C3 CHAPTER THREE

Chris Jackson hibernated his laptop with a sigh. He sent a call to Annie's office asking her to come immediately. Starring into space, his thought took him back to what happened early that morning. He had been thinking about Annie all through the night, not knowing why his mind refused to let go of her. He had restricted himself many a time from calling her the previous night, but when he couldn't resist the urge any more he called her. Her sweet voice over the phone had sent shocking chills down his vain. He had wanted to disconnect the call after he had realize he had no reason for calling her. What was he supposed to say?

"Come sign some documents in my office." or " There is a case here for you to handle." What reason was he going to give his employee for calling her at that time of the day.

When Annie told him she was happy to hear his voice, he felt like the whole world was suddenly his. He had stopped himself from revealing his feelings for her on phone, he wanted to tell her to her face, so he could see her reactions. Was he doing the right thing, he thought. What if she tells him he wasn't good for her or she was in a serious relationship.

"Damn that serious relationship." He cursed.

No man was going to stop him from having what belonged to him. What was he saying, she isn't his property. A soft knock at his door brought his

mental stability back.

"Yes come in please," He said.

Chris watched Annie walked in timidly like she did the other day at the conference hall. Something about her ceased his breath for a while. She was looking so beautiful in her black suit. Her short black skirt stopped a little above her knees and revealed long beautiful straight legs that would turn a man on instantly. Her high heel shoes adorned her legs elegantly, giving her the perfect look he craved for from a woman.

"Good morning sir, you sent for me." She said.

The sound of her voice lifted his gaze to meet her fine shaped lips. Her piercing beautiful dark eyes, held his gaze warmly. What! She was a damn gorgeous lady any man would ever wish for. He walked towards her, with his eyes on her lips. What was he doing, he didn't want to care either, he just wanted to do what his heart wanted him to. He stopped in front of her, and took a long look into her questioning dark eyes. The more he looked at her, the more he became so vulnerable. And without taking a second thought, his lips came crashing down on her's.

Annie broke the kiss in order to catch some breathe. Chris' kiss had a strong effect on her, she didn't want to stop, but had to do so. She felt her heart twitched within her, and immediately covered her face with her palms feeling guilty. What had come over her? Why was she suddenly feeling like a slut? She thought. Minutes ago she was enjoying Chris' kiss, but now she felt like hanging herself. She had instantly become a cheap whore in the

space of fourty-eight hours! Damn her. Tears came flowing freely down her cheeks, she was so ashamed of herself, and got no guts to look at Chris' face either. She was just a cheap whore, She should have controlled her feelings, she should have resisted him. She kept scolding herself.

"Annie I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me, please." She heard Chris say.

Was that all he could say? She thought. What a fool she was for having feelings for someone who felt nothing for her. He just wanted to use her, why hadn't she ever thought about that. She allowed more tears roll down her cheeks freely.

" Annie, I actually called you into my office to tell you how l feel about you. Ever since I set my eyes on you a week ago at the canteen during lunch, I developed a strong feeling for you. After what happened yesterday, I found out that my feelings weren't mere feelings. I love you Annie, please give me a chance." Chris said holding her hands tenderly.

Annie stared at him trying to decode what he had just said, she just couldn't believe her ears.

"Annie give me a chance please, I will never hurt your feeling for any reason." He said wiping off tears away from her face.

Annie watched him take her into his arms and held her closely to himself. She sighed at the feel of his warm lips over her fore head.

" I love you too." She muttered.

Chris looked into her eyes with a smile. " Did you just say that Or I imagined that myself?" He asked.

"Of course you heard me right." She replied with a smile.

"Oh my gosh! Annie. I'm the most happiest man on earth." The both of them laughed loudly.

Annie stared at Chris' handsome face with a smile, she just couldn't believe he was hers now. For some reasons she felt lucky.

" Can i go back to my office now?" She asked.

" Not yet baby, you aren't leaving just yet. Not after I have missed you all through the night, you gave me sleepless night for pete's sake."He said.

Annie laughed out aloud with her head backwards. "Look at who is talking, have you asked why your call was picked at the first ring?"

" Don't tell me my baby was missing me too!" Chris said with a smirk.

"Haha! Maybe." Annie replied.

Chris made her sit on his chair while he sat on his desk. He didn't want her to go back to her office for any reason, he planned to have her with him for the rest of the day. He jerked at the sound of a loud bang at his door, and in a flash it was swung open.

"Chris! So this is true." He heard her say.

"Lola?" Chris Jackson called softly and stood.

What the hell was she doing in his office? He thought. Lola was a lady he met at his best friend's birthday party few months ago. He had ended up at her apartment that night and had a one night stand with her. He had never set his eyes on her again after that night.

