Mistress by Circumstance by Oluwanifemi Oloniyo (the beach read .txt) 📖

his staff.

"Welcome back Chris. I can see the married man look on your on his face" Rosie said as she came to update him about the company's welfare during his absence.

"Thank You Rosie. The accounts right?"

They were discussing about the company's account when they were Interrupted by a call.

"Excuse Me"

Picking up his cellphone He spoke

"Hello"

"Chris what am I to do all alone in this big house?"

"You can find something doing like watch some operas, sleep, read

.... There are things to do"

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh" She screamed. He distanced the phone from his ear then placed it back and said

"Am at work, find something doing and don't disturb me" with that He ended the conversation.

"Your wife?" Rosie asked

"Yes" He said relaxing in His swivel chair looking at His phone.

 

On his way back from work, He visited a floral shop and bought a single long stemmed red rose. On getting home, expecting Her to welcome him, She just sat on the settee glued to the television set. Walking up to Her, He gave Her the rose but she just looked at It in His hands and turned back to the opera she was watching. He dropped the rose on the chair and left to change his clothes. They ate dinner in silence, Chris has his eyes glued to Her all through dinner expecting Her to say something. When It seems any wasn't

forthcoming, He tried starting up one but she stood up and said "Good Night". He watched Her leave and sighed finishing his food.

 

When He got to the bedroom, She was already asleep. Closing the door behind him and resting his back on It, He watched Her pretty face in the moonlight. He then went to Her side and covered Her with the duvet before going to the other side to sleep. In the middle of the night, He tried moving close to Her but she said "Not tonight, am tired". Frustrated Chris slept all alone.

 

"There is no way You will leave this house.... Never!" Gracious yelled at Chris blocking his way.

"If You don't move out of my way, I'll do something You wont expect"

"Go ahead, who cares? The worst You'll ever do is kill Me and haven't You done so? Haven't You?"

"What do U mean?"

"Having me isolated..... Isn't that enough to kill. Isn't It?"

"That's not It. Gracious you're getting the wrong picture"

"Well...... Whatever the picture says I don't care. All I know is that its either we both leave this house to wherever you're going or You sit down"

"For Chrissake Gracious I have a meeting to attend to"

"Does that stops You from attending to your Wife?"

"Am Sorry Gracious but this is a meeting I must attend. its a contract we've being pursuing and just got it. This is the first time we'll be meeting and You know first impression matters." Chris pleaded

"Its either we go or You sit. The choice is yours"

"Gracious we've being pursuing this contract for a while now and just got It for Chrissake. And You know first impression matters!"

"Whatever... We go or You sit!"

"Please Gracious" He pleaded "Its...." THE telephone Interrupted him. They both looked at each other, one expecting the other to pick the call. After the phone rang thrice, it stopped.

 

While they where having dinner, Chris observed Her and thought about what She said earlier "Does that stop You from attending to your Wife?". Is She probably changing? He thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 9

 

 

 

Gggggrrrrrrr! The phone rang. "Gracious pick up who is It?" Chris called out from his room.

"Hello..... Yes?....... No....... What? When? Where?....... Okay where is the place? Okay. We'll be right there".

After She had dropped the call she rushed up the stairs to Chris. Chris seeing Her jitter knows something has happened.

"Chris?"

"Yes?"

"My Mum had an attack" She told him in tears.

 

"She had cardiac arrest" He paused, then continued. "When she was brought in, the arrest was near to severe." Doctor George told Gracious and Chris.

"How's she doing?" Gracious asked.

"Hmmm..... Let Me say fine. She is being observed for the main time. But I must say she has a slim chance of survival cause the test we carried out shows the muscles supporting the heart are weak due to the minute percentage of lactic acid"

"So Doctor are You saying No possible solution" Chris inquired.

"Not of my knowledge" He replied "She's on life support and its very expensive and of 12% assurance"

"Oh! Gooooooddddd" Gracious began to cry but Chris tried his very best to console Her. They left the doctor's to check on Her Mum in the Intesive Special Unit.

 

There Her Mum lied lifeless, hanging on to different supporting tubes attached to Her. The room is dimly lit and different machines with radiographs and sounds could be seen and heard. She knelt beside Her mother with tears and held Her lifeless hand were a clip was attached to Her fore finger. "Mum, please don't leave Us alone" She said as She sobbed. "Who will take of Dad? Who will I run to? My best friend, please don't leave Me". Chris was moved to tears, He stood Her up and gave Her a bear hug, wiped Her face and tried his best to comfort Her.

Gracious visits her mother often and makes sure she's happy while she's around. Her mother's health kept fluctuating, until the doctor called her and....

 

"Gracious, we've throughly observed your mother's health and our observation is that; the muscles supporting Her heart walls are weak and she's not responding positively to treatment." He paused. "Am afraid Mrs Gracious, your Mother's time is limited. All You have to do know is make the remaining limited time a memorable one for her".

While the Doctor was talking to Her, She sat head bent sobbing. "You have to pull yourself together. You and I know its a slim chance of survival, please take heart and tell your husband"

"Thank You very much Sir" She appreciated as She left his office for Her mother's ward. On getting there, She put on the illumination and looked at Her Mother. Moving close She noticed the dark circles formed round Her eyes, Her once plump body now looking skinny. Her face now shrunk to reveal wrinkles that once never existed. She knelt beside Her mum, She felt Her hands that looked like the limbs of a scaly lizard. "Mum..." She said as she held Her hands sobbing"... I know how much pain You feel and how short your time is. Please Mum even if you'll die. Mum die a peaceful death". As soon as she spoke she felt Her Mum squeeze Her hands. Lifting Her head to look at Her Mum, She heard the nearest machine give a loud continous beep with the buzzing of other machines, the red blinking clip on her fore hand went off with a beep. Standing up, She saw the radiograph flash red. She ran out to get the doctor, on returning with the doctor and his team.

