The Billionaire's Secret Lover novel Chapter 41

It's Nina, she______“ I cut her off, as I cursed loudly into the phone impatiently “ How many times do I have to tell you that there's nothing going on between Nina and me. That picture you saw in the newspaper was Photoshopped“ I lied to her, after that night, Deborah has been questioning me about Nina and I, and I have to deny it every time. I'm getting tired of her emotional blackmail.

I scribbled something on the files in front of me, I have a 1:00pm meeting with the board concerning the launching of the new“ Thomson's hospital” which has been built and now this.

“It's not that Michael, Nina was involved in an accident and she's dead“ I froze as the pen hovered in my hand. Nina is dead? How come? No, it can't be true, I saw her two days ago and she was healthy. I laugh, Deborah has started again with her planks. I'm not in the mood for any of this.

“ What did you say? Nina did what?" I stood up and paced to and from my office," What if, what she said is true? No, it can't be“ I ran my hands through my hair frustrated with everything, why will Deborah lie to me? She can't, can she?

“ I said Nina's dead " She repeated, crying on the phone as I rolled my eyes at her acting. She doesn't like Nina. Why will she be crying over her death?

“ I know you won't believe me" she sniffles back tears “ check my dads channel, it's been broadcast there " she sniffles again as I hung up and ran with a heavy heart to the television, putting it on, I searched frantically for the remote.

I found it later, lying in between two files, taking if, I ran through the channel, my heart beat escalating at every process. Stopping at Melton's media channel I sat down heavily on the couch, as the picture of Nina's battered face was being transported in the ambulance.

Tears stream down my face as I unconsciously scream out loud, sending everything on my table flying in all directions of the office.

Who could hate me so much to do this? Deborah was home throughout today, she couldn't have possibly done that. And to think that Lilian was there, thank God she was not hurt badly, I don't know how I would ever face Danny. Could he have blamed me for what happened to Lilian?

Aurora rushed into the office and stood gasping at the mess on the floor, she probably heard the clash “Hello!, please send in the cleaner to the boss's office immediately" Aurora called into the intercom and rushed to meet me.

“Sir, you need to leave the room immediately, the cleaner is on her way here and I wouldn't want her to see you like this, it's not good for your image”, she guides me in to the adjoining room in my office, I quickly followed here as she led me onto the bed. I was numb as all part of my body had died along with Nina except my frantic beating heart.

“ I will put a call through to Mr john. In the meantime, please pick your phone, it has been ringing for ages” Aurora said, as she went into my office to bring my phone which has been ringing.

Truth is, I did hear the phone ring but I dreaded picking it, what if it's Danny ? What can I say to him? Or even Nina's parents and brother?

“ Oh ! What I've I gotten myself into” I lament bitterly I should have adamantly refused when my parents asked me to marry Deborah. If I did, Nina would have been right here by my side.

“ Who's calling?" I ask Aurora as she thrust the phone at me to pick it up.

” Mr. Andrea " Aurora replied as I breathed a sigh of relief, collecting it. Aurora left me alone after warning me to be quiet that the cleaner is in the room.

“ Mr Thompson is resting in the other room, be as quiet as possible " I heard Aurora telling the cleaning lady before she left the office, closing the door gently.

“Hello" I called hoarsely, into the phone as I braced myself for what Andrea would say. Will he blame me too like I'm doing to myself now?

“ I don't need to ask, if you heard. Clearly, from your voice, you've probably heard the news. I couldn't believe it until I saw it with my eyes" Andrea said his voice sounding strained, obviously from all the tears.

I ignore whatever he said about Nina, as I ask the question that has dreaded asking “ How's Lilian? "

“Lillian is okay, thankfully nothing was wrong with her. The doctor said she fainted due to shock" Andrea replied as I heard Danny voice in the background asking who Andrea is speaking with?. Apparently, Andrea and Danny are both at the hospital.

“How is Danny?" I ask him again, tears streaming down my face. To think , I caused all of this, if only she was with me, in my arms, under my protection.

“He's holding up well, he has been asking of you. I told him you probably need sometimes to process all of this. When are you coming? "

“ I don't know yet Andrea. I don't know how to face Danny and Lilian. I don't know how to face Nina, I've failed her Andrea," I sobbed uncontrollably into the phone as I looked around for tissue to blow my nose “ I told her I will protect her with my life and now this. How can I ever lived with myself that she's no longer in this world"

“ Calm down Michael, firstly, this is not anybody's fault neither yours. How are you to know that her car was faulty and moreover, she's not yet dead. The doctor discovers a faint heartbeat in her heart this morning and they've been operating on her. We are praying she lived.

Andrea words give me hope as I stood up and shower getting dressed, I walk out of the room into my office to see everywhere sparkling clean, everything that I had damaged where replaced

“ The speck of being a billionaire" my subconscious said

“ What's the use of being a billionaire when my money can't protect the woman I love?" I walked out of the office with my car keys, I was surprised to see John standing at the elevator. I'm sure Aurora must have told him that I was not in the mood to receive visitors.

I nodded at him as we both rode the elevator to the ground floor where Mark was waiting for me. I was surprised to see him, I thought I told him to monitor Deborah.

“ Why are you here?" I asked Mark, as he opened the back door for me, I got in while John sat down beside him at the front.