"So this is the bitch you've been avoiding me for right?" Lola asked with disgust.

"And what the hell are you doing in my office, Lola? What do you want?" Chris asked with a furious bang on his desk.

"Oh please don't give me that! I'm here to tell you that I'm carrying your baby!" She replied with rage.

"Haha! You are kidding aren't you bitch?" Chris said in between laughter.

Lola hands him over a pregnancy report that stated she was three months pregnant.

" This is the doctors report. And mind you, terminating this pregnancy is never going to be a part of my plans." She said and left in a hurry.

Annie watched with wide eyes. She felt tears threatening to come rolling down her cheeks yet again. She couldn't stand the hurt any more, she had to run out of this office before she collapses. Running out of his office without a second thought, she could hear Chris calling after her, but she wasn't ready to listen to any more lies from him. Dashing into her office she took her bag and started towards the exit of the firm. And as she walked out of the firm, she heard some giggles behind her back that made her

want to choke herself to death.

Chris locked his office and sat on his seat, starring blankly at nothing at all. What was he going to do for crying out loud? What has he put himself into?. He couldn't believe that a one night stand was going to ruin his happiness as quickly as it came. Lola had told him she was on pills that night and he had believed her. What a fool he was to believe that bitch he met for the first time at a party. What was he going to tell Annie? She would never believe him, and his dad? He will be very disappointed in him. Chris sent a call to his secretary asking her to block all his calls, he needed to think badly. He called Annie's office and was told she had left.

"Gosh!" He said with a grunt. He feared that he may never get to see her again.

What was he going to do now? The world seemed to be against him, and he was losing it. Why was he always having a problem each time he finds true love? Why was he so unlucky? Chris thought while he paced around his office glancing at the pregnancy report time after time.

" God, am damned! Am fucked up, gosh!!" Chris yelled kicking his table, and at the same time reaching for his leg in pains.

****

Rose walked into the sitting room looking very tired. School had been very stressful that day because of all the practical they had carried out in various science subjects. She had even skipped lunch in the process. Her

eyes fell on her elder sister, who had sprawled awkwardly on the sitting room's floor. Fear gripped her heart, making her lose balance. Steadying her steps again she took in a fresh breathe. There was something unusual about the presence of her sister at home by that time, and on a normal day, she was supposed to be at work. What was she doing at home and still in her office wear? Why was she lying sprawled like she was dead or something? Rose took a close look at her and noticed her swollen eyes. What was going wrong? She tapped her sister gently, silently praying that she was fine. Rose watched her sister stir slowly and sat up, relief washed through her calming her nerves down.

"Sis you got me scared, what happened?" Rose asked sitting on the sofa.

"I'm fine bae. How was school?" Annie asked weakly with a yawn.

"School was fine Sis. But am not convinced by that answer you just gave me. You aren't fine, I can see it all over your face. Whats wrong?" Rose asked in a worried tune.

" Rosy I said am fine, I just need rest thats all."

"Sis am not buying that excuse. What explanation do you have for your swollen eyes? Why are you still in your office wears? You are hiding something from me and I don't like it." Rose pressed on.

" Leave me alone young lady! Just get out before I lose it!" Annie yelled at her.

"Sis?" Rose said in shock.

"You heard me right, get out!" Annie yelled again.

Rose couldn't just believe her eyes, talk more of her ears. Did her sister just yelled at her? That had never happened before, not ever. She walked briskly into her bedroom and locked the door behind her. She dropped her back pack on the floor, fell on her bed, buried her face into her pillow and cried her eyes out. Her sister just yelled at her for the first time and also broke a promise too. She was keeping a secret, she was hiding something from her. They had made a promise to each other when she was seven, that they were never going to hide anything from one another. Why was her sister breaking the promise now? The fact that her sister was going through pains and wasn't allowing her to help out, made her cry in pains. Rose cried so much that she slept off on her bed still in her school uniform and sandals.

Standing up from the Floor, Annie went into her room and pulled off her office wear. She stepped into her bathroom and had a cold bath that calmed her nerves down. The thought of what had happened in Chris' office crowded her mind. She had enjoyed his long deep kiss. The way he controlled her lips with his tongue, made her want to leave her lips buried into his warm mouth for as long as it would take. Her heart had leaped for joy when he had said he loved her and was never going to hurt her. She believed everything he had said, and was ready to give him the whole of her.

He wasn't the first person she was falling in love with. Her first love was Eric, a guy she had met in high school. He was a new student, who got all the girls tripping. At first she had never cared about him, she saw him as a

playboy, who was having a good time fooling almost all the girls around. Yet she couldn't explain why and how they had fallen in love with each other, after they were paired together for a group assignment. Eric was her past and still her past. He had cheated on her with her best friend Helen, breaking her heart into tiny pieces. She broke up with him and ended her friendship with Helen too. Ever since that incident she had never fallen in love again, not untill few days back. Chris hadn't told her he had a girlfriend in the first place who was damn pregnant for him too, and the asshole had called her a bitch. She Annie a bitch! She spat out in rage.