"Please stay outside ma'am"

 

She sat in the waiting loungue and called Christian to join Her. They had already sat for 45 minutes when the doctor and his crew came in with prespirations and wore long faces. Rising to meet them as soon as they came through the opaque door.

"Doctor how is She? Where is my Mum?" Gracious asked with a broken voice as a result of Her crying. before the doctor could reply, Her Father came in panting.

"Abuché, how did you know?"

"Your husband called me" turning to the doctor "How is She?"

"Well....em.... We tried all possible best But..." lowering his voice, He said "... But we lost her"

Hearing this, Nelson lowered to the floor crying like a baby, Gracious sat shaking as she sobbed, Chris standing not knowing who to console.

"Take heart, may You be comforted" THE doctor said as He walked away with His team.

 

The funeral took place three days after at St Paul cathedral. Christian took control over the preparations and cost.

Nelson, Gracious' Father didn't find It easy that his Wife is no more. Thanks to Chris his prospective son in law and his daughter who helped him pass through the period of grief. Chris did everything to make him comfortable, He retired him, bought him a house, registered him in a hospital for medicals, and saw more of him. The Death of Her Mother caused a wedge in between their already developing relationship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 10

 

 

 

"Good Morning Christian" Rosie said as she walked into his Office on a bright Monday Morning. Christian was deep in thought when she greeted him that He didn't know. "Chris..... Chris.... Christian" She called out to him tapping his table.

"Uhn..... Oh! ..... Rosie....... Good Morning" He said suddenly becoming busy.

"Why were so engrossed in whatever You were thinking that You didn't know when I entered and its unlike You" Rosie complained.

"Nothing. Was just thinking of some business proposals..."

"Oh cut the pretence!" Rosie cut in. "Tell Me what is It?" She asked as she pulled out a chair and sat.

"Its my wife"

"And what about Her?"

"I don't understand Her, She never seems to be the woman I fell in love with"

Rosie chuckled and said "LOVE? I never thought You fell in love with Her, but even if You did 'twas short and..."

"And what Rosie? Don't tell Me another reason why I cant' cause not every one is like You" He paused "By the way what brings You to my office?"

"Khong Real Estate wants to make business with us" She said as she dropped the file before him "And they want You there in person, 'cause they want to insure their 105 linked estate"

"Okay, when is It?"

"On the 25th, that's next weekend"

"I will be going with my wife" He said.

Rosie looked at him with a puzzled look as she left his office.

 

"We're leaving for Korea on Friday" Chris said during dinner. Stopping Her spoon mid way she asked "With who?"

"You of course"

"THEN you're mistaken"

"Why?"

"Don't ask me unneccesary questions" She said as she stood up.

"And where do You think you're going?"

"That's of no use to you"

"Come here!" He barked "You don't walk out on me!"

"Do I look like your employee?"

"Gracious for Chrissake make peace for once!"

"You don't shout at me!" She should back from the stairs.

"Oh! God! This is pathetic"

 

"Welcome Christian and who is this pretty Ahjumma?" A young man with Korea's accent welcomed them at their lodge.

"My lovely Wife" He said smiling.

"Bi'ane, Ahjumma. How do You do?"

"Kin chana Ahjussi (I'm fine Sir)"

"Sik so yo? (What will You eat?)"

"Annia. We're fine. Kumasimita (No... Thank You)"

"Okay this way, please" He said leading the way to their lodge.

 

"How come You speak Korea?" Christian asked as soon as they were left alone in their room.

"Once lived in Korea"

"Okay, let's go have dinner they'r 'waiting our arrival"

"Am not hungry"

"Geez....Gracious not here. I thought You promised Me a favour"

"Okay. Fine...... Shall we?"

 

"Welcome Ahjussi (Sir) , Ahjumma (ma) . Please have your seat" Chief Kang said.

"Kuma Ahjussi (Thanks Sir) " Gracious replied.

"What's your order? Its on the house"

"Kuma Ahjussi (Thanks Sir) . Yangdom Tomdak (Chicken soup)"

"Shrimps and ramen, please"

After they had already had dinner, "The meeting for tomorrow is 9:00am" Chief Kang announced standing up "Good Night"

"Good Night"

"Good Night"

"Good Night"...

 

"What exactly is your problem Christian? What?" Gracious yelled at him. "I don't understand You, I only said we're going to share the same bed for the main time"

"Don't You think there is a problem there?"

"God! Gracious must you make trouble. See I'm tired, I want to sleep"

"Sleep? When I haven't"

Walking towards Her, "Gracious can't we live a day without arguing... You Know how much I love You but you're making this seem like a torture". Now in front of Her, He cupped Her face in His hands and started down at Her face. "Gracious, I love you soo much that You making Me lose my mind"

"What are You saying?" She replied looking in His gaze.

"What am saying is" He bent to Her lips and kissed Her crazy for two minutes. "That's what I mean, you and I know how much we both want this... You just dont wano