday with him over the years. Sometimes, Xavier comes with me and most times he refuses just like today. I looked around for the previous cakes but couldn't find them. I guess the cemetery keeper had disposed of them. I never let him see me. I had always sneaked in and out of the cemetery away from his views.

I stood up abruptly as soon as I heard voices coming from across the lane. I rushed and hid behind the large trees away from views, maybe they were other mourners, I called to myself trying to calm my erratic beating heart.

But that wasn't who I saw. Rather it was Inspector Peller leading his people down to Austin's grave. He squatted down to examine the cake, causing my heart to leap in my throat.

"She was here. Find her, she couldn't have gotten far" I crunched down deeper into the tree as soon as I heard that. Praying heavily that they won't find me. Over the years, no one had suspected anything. No one had thought to check the cemetery. Or was it Xavier? No, he wouldn't betray me like that.

I clenched my fists in anger as soon as I remembered who had told the police about me. It was Nina. I had met her on Austin's grave one time, she had asked me about my baby and I had pointed to his grave. She had comforted me and I had allowed her too only for her to stab me in the back. I hate you so much, Nina. You wait, you wouldn't know what hit you!!

I came out from my hiding place and saw the police going down the lane looking for me. I crunched on the floor in front of my little boy and whisper to him" It's time, son. Wish mummy luck" I told him bending down to kiss his grave.

And just like every other time I had spent with him, a petal of his flower flew down to my feet and stopped there. I smiled at him, even in his rest, my little baby was wishing me luck.

I said goodbye to Austin and asked him to protect his son while I walked down the road excited for my new mission. It was game on! The Thompsons wouldn't know what hit them!! I called in my heart as I got into the taxi that will take me home.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