She stepped out of shower and dried up herself. Walking into her bedroom she went to her dresser, took her cream and applied some gently on her smooth skin. The thought of going back to Jackson Law Firm the following day, over whelmed her. What was she going to do? She can't lose her well paid job for some idiots, never! She thought. She pulled on an oversized green T-shirt over a blue shorts, and started towards the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Annie heard Rose's bedroom door opened when she was almost done with preparing dinner. Rose came into the kitchen and went to the fridge to get water. Annie watched her gulped down two glasses of water, and was still going for more. She noticed that her sister was still wearing her school uniform.

"Why are you still in your uniform Rosy?" She asked.

" No reason," Rose replied.

"What kind of an answer is that? What do you mean by no reason?" She asked with a confused look.

"Sis I'm tired and I need some rest please." Rose replied and walked out.

"Did you just walked out on me Rose? Are you mad?" Annie said going after her.

"Whatever Sis! I don't give a fuck about it!" Rose yelled.

Annie held her and gave her a hard slap. " How dare you yell at me?"

"Sis?" Rose called in shock holding her cheek, "You slapped me?" She asked tearfully.

Annie was dump folded. What had come over her? She had never slapped her sister before, why did she do it? Rose' teary eyes tore her heart apart, filling her with guilt.

"Rosy am sorry," She said reaching for her.

"Don't lay your hands on me, I hate you!" Rose yelled and ran into her room locking the door behind her.

"Rosy please listen to me, I'm really sorry. I don't know what came over me." She said with a bang on Rose's door.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" Rose replied from inside.

"Little Sis please hear me out." Annie pleaded.

She leaves for the kitchen after much pleading with Rose to open the door,

of which she refused. She dropped the food from the fire and put off the gas cooker.Walking into the sitting room she sat on a sofa crying her eyes out. The door bell rang, making her jerk violently. She wiped away the tears on her cheek quickly and went to see who was at the door.She swung the door open and stood transfixed to the ground, not believing her eyes.

"Chris!" She called.

"Annie please let me explain," he said with a sober tune.

"Get out of here with your silly explanation before I lose it." She said between clutched teeth.

"Baby please hear me out," he pleaded.

"I said leave!" Annie yelled.

"He is going no where," Annie turned to look at the owner of the voice.

"What?" She asked.

"You heard me right." She answered.

Annie watched with her mouth wide open, as her sister Ushered Chris into their setting room. Rose was a stubborn kind of person who doesn't end a quarrel without a revenge. Annie wondered what her sister was up to at the moment, with the way she smiled at Chris asking him to feel at home. There was something about her smiles that said either she or Chris was in a big trouble, or maybe the two of them put together. She had to allow Rose have her way or she does something worse than what's in her mind at that

moment.

" Sis come on, come sit with our visitor." Rose said with a smirk.

Annie glared at her sister before doing what she was told.

"Rosy I don't understand what you are up to, you better don't waste my time." Annie said.

"Welcome to our humble home, Mr. You are?" She asks ignoring her elder sister.

"I'm Chris, dear." He replied with a silly smile that said he liked the way things were going.

Annie threw diggers at him with her eyes, an attitude that drew a warm smile from his face.

"Here," Rose offered him a glass of red wine.

"Thanks," he said, and took a sip.

"So whats the matter between you and my Sis?" She asked.

Chris felt embarrassed. Why was the young girl behaving like a mother or something.

"Ermm," clears his throat, "Maybe you should let us sort things out ourselves." He told Rose.

"Sort things out with who? If thats what the both of you have planned, then am getting out of here." Annie said, standing up to leave.

"You are going no where Sis. And if you dare, i will leave this house for good," Rose threatened.

"You wont dare leave this house Rosy! Not ever." Annie said.

"Try me and see if I wont." Rose replied.

" Its okay young ladies, i think am being the cause of the fight between you two. I will just have to take my leave." Chris spoke up and stood to his feet.

"Better," Annie said.

"You aren't stepping a foot out of here dude," Rose said.

"And what would you do if he does?" Annie asked.

Rose tears her clothes apart and grabs Chris, " I will cry rape ! rape!! And trust me our sweet neighbours will believe me. It won't stop there, i will tell them you both planned it." She said.

"Hey its alright. It hasn't gotten to blackmailing anyone. Am going no where, okay?" Chris said raising his hands up in total surrender.

