The huge metallic gates automatically opened revealing a grand mansion. The oppressive gloom that had weighed her heart down suddenly lifted and dissipated.

Roman ushered her into the sprawling vicinity with its lush well-tended lawn. Clusters of bushes dotted the compound, while beyond the house was a stone perimeter wall with a blaze of climbers in red, purple and cream.

When she got to the front door, she could hardly believe her eyes. Roman reached for the front door opening the door revealing a spacious hallway that led to a large living room lavishly furnished with unique furniture. The floor length brown curtains were drawn as the sun's rays lit up the whole house.

She tried to contain her excitement but she continued to look about with fascinated eyes. A middle aged woman introduced herself as Marga, and showed her around while Roman left.

Marga showed her the rooms specifically Roman's room which was also hers. This was her chance, she borrowed Marga her phone but once again Roman had outwitted her.

"Lo siento, madame but sir completely forbade me from giving you access to any phone in the house," Marga told her.

"Help me out, here. I have a son. Aren't you a mother? Don't you feel my pain?"

"Ooh don't worry ma'am. Sir already assured us that your son will be living with us." She smiled.

Mikaella rolled her eyes, it was obvious that all the servants were loyal to him. She went into her room and locked herself in. She paced around, her mind in turmoil, she shook her head unbelievably taking off the heels that had made her feet ache for long.

She looked around, she reached for the closet. Roman's clothes had been neatly folded the drawers were full of his ties, his undies and the shoe rack was completely full with his loafers and black shoes. Her head tilted towards the brightly colored blouses, the million dollar dresses and the various pairs of stilettos. Those were all women's wear. His girlfriend perhaps, she reasoned.

She spread her legs on the king sized bed feeling it's soft sheets...she dozed off.

★★★★★★★★★★★

"Shhh, she's asleep. Don't wake her"

She heard distant familiar voices before someone forcefully tumbled on top of her.

"Mommy are you asleep?" Seth asked, taking her cheeks in his little hands.

She opened her eyes slightly before putting on a smile. Seth wriggled his hair as drops of water fell on Mikaella's cheeks.

"Seth.. why are you wet?" She asked now sitting up. Seth was now in his beach shorts as he shivered terribly.

"Mommy you should have seen the pool. It's so biiiig..daddy taught me how to swim...then..then.. Aunt Marga fell in the pool..it was so funny," he exclaimed jumping up and down the bed.

"Oh nooo! Did you save her?"

"Of course not mommy. Daddy rushed over to her like Superman and saved her" Seth then jumped off the bed running to his dad who stood at the door watching Mikaella.

"Mommy can we stay?" Seth asked her.

She stared blankly at her son and Roman. Sudden thoughts charged her mind. Seth wanted to stay with his dad..

"Okay buddy. Why don't you tell Aunt Marga to prepare you an ice cream sundae," Roman said.

Once Seth left, Roman closed the door. Mikaella still sat on the bed as she watched Roman who was also in his beach shorts and shirtless. She examined the inscribed tattoo on his bosom written 'Anna'. His abdominal V lines were dominant on his torso. His brown hair now lay smoothly on his head as drops of water dripped from it. He moved across the room picking up Mikaella's heels from the floor.

"I see you've already made yourself comfortable in our bed," he said now arranging her heels at the farthest corner of the room.

"I need my phone,"was all she said before Roman crawled on the bed.

She backed away from Roman her back now pressed against the edge of the bed. He approached her stealthily on the bed like a cheetah ready to prey on a helpless antelope.

"That old thing? Trust me I'll buy you a better one"

"Let's talk like the civilised adults we are. You want to spend time with Seth, I get it but that doesn't mean you own our lives. I have work, I have a life, Seth has school..he has friends, I have friends who are probably worried about me"

Her sound dimmed down hoping that she could knock some sense in his thick skull. This whole ordeal was insane, one minute she was a single happy mother and the next she had just signed a marriage certificate in front of a lawyer as her witness.

"Believe you me sweetheart I never wanted any of this. Being married was the last thing I ever thought I would do, more so being married to a woman like you! But lucky for you, I believe in second chances, I believe in marriage and the power of family. For our sweet little boy let's keep the charade going."

"Ooh and about your phone, once you start taking up your duties as my wife i'll buy you a new one. I wouldn't want you calling that Phil guy" she stiffened with surprise as Roman replied in a cheerful ingratiating tone.

"What do you mean taking up my duties as your wife?"Mikaella asked petrified by his words.

"You know the usual directing the staff around the house and more importantly,"he said pleasantly and added coldly," tending to my manly needs."

★★★★★

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