C4 The Birthday Party

A lot of work continued till the evening. Guests started arriving walking in through the front door of the mansion, men of luxury and women of big and costly wigs.

Their cars were very big in size and their designs and models were such that couldn't be afforded by the middle class. The makeup on their faces was half the salary of a middle-class worker in six months. Their gowns were flowing but yet split up to their hips exposing their skin.

Senators, commissioners, barristers, engineers, Reverends, Doctors, and all other kinds of dignitaries walked into the hall, one after another.

Grace at seeing them walking in with their shoulders high ran upstairs so she wouldn't be embarrassed. She only wore a pair of nighties and went around the house all day.

She opened the door as if she was chased after and found Alfred naked.

"What are you doing here?" Alfred asked covering his body.

"This is my room silly!" Grace responded looking steadily at him and how childish he behaved, trying to cover himself with his hands.

"And what are you trying to do?" She asked giggling because of how nervous Alfred was. He sweated from his head down to his legs.

Alfred moves his head quickly, signifying that Grace should look away so he could dress up.

"How sure are you that I haven't seen all that you are trying to hide Alfred, we sleep on the same bed every night, remember?" Grace joked.

"Are you serious or is this a sought of a joke?" he said. Grace smiled at him saying nothing. Her glimpses only conferred one in information to him.

Alfred gasped looking at Grace in anger. If there's one thing Alfred hates, it is being ignored especially by a girl.

"Am I not talking to you!" Alfred exclaimed standing upright and grabbing Grace's arm.

Grace smiles at him, Alfred was confused that she was still smiling even after being screamed at. He quickly looked down towards her eye direction.

He froze in his own dismire when he found out that he had actually uncovered his body. Alfred immediately ran into the bathroom and tied a towel and thereafter, came out.

"What in the world did you see Grace?" Alfred asked.

"Nothing, was there anything you saw?" Grace responded.

"Stop joking with me Grace, I saw you looking down and at my naked skin, " he said grabbing her shoulder tightly and squeezing it.

"Whatever I saw wasn't intentional and of course, you are my husband, is there anything wrong with me seeing you?" She responded.

"Stop it, Alfred, you're hurting me," Grace added striving to pull her arms off his big and muscular palm. Alfred looking into her eyes pitied her and left her to go.

"What are you doing here, are the foods ready for the guest?" He asked rudely.

"You can't be talking to me like that, I am not your employee nor your slave. The cooks are doing their work," Grace responded walking to her wardrobe and flipping it open. She stares at her clothes for a long time finding it difficult to choose from the million choices.

She picks three gowns big her mum bought for her.

"Which one should I wear?" She asked bringing the gown closer to Alfred.

"Huh," Alfred responded looking at her.

"The red, blue, or green, which should I wear? " she asked. Her innocent eye met with his.

Alfred had gotten used to Grace being around and the thought of her living crushes him. The attention she had shown towards him, the food she makes for him and he will still say he doesn't want and would end up stealing it at night to eat, personal inspections on his document by Grace when he is asleep, all these fun moments cannot be forgotten easily, her simple lifestyle and innocent eye.

"Hello am talking to you," Grace said shuddering him back to his senses.

"Barbaric!" Alfred muttered turning away from her.

"What do you mean barbaric?" Grace asked.

"Your dress is clunky," he responded wearing his shirt.

"Why are you so mean towards me, what's my crime? Marrying you?" Grace asked.

“You would have told dad you don't want to marry me," Grace added.

"It has been a year now, why can't you get over it?" Alfred asked.

"Get over it? You are the one not getting over it, you treat me as an enemy." Grace responded.

"Can she stop asking too much, I'm trying not to annoy her especially now but she's talking too much," he wonders to himself.

"No, we aren't enemies we are cool," Alfred responded together with a fake smile.

"Let me help you button," Grace said moving closer to him trying to button him but Alfred shifted.

"Why did you move? You do this every time I come close to you and I need you to stop, stop treating me this way, I am your wife and you can't change that." Grace muttered grabbing the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer, and helping him button.

"You are indeed stubborn but not my type of woman, not of the same class, not my soul mate; you are just a contract to me. If dad gave me an option, I would never marry you. These are the reason why I distance myself from you."

"What do you mean by contract?" She asked astonished by what he said.

"Dad gave me no option, he said I should marry you or lose the company, doesn't it sound like a contract to you?" Alfred asked annoyed at how she sounded. He became uncontrollable letting out all his wroth on her.

"oh I forgot one thing, every contract has an expiry date, you never know, today might be yours," Alfred added walking out of the room.

These words got her shocked and forced tears from her eyes. Remembering the last lines of his words got her weak and unable to move her body. She slowly sat on the bed crying with no one to console her.

Alfred despite feeling bad for the way he treated her could not do anything to help. He walked downstairs to join the birthday party which had already begun.

****************************

"Welcome to all our guest present this evening. As we all know, this is the Duke’s mansion and an important occasion. Everyone present in here should feel comfortable and make themselves at home,” the moderator of the event addressed living the rest for the DJ.

“We are gathered here in Jerome’s mansion popularly addressed as Duke Mansion in honour of their own mother and wife to the owner of the biggest enterprise in the country.

The event just started and many are already getting to know each other still waiting patiently for the celebrant to come downstairs, Keep watching to see more updates regarding Mrs Agnes Jerome’s Birthday party,” published some journalists who were present on the occasion.

A few minutes later, Mr/Mrs Travis arrived at the mansion, walking in with a big present wrapped with designer's paper to hide the content.

"Good evening Mr and Mrs Travis, long time no see," a woman dressed in a long velvet gown greeted approaching them.

"Mrs Avela, how is the family?" Mr Travis asked, giving her a hug as she pecks him.

"Everyone is fine yours?" She responded.

"They are all fine," he said turning to his wife who had no idea of who Alvera was.

"This Is Amanda's mum," he informed his wife as her face brightened up.

"Oh I’m so sorry; we have never met that's why she responded hugging Avela and walking ahead with her husband.

"Why were you keeping your face like that?" Mr Travis asked.

"I wanted to know who she was, I didn't want any fuss so I kept quiet. You know you can't have another woman when am around," she said frowning.

Travis laughed swinging his arm around her waist.

" At this moment the celebrant will be coming out. Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for our own Mrs Agnes Jerome, wife to the founder of Danford industries, " the master of the ceremony said, as everyone stood up clapping, some pulling their phones to video her entrance, and the journalists, men, and women-focused their camera In the direction she came from.

Her red flow gown split up to her thigh and was well-designed with golden stones and embroideries. Her necklace was spackling, dragging all attention to l her face; a golden necklace worth millions.

Mrs Agnes was surprised with the crowd she pulled in one night, starting from the senators to commissioners, even men and women of higher calibres than they from different parts of the world.

Mr Jerome and his friend Travis stood mesmerized by how attractive Agnes was.

Mr Jerome's attention was totally on his wife. He slowly moves towards claiming it and giving her a helping hand; coming down together with her.

"How romantic," Alfred shout out to everyone's hearing covering the edges of his mouth to make himself more audible. After he had said this, the whole crowd broke into laughter including the celebrant, leaning on her husband's chest.

Mrs Travis noticed her daughter wasn't anywhere near the hall, she moves closer to Alfred tapping him on the shoulder.

"Yes ma'am," he responded

"I have been wondering, where my daughter is!" She said.

"She is in our room and doesn't want to come down, mom can you please beg her to come down!" He said pretending he was worried.

"Did you two have a misunderstanding?"

"Just a minor issue and she got upset and refused to come out," he responded looking away into the crowd as Mrs Travis walks upstairs.