Annie stares at her little sister in awe. That wasn't the calm Rose she had always known, what had gotten over her?. She sat down hopelessly on the sofa looking totally lost.

"As i was saying Chris, What is going on between you and my sis?" Rosed asked adjusting her clothes.

Chris narrated the incident that had happened that morning, not leaving any

single detail behind. He also told them about his relationship with Lola and what had happened between them, and how everything had ended the same day.

"I've been asking her for a chance to clear myself out since I came, but she didn't wanna hear me out." Chris said sadly.

"Sis?" Rose called.

"Um hm," Annie replied with a hum.

" Moments ago you were at my door pleading with me to hear you out, now you don't wanna here Chris out. I'm sure you heard him, it was a one night stand." Rose said.

"I don't care what it was! Chris, am sorry, but right now I don't feel anything for you any more." Annie replied.

"And I wont stay in this house either, I'm leaving." Rose said.

"Leave for all I care!" Annie yelled.

"Fine," she replied and started towards her room.

"Rose wait," Chris said.

Rose stopped and looked at him.

" Yes?" She asked.

"Don't leave because of me please." He pleaded

" I'm not leaving because of you, I'm leaving because I can't stay with someone that had broken all her promises to me in one day. Sis, am very sorry, but I hate you right now." She said and left.

Annie felt hurt, she couldn't stand it anymore. She just allowed tears take possession of her cheeks again. Her only family was leaving because of Chris! Damn him and his God damn honesty. Rose came out of her room carrying her back pack and a little bag that contained some of her things. Annie wouldn't want her sister leave for any reason. What was she going to do?

"Rosy wait please," she said tearfully, "Don't leave me please."

"Sis I wont leave if you forgive Chris and accept him back. He loves you can't you see? Lola was his past, she was a mistake, what can't you understand?" Rose said.

"I forgive you Chris." Annie said soberly.

What? Chris stared at the two sisters with his mouth wide open, "You really have forgiven me?" He asked Annie.

"Yes baby, I'm so sorry for over reacting," she said.

"Thanks sweet, I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you," he replied and took her into his arms for a tight embrace.

"Thank you for playing your role so well dear, i just don't know how to pay you back." He told Rose with a wide grin.

His eyes met Annie confused ones and he winked at her, he was sure she doesn't understand what he had said to her younger sister.

"You are a good actress," he whispered into Rose' ears and hugged her.

"You too," She whispered.

He disengaged from the hug and watched her walk into her room to drop her things. He had met her that afternoon in front of their house when she had returned from school. He had parked in front of their house contemplating on whether he should go into the house in search of Annie or leave quietly. Rose had stopped to ask him if he was looking for someone or needed help. He told her that he was looking for Annie, he introduced himself as her boss. After Rose introduced herself as Annie's younger sister, he went ahead to narrate what had transpired between the two of them in the office that morning. Rose told him she was going to help him out, but he had to came back later in the evening.

His eyes came back to Annie who was sitting on a sofa, typing God knows what on her laptop. She was looking so charming in her Over sized T-shirt and blue shorts.

"Annie?" Chris called.

"Yes, " she replies without looking away from her laptop.

"Did you really meant what you said? Like, you've really forgiven me?" He asked.

Annie looked up at him and nodded. She kept her laptop aside, sighed and

stood to her feet.

"Chris am sorry I over reacted, I just couldn't tell why. But I was jealous. What would you have done if someone just walks in to say I aborted his child or something?" Annie asks.

"I would be very hurt Annie. I understand your feelings, thats why am here, please forgive me. Don't allow my past to come in between us please." Chris pleaded.

" I've gotten over it now." She replied.

"Can i get a kiss at least, to prove this point?" He asked.

" Thats if you tell me what you and my younger sis is up to." She replies with a smirk.

"Haha!" Chris laughed out aloud. He tells her about his plan with Rose, smiling sheepishly.

Annie laughs at their plan. "Cool, but you will have to catch me to get your kiss." She said and started running around the sitting room laughing.

Chris went after her laughing too. He caught her and started devouring her lips. He just couldn't seem to get enough of her, she was too sweet and irresistible.

"Phew! Don't forget you've got a third party in this house ," Rose said.

Annie and Chris disengaged from their passionate kiss, and were looking like teenagers caught having sex in one of their parent's bedroom.

"Rosy lets get the table ready for dinner" Annie said and stood to her feet.

" Hmm, Okay," Rose said smiling, she left to set the table as she was told.

"Baby come on, let me feel your lips again." Chris said with a grin.

"You aren't serious, you want Rose to spank us if she catches us when she comes in again." Annie said with a smile and left.

Chris watched her leave and smiled happily to himself. She was all he wanted ever, he wouldn't let her go for anything in the world, not even for Lola.