Under Her Shadow – Episode 4

Under Her Shadow – Episode 4

© Bunmi B. Gabriel

#AJ ‘s POV

What a disappointing day, disappointment, a word I detest with passion. Not wanting to vent my frustration on Sandy again, I went back to my own house, I threw myself on the chaise longue and sighed, my phone rang and I could barely contain my excitement but unfortunately the caller was my PA

‘Cynthia’ I said frowningly standing up

‘Ma’am, chairman called and he said he would send the list of construction companies you should partner up with, he mentioned a business gala Dr Eden Stein is holding next week and said you should attend’

‘Why didn’t he call me instead? My phone is right here’ I said scoffingly

‘Ma’am I don’t know, he just called but by he I meant his PA, Harley’

‘Oh, I’ve heard you but knowing my dad, he’ll mention the one he wants most so……?

‘Royal Palace’ she answered quickly

‘Hmm, I thought that organization deals with only hotels and malls’ I said calmly walking into my room

‘No, it deals with a lot of things other than that’

‘Like?’

‘Construction, food, amusement sight…..’

‘Who owns it?’ I asker her plainly sitting on my bed, she gasped

‘Ma’am, you don’t know of Prince Lucien the third?’ She said shockingly, I rolled my eyes and put the phone on loud speaker, I dropped it and took off my shoes, it can’t be the Lucien I know, right? Even if it is, who cares plus Lucien must be his surname and Prince his name, the one I know is Lucien by name ‘Ma’am?’

‘Sorry Cynthia, I was trying to recall his name, I don’t know him but either way, we’ll see at the gala, will he be there?’

‘Definitely, Dr Stein is his friend so he will’ she said happily. ‘Ma’am you have to see him, he’s so smoking hot!’ She squealed, I laughed and shook my head

‘Enoch better chain you to himself before you run off’ I said laughingly, she laughed

‘You know I wuv him’ she said jokingly and hissed. ‘I’ll dump him soon as in tomorrow, he’s too stingy and a yell freak, do you know he hits me?’

‘You’ve told me this a thousand time Cynny, I need to bathe, goodnight’

‘I love it when you call me Cynny, such a nice name, my mom used to call m….’

‘Cynthia’ I drawled

‘Shutting up, goodnight ma’am’ she said quickly, I smiled and hung up I like this girl a lot, she’s been with me for two years now and she talks too much, I don’t talk too much with anyone I don’t know, dad says I must act professional but at least she brighten up my mood

I took a bath and changed into a blue nightie, I was rolling my hair when my phone rang so I ignored it until I was done, three missed calls from an unknown number

I slapped myself, I’m so stupid, what if it’s him? He won’t call back and I can’t call him back, pride and a….to hell with that, I redial the number and just then his call came in, I picked it immediately

‘Softie’ I dropped the phone and shrieked quietly

‘Hello somebody’

‘Lame’ he scoffed

‘Lame? I waited for hours, I even got butt cramp’ I said compliantly

‘I’m very sorry, I went on a date with Miss Traffic’ he said humorously

‘That won’t work on him, really upset here’ I lied, hearing his voice only have sent that away

‘Oh come on! I just said I’m sorry, should I cry first before y……oh la la!’ He screamed, I heard a thud and a painful groan. ‘Ow pain’ he moaned, I know I’m suppose to worry about him but my laughing sense came first, I burst into laughter, laughing until tears ran down my cheeks, the phone was on loud speaker now as I laughed. ‘Thanks for caring’ he said sarcastically

‘Oh my God! Ha ha ha ha ha ha….’

‘It’s not funny’ he whined

‘Oh la la!’ I mimicked laughingly and broke into another serious peal of laughter, I could almost feel him rolling his eyes

‘I’ll hang up if you don’t cut it out’

‘No wait, I won’t laugh again, I promise’ I said amid laughter

‘You are still laughing, shut up’ he snapped, I caught my breath and relaxed

‘There, I stopped’ I said giggling, he tried to hiss but failed woefully making me laugh again. After laughing for three minutes, I calmed down. ‘Aah, good times…classic’ I laughed

‘One day you will pay for this’ he said frowningly

‘Yea one day but for now, ha!’

‘You are mean’ he said childishly

‘I know right’ I shrieked. ‘Okay seriously, are you okay?’

‘Oh now you care’ he said sarcastically, I rolled my eyes. ‘I’m fine, just slipped on the bathroom floor, who said water floors aren’t slippery’

‘Who said you aren’t clumsy, I know you are still on the floor, stand up’ I said smiling

‘It feels so comfortable down here’

‘Dummy, I have to hang up now, I’ve got stuff to do’ I lied, please say something else

‘Okay but do you have plans for tomorrow?’

‘No’ I said sharply. ‘What? Wanna take me out and sell my kidneys?’

‘Really funny’ he said sarcastically. ‘I’m going morning hiking’

‘Lame’

‘Let me rephrase that, going morning MOUNTAIN hiking’ he said smirkingly, I’m sure he’s smirking, I gasped

‘I wanna come pleaseeeeee, I’ve always wanted to but daddy never let me, says it’s too dangerous’ I said pleadingly, he laughed

‘Do you even know how to hike or scale a mountain?’

‘Of course! Like a pro’ big fat lie

‘I thought you just said you have never been?’ He asked knowingly, I bit my lip

‘I did behind their backs so shut up, can I come? Pleaseeeeee?’ I begged desperately

‘If you say so, I’ll pick you up by 6, don’t bother sending me your address, got it already’ he said calmly

‘6pm?’ I asked frowningly

‘Nope, am’

‘What! I need my beauty sleep’ I exclaimed

‘Wait for me at your gate or I’ll go without you, goodnight princess sweet nightmares’ he said cheerfully

‘May all the mosquitoes of the universe suck you dry’ I fired

‘If they suck me dry, what will you suck then’ he said with a flirtatious tone, I gasped and covered my mouth, he laughed. ‘Goodnight cupcake’ he hung up I bit my lip as my mind travelled to somewhere else, I shook my head vigorously and slapped my cheeks thrice

Stupid mind

What do I wear? I don’t have any mountain hiking clothes, eh! I’ll just improvise then

Early at 4am the following day, I got ready, I wore a black jean trousers, black combat boots and tank top, I tied a black pullover around my waist, just in case the mountain turns into Mt you gonna freeze

I waited outside like he ordered, geez! It’s freaking cold out here, a black bike with danger skulls on it stopped in front of me, his cologne made it obvious that he was the one, he looked at me from head to toe and removed his helmet

So cute!

‘The fact you are dressed entirely in black is one thing but what are y….never mind’ he threw me another helmet. ‘Come on, wear that pullover, you’ll freeze’ I ignored him and wore the helmet, I climbed on. ‘Hold on to me’

‘Why should I? I’m not scared or anything’ I said plainly folding my arms

‘I drive really fast’

‘I can take care of myself’ I said stubbornly, he shrugged

‘We’ll see’ he said smirkingly and wore his helmet, stubbornness is a disease, always remember that. Immediately he drove off, I screamed and almost fell off, I didn’t even know when I held him like my life depended on him and it really did because the speed in which he drove was sickening, I couldn’t open my eyes

Two, the keen wind was killing me, I should have put on the pullover, I had to beg him to stop so I could wear it before he listened. God, I will never hear the end of this.

To be continued

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