Billionaire Daredevil In Love

NADINE.

It was raining when I woke up the next day, heavy, torrential. I heard the rain pounding on the roof and a chill suffused the entire room. I burrowed deeper into the duvet, but every sleep had been cleared out of my eyes. My captivity in the house was starting to drive me crazy. I had only a few weeks left before the stipulated six months would elapse, but the promise of my freedom did not bring me any joy. I would have to go and face the real world, to face reality, the reality of Anna being sick and me not being able to get her the medications she needed for her treatment. The butler came in with my breakfast.

“Cold?” He asked.

“A bit,” I replied.

I asked for his phone and he gave it to me. I tried to get across to Anna first, but the rain must have messed up the network because the line was flat; same with Naomi.

“The line is bad,” I said as I handed him the phone.

“Ohh, that’s terrible,” he said. “Must be the rain. I guess you’ll have to try again some other time.”

He left and returned about an hour later. By then the rain had subsided.

“Here,” he said, handing me the phone, “try it now.”

I called Naomi’s number and this time it went through. She picked after the third ring.

“Hi, Naomi,” I said.

“Nadine,” she answered. There was something in her voice, as if it was drooping under the weight of something heavy.

“How’s Anna?” I asked.

“In the hospital,” she said. “I’m with her.”

“Oh, Jesus,” I said. “How’s she doing now?”

“Not any better, Nadine, unfortunately,” she said.

“What are the doctors saying?” I asked.

There was a pause. I could hear the faint sound of people talking, and I wondered where in the hospital she was.

“Well, they’re saying the same thing they’ve been saying,” she finally answered. “That she’s in dire need of medicine.”

I sighed. I did not know what to tell her; I had tried what I thought would be the solution to the problem.

“Is she awake? Can I talk to her?” I asked, already choking with tears.

“Nah, Nadine, she’s asleep,” she said. “She’s so weak these days. The doctor said it’s fatigue.”

“I don’t know what to say, Naomi,” I said. “I don’t know what to do either.”

“Me neither,” she said. “I tried applying for a loan at the bank, but they wouldn’t give it to me; they said I don’t qualify. Such bullshit! Even after I told them I had someone with medical issues.”

“Ohh, God!” I said, placing my palm flat on my forehead.

“Nadine, what are we going to do?” She said, her tone laced with desperation.

“I don’t know, Naomi,” I said sadly. “I tried to get some money from Clayton here, but he refused me.”

“That bastard,” she said. “Rich as he is.”

“Truly a disgusting person,” I said.

CLAYTON.

It had rained all morning. It was a stroke of luck that I had Natasha by my side and in my arms; what a dreary thing to be in such frigid weather conditions without someone. I couldn’t make it work that day, I knew it, so I made a few calls and gave orders for work to be done. My mind went to Nadine again. I smiled to myself. Nothing pleased me more than seeing her in so much pain and anguish. I went to her room when it was late in the afternoon. Maybe I would give her the money, maybe not.

“Hi there,” I said mockingly.

She did not reply. I could tell she was smoldering with anger.

“Not too cheery today, are you?” I said.

“Cheery? How can I be cheery when my sister is lying sick in a hospital, dying because she can’t fucking get drugs?” She barked. “Don’t tell me about cherry!”

“You should have thought about that before you refused my proposal,” I said. “But it seems like you don’t love this sister of yours enough.”

In a flash, she was in my front and had smacked me hard across the face. My cheek stung. Her eyes burned red, as if with flames.

“Don’t ever utter such bullshit,” she said.

I laughed, a deep, empty laugh. I wasn’t going to slap her back. She was the broken one, not me. I sat on the armchair.

“Besides, I said yes to your proposal already,” she said as she returned to the edge of the bed. “I don’t know what the fuck else you want me to do.”

There was silence.

“So, assuming there’s a lawyer here with the papers, you’ll sign them?” I said.

Something like joy glinted in her eyes as she said, “yes, yes, I will, to save my sister’s life.”

I nodded.

“A deal is a deal,” I said. “You sign those papers, and I help with your sister’s treatment.”

“Yes, please,” she said. “Do this for me, Clayton, and I will forgive you for all the wrongs you have done to me.”

I laughed out loud.

“Ahh, bitch, you’re so pathetic,” I said. “I don’t need you to forgive me. What am I going to need it for?”

“Whatever, Clayton,” she folded her hand across her chest. “I’ll sign, I’ll marry you. Please, just get the money for my sister. She’s in a hospital and she’s-”

“Enough of the sob story, Nadine,” I stopped her. “Cut the shit out.”

She went mute. I pretended to be in deep thoughts, to be contemplating my next step of action. But I wasn’t, really. It was simple what I was going to do – call my lawyer over and have him bring the papers.

“Okay, then,” I said as I stood up to leave. “I’ll be back.”

“Okay,” she said. “So are you going to be back with the papers today? Like is it going to be-”

“Ohh, shut up, Nadine,” I barked. “I just fucking said I’ll be back.”

And with that I left the room.